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Are you a business owner? Or are you on the verge of taking that side hustle to the next level? Or curious about the world of entrepreneurship? Join Vivian Kvam, Co-Owner of Tandem Works, each week for a behind-the-scenes at small businesses and what it takes to succeed.
Each episode is full of inspiration, education, tips, and great conversation with people like you, people who are figuring it out. Take your business to the next level with insight from expert guests in business, leadership, and marketing.
Vivian Kvam (00:08.558)
Welcome back to another episode of Writing Tandem. And today we're doing something fun. Michaela is on the podcast again with me today, my business partner. And we're around the 50th episode, but this should actually be episode 51. We had planned that this would be episode 50, but life happens, business happens. So it's episode 51. With the idea being that we were going to answer 50 questions. A side of 50 questions would be a bit too much, so we broke it down to 25, but it equals around 50. Just something fun.
to commemorate that we're hitting around our 50th episode, which is really exciting, 51 technically, but we're just gonna roll with it. So we can make our own rules. That's right. That's one of the fun things about business, you make some of your own rules. So we're gonna dive in here. And the goal here is that, I think we're actually gonna learn stuff about each other. Cause even though we work together and we have for a number of years, there's still things that come up, but also just an opportunity for all of-
Machaela (00:45.099)
We can make our own rules.
Vivian Kvam (01:04.682)
our listeners to get to know the two of us a bit too. So it's fun. We're gonna jump into some lighthearted things and we're gonna have some serious things. And I don't think there'll be any crying or anything, but who knows? We'll see how it goes.
Machaela (01:15.426)
You never know.
Vivian Kvam (01:16.586)
Never know. Okay, so question number one, I'll start us off and then we can bounce back and forth. Sound good? Okay, question number one of 25. Michaela, what inspired you to start a business?
Machaela (01:23.29)
Perfect.
Machaela (01:32.506)
Well, I was kind of doing things, just a little bit of photography here and there. And I was working a real job, as people would say, in an office that I was pretty busy, real job. Yep. Um, working a real job and decided that, well, I knew I hated it. I did not like it at all. Um, there are aspects I liked, but I was like, I think I can make enough money here to, for the next couple months and I'll just figure it out. Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (01:42.098)
They do say real jobs.
Vivian Kvam (01:50.623)
Mm-hmm.
Vivian Kvam (01:59.454)
Yeah. I know we talked about that a little bit in one of our earlier episodes too. I think it was like loving your Mondays. If you look for episodes about loving Mondays where you dive into that, because that was important to you.
Machaela (02:06.222)
Uh huh.
Machaela (02:10.986)
Yeah, I dive into how I thought my mom thought I was annoying because I complained about my job all the time. So she told me that I should quit because you're annoying. So like if my mom thinks I'm annoying, what do other people think? So. Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (02:16.754)
Yeah, she was like, please quit.
Vivian Kvam (02:25.486)
Yeah, absolutely. Well, I first started inspired to start a business. I would have to say like, it just goes back to my grandparents own their own businesses. My parents owned their own separate businesses. And so it was kind of like, I don't like what inspired I guess it was just always a thing. Like I'm going to own a business. I started teaching dance classes at a really young age, I made change wallets within my dad's business as our own little business change wallets for casinos. We grew up in Rio, Nevada. It's a thing. Don't worry. We were kids, we were
We weren't gambling, we were just making the wallets for people. Um, so I think just inspired by my family, right? Like that they, they always just did that. And so I was just inspired to own my own thing and do it as well. So that's probably where I would say that inspired me.
Machaela (03:13.402)
That makes sense. How about, can you share a pivotal moment from your career before this venture, the venture of Tandem Works?
Vivian Kvam (03:21.034)
Uh, yes, the venture of tandem works. Okay. Yes. So pivotal moment would be, um, I had a production company prior co-own that with my now ex-husband and I got divorced and that was a pivotal moment. And it was messy. Um, it was, I really just lost everything. Lost the business, lost the house, lost a marriage, lost a lot of identity for myself. Um, so that was pivotal. And then I actually ended up.
working a little bit with you, Michaela, but it wasn't on Tandem Works. So that was also pivotal, like just like going into that. And then I worked a short stint at Bulu for about a year and then got laid off there. And so it was like a combination of that little series. That was like a pivotal timeframe for me, where I also was like, Nope, I really love owning my own thing. Going back.
Machaela (04:12.09)
Yeah. It was kind of like just a little kind of like here, where just through the cycle time there. Yeah. Um, well, at one point, I don't remember exactly what yours was. I was considering going back to school to get my masters for like therapy or counseling, and a friend of mine was like, you have a gift, like harness it. Just get it together. Come on, like do it and own it. So that's what I did. So then I went all in.
Vivian Kvam (04:16.814)
Mm-hmm. Yeah. What about for you?
Vivian Kvam (04:38.882)
Mm-hmm. And that was like in the photography side, right? Yeah. That's interesting. I think you've told me before that you thought about counseling and therapy. And I just reminded that it's interesting because I've often thought about that too. I wonder if there's like some sort of like just within what we do. We like to tell people what to do. It would be terrible therapist.
Machaela (04:42.334)
Mm-hmm. Yep. So, yeah.
Machaela (04:57.634)
because we like to solve people's problems.
Machaela (05:03.33)
So we might not be a good therapist. We should probably stay away. Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (05:09.214)
Because you're not supposed to help lead them and all that. Which is kind of what we do with facilitating our workshops, like we're helping lead people the answers, trying not to tell them what they need to do. Because we don't always know either, it's kind of a journey. But that's interesting. Okay, how do you juggle work and personal life right now?
Machaela (05:11.915)
Yeah.
Machaela (05:22.475)
Yeah, for sure.
Machaela (05:31.522)
Um, I don't. Uh, in a sense, yes, I do juggle it. Uh, I think we are both pretty good at this too, where we.
are able to take a step back for the other person and say like, you need to go focus on what matters right now. Like your kids are sick. Focus on that. I'll handle this over here. So I feel like we do a good job, like putting things into perspective. And when it comes to that, but there is a blog out there. It says work-life balance is a lie. Where I dive deep into that. So what about you?
Vivian Kvam (05:48.458)
Mm-hmm.
Vivian Kvam (05:57.592)
Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (06:01.549)
Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (06:04.806)
It is that whole balance word. That's why we change, like as we were coming up with these questions, you kind of gravitate towards how do you balance work at first? Like, and it's a big question people ask, especially when you're an entrepreneur too, because there's like so much. There's other jobs out there too, where you can't just check out, but there are some, right, where you can just kind of work as work, home as home. Um, when you're an entrepreneur running your own business, that's like for sure not a thing. So yeah, the balance piece.
Um, I actually would say right now, I haven't been doing a great job of it. I've actually been really struggling with this. And what I was thinking about today is when I have felt like I'm in a good rhythm with it is when I have written out schedules for my morning and I've walked away from that and I was just thinking this morning I need to do it again, so to explain that a little more.
I will get up at different times of the morning and still try to cram the same amount of stuff into the day or into my morning rather. And I can't get the same amount of things done if I get up at five versus six versus seven. So I've actually written out for myself a schedule. If I get up at five, I can do these things. If I get up at six, I can do these things. If I get up at seven, I can do these things as a reminder that I can't do the same. So I was just about to ask morning. I think that's a big piece of how I.
start my day to help juggle work and personal life. Otherwise I just get up and I start like working and that's not a good way to juggle it at all. Yeah.
Machaela (07:41.246)
No, I do think that works for you, for sure.
Vivian Kvam (07:45.758)
It does. I know it sounds very like structured and all these things, but it just like, orients my brain. Also bags make a big difference. I know you do this a lot, but just having like a bag for different things is, I know we're like talking really practical here, but like the bag to go to daycare, the bag to go to work, the bag for the lunch, the bag for yoga. Like I've got different bags that helps a lot too. And then you've talked about that a lot, Michaela, you do that a lot.
Machaela (07:58.314)
Mm-hmm.
Machaela (08:12.982)
It's why you always need more backs.
Vivian Kvam (08:14.986)
Yes, tote bags.
