Twenty years ago, entrepreneurs Vanessa Troyer and Chris Farentinos founded Architectural Mailboxes on the conviction that a small online company by the name of Amazon would one day deliver packages to doorsteps across America.
In this episode, Vanessa and Chris share how they built their business and redefined their industry through creativity and grit, their decision to sell the business after two decades of growth, raising grounded and motivated children, and using the sale proceeds to create a legacy for future generations, among other topics.
We'll also find out:
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1:49) - What inspired Chris and Vanessa's parcel receptacle idea?
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2:57) - How did Chris and Vanessa begin creating a design for their parcel receptacle, and how did the design evolve?
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4:47) - How did the transformation and evolution of online shopping impact the design and creation of the Oasis product line?
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5:48) - How did Vanessa formulate a plan to scale the business, and how did they connect with the market's leading vendors?
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12:29) - How did Chris and Vanessa's partnership play into the company's dynamic, and what were the challenges and benefits of running the business as a couple?
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16:02) - What ultimately provoked Chris and Vanessa's decision to sell their company, and how did they prepare an exit strategy?
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20:19) - What advice would Chris and Vanessa give to business owners contemplating the sale of their company?
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21:42) - What have Vanessa and Chris been working on since the sale of the business?
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24:54) - As business owners, how were Vanessa and Chris able to approach having a conversation with their children about money, work, and pursuing their passions?
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27:53) - How did Vanessa and Chris find their passion in building mailboxes, and what did they gain personally from the work?
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29:49) - What does 'legacy' mean to Vanessa and Chris, and how have they created a lasting impact through their business?
What is The Road to Why?
From start-up entrepreneurs to multi-generational family business owners, most founders are driven to succeed for reasons well beyond making money. Whether it’s a passion for reshaping their industry, building a family legacy or advancing the causes they care most about — or, in many cases, all of the above — exploring the larger “why” of their life’s work offers insights into how successful leaders operate and what is really important to them.
On The Road to Why, host Eric Czepyha, Director of Business Services at Northern Trust, speaks with business owners, entrepreneurs and visionaries about business, family, wealth and legacy and shares advice and life lessons from those who have found success in ways expected and unexpected.