Family Archives - Page 4 of 11

Business, Family, Finance, Personal Development

Why I Write About Business and How YOU Benefit

March 6, 2019 No Comments

Becoming a business owner was one of the most exciting and terrifying moments of my life. Here are the 5 resources that helped me most along the journey #business #personaldevelopment #goals

Three years ago, my wife and I willingly jumped into the entrepreneurial deep end. And at that moment, effectively put our family under a near 7-figure sum of debt that we won’t shake loose from for a decade. Were we scared at times…? No – we were terrified, stressed, and on-edge for nearly 2 years. But looking back from the other side, I wouldn’t change those nerve-wracking years for anything. They’re what allowed us to pursue and fulfill our professional dream of becoming business owners. Since we took that leap, our family and our business have been on a rollercoaster ride complete with tremendous highs and some… teachable moments. We earned 140 5-star reviews in our first year of business Grew by 8.7% in our first fiscal year Got blindsided with a 2-weeks notice from one of our most trusted employees Almost went bankrupt (and one of our proudest accomplishments) helped […]

Finance, Family, Personal Development

4 Financial Mistakes That Actually Improved our Lives

February 27, 2019 No Comments

Today, I’m thrilled to welcome Jon back onto the site! We first heard from him a couple years ago when he discussed how he and his wife paid off $89,000 of student loans in just over a year, and while he’s written a few articles since… it’s been a minute. That’s why I’m stoked he’s here today to talk about some of the financial mistakes he’s made and how they may have actually benefited his family! It’s not all $89,000 student loan payoffs, friends – we’ve all made some mistakes from time to time. But as you’ll see – it’s less about the mistakes themselves, and more about how you respond. (Photo courtesy of MissFunctional Money) Take it away, Jon! 4 Financial Mistakes That Actually Improved our Lives If you’re anything like me, it can be easy to obsess about […]

Family

The 11 Most Hilarious Memes From My Wife – Now you Know

February 25, 2019 No Comments

Alright, Team – here’s the deal. I’ve got no value to add to your life with this post. No suggestions to improve your fitness, finances, or business’ competitive position. What I do have are 11 amazing memes from my wife (that qualifies as “family”, right…?). She’s sent these to me throughout pregnancy, us buying our business, and raising our daughters. After months of receiving these memes, laughing my butt off, and responding in kind – I started screen-shotting and saving these things. For more great lists, check out: One Good List I make no promises to censorship below and I only caution you to know 2 things: She’s not wrong She’s hilarious I’ll provide a couple lines after each meme, but let’s be honest – these things speak for themselves. The 11 Most Hilarious Memes From My Wife – Now you Know 1- Let’s hope our [oldest] daughter uses her […]

Fitness, Family

Can’t Exercise When you Have the Kids?? Think Again

February 18, 2019 No Comments

I’m not a stay-at-home dad but I’ve had a few Saturdays with Monica away at a baby/bridal shower and the girls staying home with me. On her way out the door there’s a quick rundown of the schedule, a couple of last-minute ‘don’t forgets,’ and the statement question – “You’re good, right?” I have her full confidence, no doubt, but she’s known me for over a decade and in the back of her mind she understands that I’m cooking up a list of easy exercises for me and the little ones to knock out while mom’s away. I’ve got this whole, “lost 65 pounds, higher energy level, on-my-shoulder-whispering angel thing,” reminding me that I never miss a Monday and that I’ll need to squeeze at least a 30-minute workout into this day. How, then, can I have a tremendous – memory generating – Saturday with my daughters and […]

Business, Family, Finance

How to Increase your Business’ Profit Margin in Under One Year

February 13, 2019 No Comments

From Broke to Ballin - Up Your Business' Profit the right way #smallbusiness #profit #reviews #entrepreneur #growth

Increasing your business’ profit margin can be an incredibly difficult task – especially when you’re juggling bills, chasing down accounts payable, and working to develop your staff to their full potential. Well, we’ve had some time to experience the highs and lows of business ownership, and this post is our step-by-step guide to earning more while doing the work you love. How to Increase your Business’ Profit Margin in Under One Year But first – A MikedUp Blog Original: “We’re on track to come up about $20k short…” As I said the words to my business partner, she was understandably irate. “Excuse me? $20k… That’s a lot of k’s!!!” You see, there are great advantages to being in business with your spouse, but explaining the fact that we are about to be broke and maybe not make payroll in three months – is not one of […]