Machaela (08:16.862)
My husband tries to tell me, okay, if you're gonna get a bag, you gotta get right up a bag. I was like, no, I always say more. So.
Vivian Kvam (08:22.762)
No, especially if you're gonna add any kiddos into the mix, you need more bags, five more bags per child.
Machaela (08:25.834)
Yeah. Yes, four more.
Vivian Kvam (08:33.369)
What skill are you currently trying to improve?
Machaela (08:33.732)
I think.
Machaela (08:38.918)
Oh, I'm trying to improve the amount of time it actually takes me to do stuff. So kind of back to your morning thing. I have my concept of time is not great. So then I get like carried away doing something. I'm like, I have like three more minutes. I got to go. So just trying to be like, prep myself the day before. Like I need an hour and a half to do X, Y, Z, as opposed to just winging it in the morning. So what about you?
Vivian Kvam (08:49.004)
Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (09:03.51)
Mm-hmm. The mornings are like such a thing. Like if you can get that morning nailed down, I feel like the rest of the day, I mean, it makes sense, but the rest of the day just flows so much easier for sure. A skill I'm currently trying to improve. Hmm, I would say.
Machaela (09:16.531)
Sure. Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (09:25.814)
You know, I've been just, it's kind of a fun skill, but just working on watercolors, I've really been enjoying working on watercolors and there's a couple of like techniques I'm trying to play with and figure out. So just kind of a fun skill I'm trying to improve. Work skill wise though, I'm trying to get a little bit better at my writing.
Machaela (09:33.472)
That's about everything.
Machaela (09:43.182)
Yep.
Vivian Kvam (09:52.562)
And chat.jbt has been helping me with that. I've been trying to lead into chat.jbt, but not use it as a complete crutch where I'm like, no, I'm still going to start it on my own and use it to revise. So I'm trying to like kind of improve my writing skills and make it like from me. Especially with AI being out here.
Machaela (10:09.445)
That's good. Because sometimes I say, don't write, I'm like, what am I gonna write? Like not leading into that all the time.
Vivian Kvam (10:14.374)
Yes. Which has been helpful since you've been doing our chat GPT workshops. It's just like kept it top of mind, like how you have said over and over again, like I know it, but just even hearing you say it during our workshops of like, Hey, use it as a tool as a revision, because I can very easily lean into it as like a 100% tool and I, then I lose who I am in it. So I appreciate that.
Machaela (10:39.674)
There are ways around that though, come to workshops. Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (10:43.773)
I'm going to our own workshops because they're so good.
Machaela (10:48.347)
We skipped one back in here. I'm gonna jump back up there. One book that significantly influenced your professional life.
Vivian Kvam (10:49.99)
Oh, sorry.
Vivian Kvam (10:57.528)
No.
Machaela (11:00.282)
I guess you don't have the same.
Vivian Kvam (11:00.738)
Okay, I'm gonna, I know, I'm like, I know we have the same book, so I'm actually gonna go with a different one because I know you're gonna bring up like the favorite one. Right? I recently read the ruthless elimination of hurry and like probably within the past six months. And I feel like it impacted professional and personal of just thinking about not being in this like hurry all the time.
And I've been thinking about that again recently because I feel like I'm like falling back into it. And so I want to eliminate that. So the ruthless elimination of hurry. And that is John Mark Comer is the author. What about for you?
Machaela (11:41.106)
Never Spilled the Difference, Chris Foss. I like that book so much, I even created a chat GPT that will respond like him. I wish it had his voice, because if you're into good audio books with a good voice, his is killer. To give you a little what it's about, it's about an FBI negotiator who teaches you how to negotiate as if your life depended on it. And I remember you actually introduced me to the book.
Vivian Kvam (11:42.765)
Mm-hmm.
Vivian Kvam (11:55.158)
Hahaha.
Vivian Kvam (12:07.436)
Yeah.
Machaela (12:07.534)
there was a client who was kind of surprised by the price of some photographs and you're like, use this, like go through this, like ask these series of questions, do this. And the client was happy. It was great. So I was like, Whoa, this really works. So yeah.
Vivian Kvam (12:20.598)
Uh huh.
Well, and then I remember you calling me. Did you use AirPod? I know you used it to negotiate the price on a camera and you like called me all excited. You're like, oh my gosh, I just negotiated. Like, I feel like you called me three or four times with like, I just negotiated this. I just negotiated that like during that time period.
Machaela (12:33.742)
Ain't no hotel.
Machaela (12:40.266)
like within like a weekend, like right after reading it, I negotiate a piece of a camera, a hotel room, and something else I remember, but I was like, this is amazing. It is fun too when other people are like, you tell them to read it, and then they call you and they're like, this is fascinating, this works. So I've listened to it twice all the way through and then clipped pieces to go back and listen to.
Vivian Kvam (12:56.46)
Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (13:04.051)
And I think you started mentioning this, but we even took the... because it's kind of like tools and phrases and frameworks you can use. And so, Micaela, you laminated for us, like kind of like the, I would reference sheets, I guess what I call it. And we have them in the studio. So sometimes when we're on the phone, like the internet provider is often one, right, where I can tell you're getting like upset, there's angry pounding on the keyboard.
And then we'll like slip these over to each other. Like, don't forget, like use these with a highlighter right here. Yeah. It's a good one. That was for sure. The one I would probably say long-term impact has been a good book.
Machaela (13:32.698)
for sure.
with a highlighter. Yeah.
Machaela (13:46.934)
Yeah, for sure.
Vivian Kvam (13:48.414)
Also, What the Heck is EOS has been one in traction, like the EOS books for sure too.
Machaela (13:53.282)
Mm-hmm. Those are good.
Vivian Kvam (13:56.274)
Okay, let's see, where are we at here? I think we're on like question six-ish. Yeah. Okay, for you, what was one of your bigger challenges when starting, let's talk about starting TandemWorks, because we've had multiple businesses. So when starting TandemWorks, and how did you kind of navigate through that when we got started?
Machaela (13:59.446)
Number six. Yeah.
Machaela (14:13.836)
Yeah.
Machaela (14:19.066)
Well, I was quite used to just making all my own decisions and not consulting with anyone else and I kind of sometimes will make a quick decision without, you know, go with my gut. Yeah, got it. Um, so I started the business without consulting with my husband, with you, with Tana Marx. So yeah, I left out the piece that I was, you know, eventually I'm going to make more money, but right now I'm going to take a pay cut and didn't think that I should chat that over. So that didn't go over real well, but yeah.
Vivian Kvam (14:34.158)
I'm going to go to bed.
Machaela (14:48.374)
So now I am, as a piece of advice I give a lot of people, don't do it without talking to your, we just did it for a client the other day, and they were all, they thought for sure that their wife wanted to do X, Y, Z, and it was not what they wanted to do, so just communicating those things, so that's probably.
Vivian Kvam (14:55.725)
Mm-hmm.
Vivian Kvam (15:02.029)
Uh huh.
Vivian Kvam (15:05.846)
Yeah, that is a big one. And I, that is funny you bring that up too, because I think people come to our roadmap communication workshops and they think, oh, is this just going to be like marketing? It's like, no, there's a reason why communication is part of the title. Like it's road mapping strategy for all communication. And I agree like that communicating piece is huge. And I think we often do forget that, like to include the people around us, our families, for sure.
Machaela (15:32.714)
Yeah, for sure. Okay, what about you?
Vivian Kvam (15:35.554)
For me, I think it was, yeah, I would say, so I was coming off of a number of things, we talked about that earlier, but I would say it would be the transition of straddling because I spent a little bit of time straddling a, like you said, a real job and being kind of in with what we were doing and it was getting started, we were figuring it out. And just that straddling the two worlds is hard to do.
it's hard to be like all in. You can't be all in. I mean, one flips in one and one flips in the other. So I would think that was probably the biggest how I overcame it. Frankly, like I worked a lot of hours and just tried to squeeze things in. And then, I mean, ultimately I got laid off of the job I had planned. I was probably transitioning out soon. It came a little sooner than I expected, but it was like the biggest gift because I didn't have to break up.
Machaela (16:32.418)
Yeah, it worked out well. Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (16:34.358)
They broke up with me. Yeah, they broke up with me, which is great. Yeah. Um, okay. Okay. Best piece of advice you've ever been given funny or serious.
Vivian Kvam (16:51.286)
I have to think about this too.
Machaela (16:52.771)
So do I.
Vivian Kvam (16:56.35)
S piece of advice.
Machaela (17:00.016)
I would probably say, uh...
My mom always encouraged us to basically don't do something for the money. Do it cause you, do it cause you love it. So I think we all kind of took that. My siblings and I all kind of took that to heart and really listened to her because she hated her job. So, and did it for the money and not because she liked it. So what about you?
Vivian Kvam (17:10.418)
Mm-hmm.
Vivian Kvam (17:16.002)
Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (17:20.627)
Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (17:27.07)
Um, okay, I'm gonna go the funny route with this one. It's not exactly advice, but kind of like a best practice. When eating noodles and roast beef and mashed potatoes, you should always make a bowl with the mashed potatoes and put the noodles and the gravy like inside, like the broth inside of it. And it makes like a little boat so that you don't get it like all over everything. So I'm a, I'm a big believer in that.
Machaela (17:56.826)
Carbs on carbs right there. That's why I always say about those dishes. Yep.
Vivian Kvam (17:59.51)
Oh yeah, cars on cars, right. It's one of my favorite things though. I like, it's like a childhood thing. Another quirky thing, again, not necessarily like advice, but like a best practice, like we put our pajamas underneath our pillow and then I discovered later in life that not everyone does this, like that you, because you wear your pajamas more than once in our world and so, but you don't want to put them back in your clean clothes and you want to throw them on the floor, so you would fold them and put them under your pillow and I just thought that was like
Machaela (18:06.606)
Mm-hmm.
Vivian Kvam (18:28.894)
best practice for everybody. Turns out it's not. That's not a thing.
Machaela (18:34.155)
No, not in my world anyway.
Vivian Kvam (18:37.291)
Business advice, I would say know your numbers. Like that's probably the biggest one. Where just people over and over again have been like, don't be afraid to know your numbers. Then you can make decisions. So.
Machaela (18:46.934)
Yeah, true.
Vivian Kvam (18:49.719)
Um, let's see. Number eight.
Machaela (18:52.922)
Favorite? You get to go first this time. Favorite guilty pleasure snack or food.
Vivian Kvam (18:56.439)
Okay.
Vivian Kvam (19:01.29)
guilty pleasure snack or food. Um, ice cream. Probably for sure. Ice cream just straight out of the tub. Yeah, I'm gonna go with ice cream. I like the fancy ice creams. I like the Ben and Jerry's where it's got all kinds of stuff mixed into it. So peanut butter cups and pretzels and ribbons of chocolate. And yeah, I like it when it's got a lot going on in there. ice cream for sure.
Machaela (19:10.018)
What kind though?
Vivian Kvam (19:28.702)
And our little guy who's with us right now, he knows it. And he plays me on that too. He's like, how about some ice cream? And I'm like, yeah. Of course.
Machaela (19:36.954)
Okay, well, did you know that Dairy Queen was like one of the only jobs I applied? I mean, I've applied for jobs that I got them, but a job I did not get because I, I put on the application that I could only work when my friend worked.
Vivian Kvam (19:47.179)
Really?
Vivian Kvam (19:52.038)
I'm sorry.
Machaela (19:54.166)
She's like, only put down that you can work when I work. Yep, didn't get the job. So.
Vivian Kvam (20:00.09)
Not flexible.
Machaela (20:01.642)
Nope, I have to work when the shit works. Uh, mine... food would be... probably cottage cheese and ranch veggie straws.
Vivian Kvam (20:05.154)
That's cute.
Vivian Kvam (20:12.012)
Mmm, that is a good combo.
Machaela (20:14.779)
People look at you like, what are you doing? But then they try it and they're on board.
Vivian Kvam (20:20.318)
I love how you're like, my guilty pleasure snack or food is this ultra healthy and I'm like ice cream.
Machaela (20:27.514)
I'm not a big ice cream. I like it, but no, no. I mean, I like, I will eat a little bit of cake here and there, but I'm gonna, I'd rather eat more mashed potatoes.
Vivian Kvam (20:30.378)
I'm not a cake person. Do you like cake? No.
Vivian Kvam (20:40.062)
with noodles on top. Yeah. How do you deal with setbacks and failures?
Machaela (20:40.894)
or kind of she is, yeah.
Vivian Kvam (20:53.258)
Also, do you believe in failures? Do you believe in failures? Let's start there.
Machaela (20:58.732)
Not really.
Vivian Kvam (21:00.022)
Thank you.
Machaela (21:01.522)
I feel like there's something always to be learned. Learned, is that the right word? Yeah. I even sometimes find myself before something happens, being like, well, if that were to happen, I would probably learn something like this. I'm like, OK, just stop. This hasn't, nothing's happened yet. Just keep going. So there's usually a silver lining.
Vivian Kvam (21:04.876)
Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (21:20.545)
Yeah.
So how do you deal with it then? Is that how you deal with it? You're just like, it's gonna be fine because you're always looking for silver lining. Is that how you do that?
Machaela (21:33.952)
Yeah.
Thanks, all. What about you?
Vivian Kvam (21:41.802)
I probably am a, I have to talk it out. I would say I have to talk it out. I have to process it. I can know in my head, but then I have to process out loud. So I come into the studio and I just like talk it nauseam to you and you're like, yeah, and it's all gonna be fine. I'm like, I know, you just have to talk about it all. It's one thing to like know that things are gonna work out and it's another thing to like live through that too, right? Like to.
Machaela (22:01.444)
Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (22:12.166)
I feel like you handle things really well. So I lean into you, especially when things come up like during the day or whatever, I'm like, okay, what was Michaela? I often like I'm channeling my inner Michaela right now. Cause I struggle with setbacks on failures. That's hard for me for sure. And not that it isn't hard for everyone, but I can beat myself up a lot, like quickly.
Machaela (22:32.81)
Yeah, you can. I do enjoy stopping you be like, wait, look how far we've come. Look at this. Oh, that's fun for me.
Vivian Kvam (22:39.838)
Yes. Yeah. I mean, it's a really great part of having a partner in business too, with those differences. Because I feel like I can do that for other people, but it's hard. Yeah, hard for myself for sure. Yeah.
Machaela (22:45.124)
Mm-hmm.
Machaela (22:52.394)
You do it for me. So it goes back and vice versa. Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (22:58.232)
Definitely an overachiever, first born, got to earn the trophies, so I take it pretty hard. Yep.
Vivian Kvam (23:08.455)
Okay, what's a non-business related passion of yours?
Machaela (23:14.166)
It's currently a non-business related passion. That could always change, you never know. Never know. Prior to COVID, I couldn't keep a indoor or outdoor plant alive. I didn't know you had to water things more than you. Outside ones like every day and inside ones like once a week, no one told me. So that's kind of what I did during COVID started collecting houseplants and.
Vivian Kvam (23:16.878)
Okay, could turn into a business.
Vivian Kvam (23:28.208)
Mm-hmm.
Vivian Kvam (23:32.31)
I'm sorry.
I'm going to go ahead and close the video.
Machaela (23:42.974)
I very rarely now have to send him to plant rehab. Plant rehab is either your house or our friend's house.
Vivian Kvam (23:51.038)
Yeah, I do remember. So when we first started doing some work together with the photography and there was, we had an old, a different studio. So Michaela had a studio prior and it was just down the street from where we're at now, but it was up a whole flight of stairs and, um, there were plants in there and they just always looked really sad. So then I would just like nurse them back. Yeah. I'll bring you back.
Machaela (24:11.895)
sad.
Machaela (24:16.598)
I'm gonna take this home today. I'll be back. Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (24:21.086)
I still have one of them that even though you're great at plants now, you're never getting back and it actually might be your sister's.
Machaela (24:29.054)
It's not mine. Yeah, it's hers. Those plants were all on loan.
Vivian Kvam (24:30.854)
Yeah. Not only the you were killing plants that were on loan, which is funny, but you're great with plants now. Like, yeah, you've got a great wall of plants. It was awesome.