Fitness, Family, Personal Development

23 Proven Routines and Philosophies For the Best Version of Me

February 11, 2019 No Comments

What would you have to do to discover the best version of yourself? Not just the fittest, the smartest, or the most socially responsible you – I’m talking about the total package… The best YOU. All-around. To unleash your fullest potential, you would need to design an incredibly healthy lifestyle prioritizing just the right amount of happiness, fitness, success, and freedom. Over the last decade, I’ve been experimenting with different routines and philosophies to do just that – design a healthy lifestyle to unleash the best me In this decade of experimentation (ages 22 – 32), I’ve lost 65 pounds and kept them off, started a business with my wife that provides for our family and the families of our employees, hiked the entirety of the most naturally diverse rainforest on earth (with 2 great buddies) in pursuit of my Master’s degree, became a father (twice over now […]

Finance, Family, Personal Development

What You Should Know About Health Insurance in 2019

February 9, 2019 No Comments

(This is a sponsored post discussing what you should know about health insurance – please see my disclosure for more details.) Open enrollment just ended and 2019 is in full swing! If you’ve recently enrolled in health insurance, hopefully, you know a thing or two about your new plan. But if you’ve worked at the same company and have received the same health insurance year after year, it’s easy to just click a few buttons without fully reading the fine print. Are you up-to-date with the latest news? Knowledge is power and we’re here to discuss some of the most important 2019 health insurance trends—so that you can confidently make an informed decision about your provider and their packages. What You Should Know About Health Insurance in 2019 You’re No Longer Required to Have It You probably recall when it became […]

Family, Personal Development

Unexpected Humor During my Bestie’s Cancer Battle

February 6, 2019 No Comments

If you’re a regular MikedUp Blog reader, you’ve at least heard about our friend ‘Jen’ and her battle with breast cancer – she wrote 14,000 words about every detail of her story. You’ve also seen Jen’s story from the point of view of her co-worker and dear friend. We’ve sufficiently covered many of the highs and lows that one may encounter with a cancer diagnosis or the diagnosis of a close friend. However, that’s still a little meat left on the bone. Believe it or not, there are still funny times, great experiences, and human moments that happen during life while on this journey. A lighter side to cancer, if you will. So in this third and final post detailing some portion of Jen’s journey, I’ve asked one of Jen’s best friends (Erica) to share some of her thoughts about what Jen went through. Below, we’ve got some wig […]

Business, Family, Personal Development

“I Have Accepted Another Job Offer – This is My 2-Weeks Notice”

January 21, 2019 No Comments

“Wait… What?!?!” Let me just say off the top that receiving our first version of the “2-weeks notice” flanked the $h_t out of me. I never saw it coming… Not even for a second. But after some time to reflect, process, and move forward – as they say, “Everything happens for a reason.” Now all that’s left to find out is whether that reason will set our family up for the next great step in life complete with increased happiness and wealth… or, if that reason is the start of the financial apocalypse as we know it… (Photo courtesy of Justin Montemarano) We’ll get back to the 2-weeks notice, but first – a MikedUp Blog original Don’t know if you’ve heard, but my wife was pregnant with our second child and due back in early January (I don’t say: “we’re pregnant…”). So […]

Personal Development, Family

My Dear Friend’s Battle with Breast Cancer

January 2, 2019 No Comments

My Best Friend's Battle with Breast Cancer #cancer #diagnosis #remission #battle #surgery

It was the autumn of 2016 that one of our close friends was diagnosed with cancer. Jen wrote 14,000 words on this site about her battle with breast cancer in which she left no stone unturned. She shared the most intimate of details, describing emotions, choices, highs, and extreme lows without one ounce of hesitation. And as a result, we’ve had many people reach out thanking her for sharing those raw details. Whether those folks have a friend going through a diagnosis and treatment or if they are themselves – the consensus is that Jen kept it real. But… As it turns out, there was a little more to the story. What’s below is an account of Jen’s battle through a different set of eyes. We’re going to share this version of the story with you today and then we’ll have our third and final installment of Jen’s battle […]