Machaela (24:38.915)
Yeah.
Machaela (24:44.043)
I still kill some every once in a while, but yeah.
Vivian Kvam (24:46.142)
Yeah, it happens. I got a bunch of little scales on one of my plants, which they're just like a little tiny like insect, but they're terrible. And I tried and tried for a whole season to nurse one back and I finally had to throw it away. And it was kind of like a little mini funeral. I felt terrible about it. But it was for the good of the other plants. terrible stuff.
Machaela (25:08.406)
Yeah, it is that.
Vivian Kvam (25:13.038)
Passion for me, non-business related passion. Outside of like really enjoying watercolors right now, camping, I would say for sure. Love camping or gardening outside when the season's right. I like just kind of outdoors, hiking, camping, being outside, those types of things. I would say that would be for me. Going in our teardrop camper, which is super fun. And you like to camp too.
Machaela (25:39.007)
Yeah, for sure.
Vivian Kvam (25:43.27)
Let's see, ooh, 11. We're getting close to halfway point here.
This is fun. I don't know if people are learning new things or what, but I think this is fun. Okay. What's a habit that helps you be productive?
Machaela (25:53.21)
Yeah.
Machaela (26:00.792)
Probably my planner.
Vivian Kvam (26:02.946)
Oh.
Machaela (26:04.454)
and just having even a visual of my day. Otherwise I can get sidetracked and start, I'm like, wait, what am I supposed to be working on? And I'll start working on something that doesn't matter.
Vivian Kvam (26:09.208)
Mm-hmm.
Vivian Kvam (26:16.074)
Okay, expand on the planner because it's a special planner. It's not just a planner.
Machaela (26:20.542)
Mm-hmm. It's my ADHD planner. Actually, it's right here. I have it, just in case I think of something during this that I need to write down, you never know. You have like a big three, and then it gives you a visual of your week, which I really like. The only thing it doesn't come with is little sticky tabs, but I ordered some, so that's easier to flip back and forth if you have like a page you wanna come back to, so, yeah.
Vivian Kvam (26:32.043)
You know what?
Vivian Kvam (26:36.974)
Okay.
Machaela (26:49.866)
I do enjoy it. I probably don't use it to its full capacity though. So, what about you?
Vivian Kvam (26:55.666)
Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (27:00.002)
Love using a planner for sure, but I would say habit helps you be productive. I do have a different planner. Mine's not an ADHD planner, which if people are interested, we did an episode actually between you and I about working with partnerships where someone has ADHD and the other person does not. Um, so you can check out that episode too. I think we talked more about different, different just aspects of that, but. Okay. Habit that helps me be productive. Hmm.
Machaela (27:02.65)
I must have a different planner.
Machaela (27:21.562)
Mm-hmm.
Machaela (27:30.231)
Good morning.
Vivian Kvam (27:31.706)
Um, my morning routine. Yeah. I would say my morning routine helps me be productive. If my morning routine gets off, it is, uh, I do get, I have a hard time. Like it takes me, I get derailed for sure. So that let's say I do get derailed. Something that helps me be productive would be using our matrix. Just the urgent, important, not urgent, not important. So we act the Eisenhower matrix. Yes.
Machaela (27:55.253)
Eisenhower.
Vivian Kvam (27:58.906)
And there's a blog on that too, if people want to check that out. But we have it in our office on a whiteboard, just kind of permanently taped off. So if I get derailed, I would say that would be what gets me back to being productive again.
Machaela (28:12.862)
I do enjoy that both of us can be like, is it time to put this stuff up? You sound a little bit like you might need it. So I like that we both do that for each other. So, yeah, thanks for noticing that. Yeah, let's get it together. Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Vivian Kvam (28:21.3)
Yeah.
I mean, basically that happens and you're like, yes, I'm a disaster. Thank you. It's a nice way of saying you're a disaster right now. And, uh, let me help you. Let's pull it together here. Do you need, I think we're like, and oftentimes if you're watching on YouTube, you'll be able to see, but if not, I'm making like a crossbow. We're off to like, do you need the matrix? And, you know, time out.
Machaela (28:42.634)
Yeah, I even taped one up by my desk.
Vivian Kvam (28:47.998)
It's super helpful. Um, have you had any unexpected lessons with like running a business either together with tandem works prior?
but it's been some of your learnings or unexpected lessons.
Machaela (29:09.058)
I didn't expect for the business to grow as much as it did during COVID.
Vivian Kvam (29:16.286)
Mmm. Yeah.
Machaela (29:17.93)
And I didn't, I sometimes feel bad. Like when people are talking about how terrible COVID was for them. I think we did a really great job of having a balance and shifting and being able to make quick moves and help people. And we didn't watch a whole lot of Netflix and I think that helped. So.
Vivian Kvam (29:26.187)
Mm-hmm.
Vivian Kvam (29:40.268)
Yeah.
Yeah, it did and it was just interesting to see too how we kind of flipped roles a little bit like I'm definitely the more homebody But because of you know you Michaela had kids I didn't Schools homeschooling like all the same so Michaela's homeschooling. I'm the homeschooled kid Like you know it was just like everything felt really flipped
Machaela (29:46.542)
again.
Machaela (29:50.962)
Mm-hmm. Yeah, for sure.
Machaela (30:02.254)
homeschool, yeah.
Vivian Kvam (30:11.906)
And, but I think it was also really good for us because we exercise muscles we wouldn't normally have to. And yeah, that was an interesting time, right? Lots of unexpected lessons for sure. I think unexpected lessons for me would be that, and I feel like I'm still learning this to be clear before I say this, but that I do have a seat at the table. I think throughout business with
Machaela (30:20.844)
Yeah.
Machaela (30:24.334)
Thanks, all.
Vivian Kvam (30:41.302)
the previous with my husband now with you. I've just been in situations unexpectedly, like in the room with people that I would not have expected. And there's lessons learned there of like, oh, I have value to bring or to see how people do things and to like take a lesson from them. I've just been really fortunate and that has been unexpected. Frankly, when I started out with my own business things, never dreamed of being
in such opportunities to have impact like we have, and also to gain such wisdom from people that I really admire. So.
Machaela (31:22.598)
And it's interesting because the variety of people and industries that it's really, oh, it's on one end of here and one end over here. So it's very, to be able to push all that together. I think it's been, there's a lot to learn from. Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (31:25.462)
Hmm.
Vivian Kvam (31:35.136)
Yes.
Vivian Kvam (31:39.358)
It is really cool because I mean, like in one week, I mean, that's good point, Michaela, like in one, in one week, we'll, we'll do a roadmap session with a solopreneur who's just, you know, figuring things out, getting going. And that same day, or they were doing a strategic plan with a large nonprofit. Then, you know, we're doing podcasts with interesting people. And then, you know, we might be facilitating a workshop with a room of completely diverse folks. Like, yeah, I mean.
Machaela (32:07.062)
be high schoolers, you never know.
Vivian Kvam (32:08.478)
It could be high schoolers, right? Yeah. It's, it's pretty cool. Yeah. That has been kind of unexpected. Hmm. Hey, this next question is really good because of what you're saying about COVID stuff, I think.
Vivian Kvam (32:24.59)
How do you stay motivated? Yeah, during tough times.
Machaela (32:24.611)
uh, same mode.
during tough times.
Machaela (32:34.21)
You can go first if you want to.
Vivian Kvam (32:35.444)
Mm, motivated during tough times.
Vivian Kvam (32:41.15)
Okay, I cope with it by talking for sure, but to stay the motivated piece, for me it's moving my body to be, just like get down in the nitty gritty, like getting on the treadmill and running and listening to music and sweating is, helps me a lot to like get my mind wherever I need to be channeling and stay motivated. Like if I can get my body moving and motivated, I can usually get my brain moving and motivated too.
Machaela (33:10.774)
Yeah, it's great. Like with flexibility, sometimes you're like, uh, I'm gonna go downstairs. I'll be back in 30. I'm gonna go run. I'm gonna run for a little bit. It does help you. Um, I definitely process through talking as well. But then trying to remind myself of what that what is the end like? What are we working towards here? That helps me stay motivated.
Vivian Kvam (33:10.89)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (33:17.694)
Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (33:33.416)
All right.
Machaela (33:37.786)
Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Vivian Kvam (33:37.838)
It's like kind of that Y piece, right? Like what is even the end goal here?
Machaela (33:43.13)
Yeah, what are we trying to accomplish here?
Vivian Kvam (33:44.79)
Yeah.
Machaela (33:48.406)
I'm rolling away. Cracking those out as we go so I don't get sidetracked here. What's your favorite part of your daily routine?
Vivian Kvam (33:49.954)
So important.
Vivian Kvam (33:56.202)
Yeah, you take the next one. I think we're at 14-ish. Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (34:04.462)
It's gonna be like, geez, Vivian, is it anything? It's my morning for sure. Especially when I get to sit out on my front porch. Like, I love to start the day in my pajamas with a cup of tea. I do a little reading, I do a little praying, I do my devotions, and I love when I can do it on the front porch. And it's just, it's quiet, and it's by far the favorite part of my day.
Machaela (34:31.663)
or a routine person.
Vivian Kvam (34:33.402)
I have a routine person. I'm like, it's coming through so loud and clear today. I'm like, oh my gosh.
Machaela (34:35.682)
Yes.
Machaela (34:41.806)
uh routine and things like that are something I've had to work very hard at because they don't come naturally to me um so when I first read that I think what routine I think I drive Nick nuts because I was like well what time do you have to get up I'm like well I have to get up by this time and then I change it 10 minutes later um
Vivian Kvam (34:52.033)
Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (35:03.717)
Okay, maybe what's the favorite? What's a favorite part of your day? Maybe instead of routine. Because that's fair.
Machaela (35:09.434)
Uh, yeah, because mornings are a little rough right now because it's nice outside. So we're playing outside and everything gets pushed a little later. So if kind of some crappy kids in the morning, um, in the summertime, I really enjoy sitting on my back patio.
Vivian Kvam (35:18.058)
Yes.
Vivian Kvam (35:26.175)
Mm-hmm.
Machaela (35:27.994)
That's nice back there.
Vivian Kvam (35:31.358)
If I was to have to answer that for you, Ben and Rol's here, because of what you were saying about the routine piece, I would say one of the favorite parts of your day is when there's a break in the routine. When you're like suddenly got invited out or you went for a walk and you ran into somebody on the 100 block or like, I'm going to run next door. We have a cute like boutique next door to our studio and I'm just going to pop into this room. I feel like your favorite part of a daily routine is when there is, when the routine gets interrupted unexpectedly.
Machaela (35:31.426)
Bye then.
Machaela (36:00.09)
Oh yeah, for sure. Yeah. Yes, that is, that's true. I do enjoy that.
Vivian Kvam (36:00.766)
uh if it's a good interruption yeah
Vivian Kvam (36:09.289)
Spontaneity.
Machaela (36:10.994)
Uh huh. I do love the ability to be spontaneous.
Vivian Kvam (36:15.99)
Yeah. Micaela, if you weren't doing this, TandemWorks, what would you be doing instead?
Machaela (36:26.294)
Probably a plant store with really good coffee. And maybe some curated gifts.
Vivian Kvam (36:28.888)
Mm-hmm.
Machaela (36:34.382)
What about you?
Vivian Kvam (36:35.909)
Yep. Well, seeing as how there's been some texting going back and forth about this topic. Similar, right? Although, okay, so yes, I would love to have a plant shop. And I love the idea of curating like creative cool stuff, and also just having a creative space for people to work in.
Machaela (36:45.903)
Mm-hmm.
Vivian Kvam (37:02.662)
leaning into the watercolors and doing something that I could do out of a camper. So being on the road a bit more and doing something that was very mobile. So the plants would be less mobile. But something artistic, I think, like really leaning into the artistic side.
Machaela (37:21.818)
You could have a plant trailer.
Vivian Kvam (37:24.426)
Okay, so I've thought about this because this whole idea, right, of like helping people repot their plants or care for a plant or I love, you know, one of our friends was talking about going and helping. I wouldn't do this, but like her like consulting on how they could rearrange plants and the lighting. So I have thought that like when we open up this new venture, we could have a really cute plant trailer.
Machaela (37:51.03)
could like in an airstream it'd be really cute.
Vivian Kvam (37:53.926)
Oh my gosh, yes. And then like the coffee piece could go into one half. So it's like this coffee trailer plant thing.
Machaela (38:01.59)
I like I say the coffee, but then I'm like, that kind of sounds like a lot sometimes.
Vivian Kvam (38:07.382)
Okay, but I've been thinking about this. What if it was like a little more self-serve like, but in a really like fun, creative way, like a coffee bar, you can put things in. So it's a little less intensive, right? Yeah. Okay, we're gonna talk about this some more. Yeah. Don't worry, it's fine. We'll just get a couple of Keurigs, we'll line them up. Done. Okay, I think you take 16.
Machaela (38:20.138)
Yeah, we might have to, yeah, some more. We might have to ask the people what they want.
Machaela (38:36.33)
All right. What's one goal you've set for either next year or maybe one goal you've set this year?
Vivian Kvam (38:44.79)
Goal I've set. So usually I'm like such a goal setting person. So a goal I've been talking a lot more about lately here with my husband too is, and totally plays into a previous episode about joy with Lisa even, but that joy is your job.
A goal I definitely have is just to continue curating more joy. One of the ways that I did, I set a goal to go to yoga twice a week, even though it's on Tuesdays and Fridays. So Tuesdays, it's like kind of starts eating into the morning and I like to get like working in the morning. But I did set that goal for this year and I think I'm going to continue it into next year. It has been really helpful for me for sure to do that.
like give permission for that. So, and you've been supportive of that too, because it does eat into that Tuesday morning. So, yeah, what about for you?
Machaela (39:43.222)
Yeah. I really enjoy greeting cards. I really enjoy buying them, but I don't send them. So I made it something that I'm tracking, which you're aware of that. So we had these custom TandemWorks cards made. And so then I have to checkbox that I sent them after certain things, so.
Vivian Kvam (39:58.881)
Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (40:08.702)
It is really fun to see you with like stacks of cards on the table. You're like addressing envelopes and.
Machaela (40:14.378)
Yeah. And I love mail and the people send you mail back. So that's been fun.
Vivian Kvam (40:18.235)
Mm-hmm.
Have you had any like have people mentioned it at all to you not that you're doing it for that, but I'm just curious like
when you're sending these cards out. And what are you sending the cards out for too?
Machaela (40:34.718)
It depends. Sometimes it's a thank you card. Sometimes it's a like, just a hey. Then we also have one that's like, it says to Iowa's best. So that's been fun with my Leadership Iowa class. Sometimes I send them to them. You can write it in. Yeah, people are sending back. People like them. So it's been fun. Yeah. It means you have to have stamps on hand though. Thank you, Jenny.
Vivian Kvam (40:40.724)
Mm-hmm.
Vivian Kvam (40:55.181)
It is fun.
I do love mail.
Vivian Kvam (41:01.555)
Yes. Yes, thank you for keeping us in stock of stamps and everything else for sure.
Machaela (41:06.22)
Mm-hmm.
Vivian Kvam (41:10.966)
Let's see, a couple more questions here.
Machaela (41:14.623)
Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (41:17.87)
What's a small thing that makes your day better?
Machaela (41:28.895)
I could go a lot of different ways with this one.
Machaela (41:36.478)
I do really enjoy when my coffee's made, when I get up and ready to go.
Vivian Kvam (41:41.877)
Yeah.
Machaela (41:43.546)
So that's a nice thing. And I'm like, huh, there it is. I just grab and go.
Vivian Kvam (41:50.478)
As in somebody made the coffee for you, like Nick made the coffee for you.
Machaela (41:54.898)
Mm-hmm. He was totally against pour over coffee. And he's like his would just set he do the night before and then five a.m. and start making the coffee. So but now I have him on board for he makes his own for over to so. Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (41:56.01)
Mm-hmm.
Vivian Kvam (42:06.114)
Mm-hmm.
Vivian Kvam (42:09.683)
Oh nice nice. Do you put anything in your coffee? Straight up black.
Machaela (42:14.902)
Nope, fuck.
Vivian Kvam (42:16.958)
Has that always been the case from day one? Like coffee drinking? Yeah. I definitely went like the opposite direction. When I first had coffee, it was like the most sugary, like whipped, creamed up thing. And then I kind of like eased backwards out of that. And now I mainly drink tea. So, but I started on the other end of the.
Machaela (42:18.89)
Uh huh. Uh huh. Yep.
Vivian Kvam (42:43.726)
spectrum because this whole coffee thing. And then part of it too is like, this is dang expensive. So I can't. No, hold the whipped cream. Thank you.
Machaela (42:53.974)
Yes. Does get expensive.
Vivian Kvam (42:55.822)
Small thing for me would be... Hmm. Small thing that makes your day better.
I really like a good pen. A good pen. I do use a planner, I fill it out, I'm writing things down throughout the day and I do feel, this sounds really silly to say it now. Who cares? I don't mind if it's silly. There are certain pens that kind of make me grumpy. Yeah, and I'm like, and I stick with it because I can't find another pen and whatever. And it's fine, it's not gonna ruin my day, but man, when I have the pen I really like.
Machaela (43:08.491)
A good pen.
Machaela (43:25.218)
Thank you, man.
Vivian Kvam (43:35.826)
It's just like, it's great. I, oh my gosh, it's so delightful.
Machaela (43:37.43)
Delightful. Especially if it's with good paper.
Vivian Kvam (43:42.842)
Oh my gosh, yes. Which a friend gave, well, she gave us both notebooks around holiday and the paper's made out of this like, I've gotta look at it, but it's like a stone. It's a stone something. It is amazing. I love it. I need all my paper that way now.
Machaela (43:44.362)
Yeah.
Machaela (43:57.762)
So great.
Machaela (44:04.094)
I started to write in it, I'm like, I feel like I should be writing something that's like significant. And I'm like, I'm writing basically some groceries or something. I don't remember what I was writing about. I was like, this seems like such a waste of paper.
Vivian Kvam (44:08.11)
important I know
Vivian Kvam (44:15.434)
Yeah, I agree. I have it the same way. And so I was like, and I do that with notebooks a lot, like certain notebooks where I'm like, well, this is like a beautiful, important notebook. So it has some beautiful, important things in it. Um, luckily I journal, so I do get to go through a lot of notebooks. So
Machaela (44:23.243)
Uh-huh.
Machaela (44:33.738)
and pencil.
Vivian Kvam (44:34.574)
Uh, side note, question number 17A or yeah, do you journal? I don't know if we've ever talked about this. Do you journal? Did you ever journal?
Machaela (44:41.193)
Um.
I used to. I have like boxes of them. I don't anymore. Back to your pin comment though. We did a workshop yesterday and I was passing out pins and I started to hands-win a pin. I go, oh, if you didn't realize this is one of my pins. I stuck it in my backpack. I'm like, I don't share these pins. And they looked at me. I'm like, it's a big Atlantis 800. Sorry. I keep these.
Vivian Kvam (44:47.351)
Mm-hmm.
Vivian Kvam (44:51.521)
Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (44:54.71)
Uh-huh.
Vivian Kvam (44:59.846)
I'm going to go to bed.
Vivian Kvam (45:06.715)
It's a special one. Yeah.
Machaela (45:08.95)
Yeah, so I literally like stop mid I'm like, yes, give that back, please. So
Vivian Kvam (45:13.55)
Mm-hmm. And they do disappear and I don't understand like we do order our pens And you have a pen you like I have a pen I like Fairly often so they clearly do like walk off and end up and I and it is yeah I totally understand putting your back pocket permission given to do that anytime
Machaela (45:20.962)
Mm-hmm.
Machaela (45:31.278)
Sometimes I have like 17 in my purse. I'm like, oh, this is where pens go to die. Yeah. All right.
Vivian Kvam (45:35.57)
Yeah. Oh man, we actually, so we joked about this like so much that we started a page with our favorite things and one of the things that sparked it was these pens. So we have like affiliate links to our favorite pens. So that's how much of a nerd we are about our pens. Okay.
Machaela (45:54.966)
Yeah. It is not something you think about until you're like, this pen is awful.
Vivian Kvam (46:00.254)
Oh my gosh, it's true though. And now like the really, really cheap Chocchi pens, I just, I don't even touch them. Like I won't, I'd like, basically the pen does not exist if it's at that level, I just can't do it.
Machaela (46:01.902)
So, yeah.
Vivian Kvam (46:16.402)
Man, we are Penn Snubs. Well, moving right along. Let's see, I think you take 18.
Machaela (46:19.405)
Yeah.
Machaela (46:25.381)
What does success mean to you?
Vivian Kvam (46:28.754)
Okay. Success to me means opportunities. That I have opportunities and that I have the ability to create opportunities for others. And when I walk that backwards to me, that does mean making money. Like, and I know, I kind of feel like people like, you're not supposed to say that, right? Like success is supposed to be and like, yes.
But there is a level of like that does tie back to having the funding to be able to create the opportunity. So success to me is opportunities, which does mean creating wealth. And then like how I would measure that success would be that I know that I'm able and I am being generous, like really generous with my family, generous with my community, generous, just generous, right? So that's how I define success.
Um, that being said, I don't want that like success at the cost of my health and, you know, things like that. So, yeah, that for you.
Machaela (47:36.06)
What about a boat? Um, yeah. I was... I would like a boat.
Vivian Kvam (47:37.886)
A boat. So I don't want a boat, but you would like a boat. You're a boat person. Yeah. I'm not a boat person and there's nothing wrong with being a boat person. I am great.
Machaela (47:48.234)
I hope I want one. I look at them.
Vivian Kvam (47:51.496)
Okay.
Machaela (47:54.682)
Probably success a lot. I could echo a lot of those same things. Like not having to worry. And like, everything's not always gonna be enjoyable 100% of the time. But for the most of the time, mostly, yeah. Mostly it's good.
Vivian Kvam (48:01.495)
Mm-hmm.
Vivian Kvam (48:08.631)
But mostly.
Vivian Kvam (48:15.01)
Okay, since we're talking about success, also having a personal driver.
Machaela (48:15.491)
Fantastic.
Vivian Kvam (48:22.112)
and an IT person.
Machaela (48:24.414)
IT is how I will measure that we've made it. If I don't have to call another internet provider or fix the printer again, I'm so happy.
Vivian Kvam (48:33.895)
It's true. Like we have made it. We're successful. Yeah, it's funny. Those little things that are really big things. I hate driving and I have said this and journaled it down for a long time. Like I would love to have a personal driver. I will give up other things to have a personal driver, right? Like I will just do it. I can get a lot done in the car too. It's such a waste of time to drive. And I'm not a good driver. So yeah.
Machaela (49:03.822)
I was thinking, I was thinking, and so I almost had my friends all talked into buying a $5,000 limo. All you need is a driver then. You'd have all the room for work like you could lay your planner out your computer. Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (49:04.052)
Okay, speaking of boats and stuff, what you were thinking that I'm not a good driver.
Vivian Kvam (49:13.022)
Yeah, that's right.
You could have the work. We could have like a desk in there. Yeah. You could have a little makeup counter. So you could be doing your makeup while you go to the meeting because who has time to do that in the morning? Nobody.
Machaela (49:27.426)
Yeah, exactly. So, all right.
Vivian Kvam (49:31.454)
I think we do it. I could give up other things. I don't need a fancy house. I just need a driver, OK? What's your favorite way to unwind after a long week? Yes, I think ours.
Machaela (49:42.266)
interest.
Mm-hmm. Well, like we kind of sit in the backyard, probably. Nick grills, I don't do any, I mean, I do stuff, but if he does the majority of the cooking, I can sit back and hang out. I enjoy that.
Vivian Kvam (49:59.754)
Yeah, I'm similar. I like to just be, sit outside, have a glass of wine, and just hang out in the backyard. It's great, for sure.
Machaela (50:06.551)
Yeah.
Machaela (50:10.222)
Yeah.
Machaela (50:15.47)
Thanks, all. Yeah, one piece of technology you can't live without.
Vivian Kvam (50:15.582)
All right. Ooh, we're hitting in the 20s here.
Vivian Kvam (50:29.602)
piece of technology I can't live without. A washer and dryer.
Machaela (50:34.325)
about this before.
Vivian Kvam (50:37.822)
I can't live without a washer and dryer. I can live without a dishwasher. I like the idea of living without my phone and computer. I know that sounds wild given what we do, but I like the idea of it. But a washer and dryer, like even if I went back to, like just really back to the basics, I think I have a dog who's losing her mind at my house here right now.
Machaela (50:48.418)
Yeah.
Machaela (50:59.459)
not happy.
Vivian Kvam (51:04.862)
It would be a washer and dryer.
Machaela (51:06.03)
Watch your dryer.
Machaela (51:11.894)
I would probably say my...
Machaela (51:17.258)
I have a hard time if I don't have my watch because I always lose my phone.
Vivian Kvam (51:21.538)
Hmm
Machaela (51:22.682)
especially at my house. Sometimes on the weekends it'll be gone for a good three, four hours, and then I have to buzz it on my phone, or on my watch. It's probably my watch.
Vivian Kvam (51:24.866)
Mm-hmm.
Machaela (51:36.025)
Um...
Vivian Kvam (51:39.234)
Uh, pause there. I'm going to see if I can get Troy to take care of his dog. Sorry, Todd. One second.
Machaela (51:39.518)
Thank you.
Machaela (51:43.83)
Okay. I can't remember what I can't remember what I said last time for my piece of technology. It was good though.
Vivian Kvam (51:50.126)
So you're watching something. Pause it, I'm gonna call it true.
Machaela (51:52.042)
No, it was better. Okay.
Machaela (51:57.363)
Oh, awesome.
Vivian Kvam (51:57.878)
I wonder if he's mowing the lawn.
Machaela (52:02.419)
I almost brought up that.
Vivian Kvam (52:03.842)
The dog is losing her mind in here. All right, well, I'm selling something outside right now. Hold on one second. OK. All right, bye. Bye.
Machaela (52:15.097)
Um
Vivian Kvam (52:15.542)
You thought you were gonna have all the audio interruptions at your house.
Machaela (52:21.03)
Mm-hmm. So at court, literally, Amanda takes a stack of pens out of her thing and puts them all here. And everyone kind of looks at her and goes, I write really hard and I write fast. And then she literally runs them out of ink in court and then checks them down. I'm not kidding, like, a whole stack. I'm going to take a picture next time for you, because I was just like.
Vivian Kvam (52:23.864)
Mm-hmm.
Vivian Kvam (52:38.99)
Wow.
Machaela (52:48.746)
Is she for real right now? But those are sheet pens.
Vivian Kvam (52:50.518)
That's intense.
Vivian Kvam (52:55.734)
Okay, I think we can pick it back up here. Sorry, Todd.
Machaela (52:55.794)
and they're blue. Okay. All right, I think we're at what's your, what was your favorite TV shoot? Yeah, hop-dop-dop, TV show growing up.
Vivian Kvam (53:07.43)
It was Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, first adult-ish TV show that we were allowed to watch as kids.
Machaela (53:16.11)
nice.
Vivian Kvam (53:17.226)
We recorded it on VHS. I probably still have them. We even tried to like cut the commercials out. You gotta be really good at that. Like, cut it, go, cut it, go, yeah. They're terrible recordings.
Machaela (53:19.598)
Yeah.
Machaela (53:23.768)
Yeah.
Um, yeah, the things we had to do. Uh, mine was Dawson's Creek and it was on, on Wednesday nights. And I always had CCD and my older sister was done. And so she would like pretend to tell me she was going to tell me what it was about or what happened. So then it'd be, I'd have to watch it when I got home. She would record it for me though. So.
Vivian Kvam (53:31.31)
I'm going to go ahead and close the video.
Vivian Kvam (53:37.107)
Uh huh.
Vivian Kvam (53:43.607)
I'm sorry.
Vivian Kvam (53:47.782)
Oh man, I knew it was Dawson Creek. I just had a night, I had a feeling. I never watched Dawson Creek. Did you, okay, like going way back into earlier childhood, did you watch like Sesame Street and like, like what was your real childhood? We did like Sesame Street, Looney Tunes.
Machaela (53:52.245)
Yep.
Machaela (54:07.531)
One, two, three, four.
Machaela (54:12.802)
Full House was probably.
Vivian Kvam (54:14.69)
Full house, yeah, that's right. Okay, I forgot about that.
Machaela (54:19.106)
Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (54:19.73)
Okay, if you threw a party, what kind of party would you throw?
Machaela (54:25.743)
One that someone cleaned up afterwards. They cleaned my house before and they cleaned my house after.
Vivian Kvam (54:33.36)
Oh, that's funny.
Machaela (54:34.13)
We used to throw some big parties. We haven't for a while, but yes.
What about you?
Vivian Kvam (54:40.197)
Mm hmm. Party. Yeah, party. If I were to throw a party, it would be very small. There'd be about three people there. We'd do something pretty laid back. And there would be charcuterie. For sure.
That'd be my kind of party.
Machaela (54:53.25)
Your mom made it. Yeah, there was pretty good chicory where your mom made it for you. What did you do? Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (54:57.822)
Yeah, wedding shower. Yeah, that's right. It was really good. She did a great job with it. She learned like about the countries and the cheeses and the meats and how they were supposed to like pair together on the board and the whole science of it. Yep. All right, I think you get number 23.
Machaela (55:07.894)
It was intense. Yeah.
um biggest pet peeve.
Vivian Kvam (55:19.474)
Oh boy, I mean, aside from like the direction of the toilet paper and all that kind of stuff, I would say biggest pet peeve is when people ask me the same question again and again, when they could have just written it down. I don't mind people being curious. I don't mind people asking questions and I totally don't mind like people needing to ask like more than once.
But it does drive me nuts when I'm like, I did say that. Did you not read the email? Or I did explain that. Why didn't you take notes? That drives me nuts.
Machaela (55:52.498)
You have done a good job though at people who have historically not... You're like, are you writing this down or do you need to take notes? Are you sure you're gonna remember all this?
Vivian Kvam (56:00.798)
Yes. So I'm not annoyed. I'm not annoyed later. Yes. Have a few pet peeves.
Machaela (56:06.644)
Yeah.
Machaela (56:10.441)
I loved yours.
Vivian Kvam (56:12.566)
Ah, yeah, yeah. I was worried about stuff like that too. I'm like, am I doing that? Cause it sounds really loud in your head when you're chewing.
Machaela (56:14.25)
It's like nails on a chalkboard.
or like smacking.
Machaela (56:26.618)
There are some things that are louder than other things that you just can't really, you can't control.
Vivian Kvam (56:31.604)
Yeah.
Machaela (56:35.822)
But if I'm eating, it doesn't bother me. Unless they're a smacker.
Vivian Kvam (56:40.17)
Right. Yeah, that is the worst. Like, Ooh, yeah, don't do that. Don't be, don't be a loud, don't be a smacker. What's something you've learned, like total deviation here. What's something you've learned, Michaela, about leadership while running our business?
Machaela (56:46.411)
Yeah.
No.
Machaela (57:02.678)
It definitely looks different to different people. To what it is. That time's really vague.
Vivian Kvam (57:06.99)
Mm.
Machaela (57:14.702)
but people's definitions vary.
Vivian Kvam (57:19.371)
Mm-hmm.
Machaela (57:19.587)
a lot.
I just keep that one big.
Vivian Kvam (57:24.363)
Yeah, that's fine.
Something I've learned about leadership running a biz, our business would be.
Vivian Kvam (57:35.778)
So our friend Casey Putney says this, like that leadership is simply put just influence. And like you can be influencing positively, negatively, one way or another leadership is influence. So I thought a lot more about that. I think I used to think of leadership, especially for starting a business as like, essentially having all the answers and telling people what to do. And I think I've learned that to be a good leader.
I don't have to have all the answers. I just need to be thinking about the influence I'm having on people. If I think about that, then I'm on the right track.
Machaela (58:14.239)
Yeah. And just helping them get there to the answer.
Vivian Kvam (58:18.991)
Mm-hmm, right. Yep. We are in question number 25. This is an equal 50 here. This is awesome. At almost 60 minutes.
Machaela (58:22.892)
All right.
Machaela (58:26.942)
at almost 60 minutes. Um, yeah. What's a question you wish people would ask you more often?
Vivian Kvam (58:43.814)
I wish people would ask me and frankly others more often. So, you know, we say all the time, how are you? I wish they would add on like, how, how are you really? And like mean it when they ask that, right? Even in those like really professional situations to just really go like, no, but like, how are you really not because things have to be bad or, or whatever, but.
Machaela (58:53.015)
Mm-hmm.
Vivian Kvam (59:14.418)
I just wish people would ask more genuine questions, maybe is what I'm trying to say there and get past the superficial. And I wish people would ask me that too, you know, more often. Maybe I don't want everyone to ask me that. I mean, I don't know. Now I get started thinking about it, but just more genuine questions. I wish people would ask more genuine questions.
Machaela (59:27.296)
Yeah.
Machaela (59:36.962)
Less, yeah, like less superficial questions, yeah. I started, go ahead.
Vivian Kvam (59:39.759)
Mm-hmm.
Vivian Kvam (59:43.533)
Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (59:48.086)
No, I just, no, I really have more to add if you're good.
Machaela (59:48.954)
All right.
when you started answering, when you said, what's one thing people should ask for? I was like, what's your sign? Like, you know, I feel like, what's your sign? It was just super cheesy. Anyway, it made me think of like 16 personalities and how Myra Briggs, how we've really kind of leaned into that. Not that most people are like, oh, hey, what's your, what is your, you know, ENFT, what are you? But more like...
Vivian Kvam (01:00:00.087)
Yeah.
I'm going to go ahead and close the video.
Vivian Kvam (01:00:09.458)
Mm-hmm.
Vivian Kvam (01:00:15.455)
Yeah.
Machaela (01:00:19.358)
I thought something was wrong with me for not asking people what they did for a living, but I really don't care what they do. I care more about what they're passionate about and what they're working on and things like that. So, more questions around that probably. Like just, it doesn't really answer the question there, but less superficial questions probably.
Vivian Kvam (01:00:22.88)
Uh huh.
Vivian Kvam (01:00:33.378)
Mm-hmm.
Machaela (01:00:43.686)
I feel like it's an immediate way for people to judge you too. Based on what you do.
Vivian Kvam (01:00:47.602)
It is. Yeah, absolutely. Like they can, it's so easy to jump to conclusions. Like, oh, especially because like, that whole question of, so what do you do? Like, there's so much depth to what people do. And yet when you say what you do, it's like you leave so much on the table, like the elevator pitch, right? Here's why there's so much like
Machaela (01:00:54.251)
Mm-hmm.
Machaela (01:01:11.748)
Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (01:01:13.354)
put into this elevator pitch and how to get like, how do you say everything that you do super fast in a way people are going to understand and succinctly. And I'm like, gosh, dang it. Like I can't, there's more to me, you know, than that. There's more to what I do than I could possibly get into a sentence or two. So I feel like, yeah.
Machaela (01:01:24.366)
Yeah.
Machaela (01:01:34.266)
somebody asks like that, what do you do? Well, what do you mean? What do I do during the day? What do I do over here? What do you want? What do you ask? What do you want to know here? So.
Vivian Kvam (01:01:45.392)
Yeah, yeah, what are you really asking for here?
Machaela (01:01:47.678)
Yeah. So.
Vivian Kvam (01:01:50.57)
Yeah, I think there's just that genuine, like genuineness in a way that we're both saying, like really getting to the heart of who people are. One thing too is I do wish people asked me more often because it would help me like with like what they want. When they want me to say what I think a solution is, I wish people would ask me more often, what do you think I should do when they want a solution?
so that I would know. Like, are you asking for a solution or do you just wanna talk?
Machaela (01:02:21.102)
So solution or support? I've been using that.
Vivian Kvam (01:02:24.99)
Yeah. Yep. Yeah. So if people could just like walk up and be like, Hey, could you support me right now? And here, blah, or, Hey, can you give me an answer right now? That would really help my life like a ton.
Machaela (01:02:29.074)
I use it on my brother.
Machaela (01:02:40.074)
You're probably going to have to ask them though. Like if they start talking, then you say, would you like a solution or would you just like support? And the support, is that listening to you or what does that look like? Feels really weird, but people have appreciated it.
Vivian Kvam (01:02:48.594)
Yeah, absolutely.
Vivian Kvam (01:02:52.95)
Have you ever been asked like just a totally off the wall question that caught you off guard?
I'm trying to think if I ever have been where I was like, whoa, that was a really interesting question to ask. Like I didn't see that coming or.
Machaela (01:03:08.746)
Yes, well I worked in a bar for a long time.
Vivian Kvam (01:03:11.657)
Yeah, you're right.
Machaela (01:03:13.398)
I got lots of random.
Vivian Kvam (01:03:17.068)
That's such a random question. And we'll leave it at that. Thanks for watching.
Machaela (01:03:20.554)
I think there was not that long ago we went to some event and someone had... There were some odd questions. I can't remember where they were. Does that jog your memory?
Vivian Kvam (01:03:30.234)
Yeah. Well, okay. So some of the strange questions we do get asked or implied is whether or not like we are a couple, like a romantic couple, if we have a baby. So there was one time where, Mikayla, you had a kiddo, a foster kiddo who was little, like very early, like a couple days or weeks. Yeah. So it was
Machaela (01:03:43.235)
Mm-hmm.
Machaela (01:03:55.486)
maybe a couple of weeks or. Yeah.
Vivian Kvam (01:03:58.91)
at the office and just made a little noise and it was like, do you have a dog? And we were like, no, we have a baby. And that went sideways. No, oh, that's lovely. Like, no, no. And they were like, okay, nevermind. So yeah, odd questions do come up.
Machaela (01:04:06.892)
Yeah.
Machaela (01:04:11.906)
They're like, weren't you just talking about your husband, but then you guys have a baby together? They were confused.
Vivian Kvam (01:04:16.154)
Yeah, yeah, it got it got weird quickly. We didn't mean for it to get weird. And then it just got weirder and weirder. I think we've been asked before if we share a car. We're like, no, we don't share a car. Yeah. So yeah, definitely some strange questions have come up. Which is kind of fun to get asked if we're sisters, if we're related, things like that. So yeah, those are probably some of the stranger questions we've had.
Machaela (01:04:26.635)
Yeah.
Machaela (01:04:32.954)
Mm-hmm.
Machaela (01:04:43.274)
Yeah, people always assume too that like we know everything about technology, like tech or old, like all kinds of things. Like what, I have this camera. I'm like, okay. So things like that.
Vivian Kvam (01:04:47.386)
Oh yeah.
Vivian Kvam (01:04:53.638)
Uh huh. Yes. Yeah. For sure. Do get some strange questions. Well, speaking of strange questions, we got through 25 questions. Um, for our 50th, 51st technically episode, but kind of fun. I think this is, it's fun to do this. Like we spend a lot of time interviewing other people and hearing what they have to say, and I just think it's nice to get on here and hey, I learned new things about you too, so.
Machaela (01:05:01.71)
Yeah.
Machaela (01:05:20.52)
Ciao.
Vivian Kvam (01:05:22.658)
This is really fun. And it's a big thing. Like part of what we do at TandemWorks is like one of our core values is about staying curious and just taking the time to ask questions and dig in and not, and not like ask the superficial questions, right? People in dance or those things. That's a big part of what we do. So this has been good.
Machaela (01:05:38.904)
Yeah.
Machaela (01:05:43.938)
Yeah, it's fun.
Vivian Kvam (01:05:45.678)
Awesome. Well, we'll invite you on again every time you can come back to your own podcast any old time. We'll talk about some more things. I know we've talked about some fun topics, but I am just going to put it out there to people who are listening, like love, as we always ask, love to have input on guests that we should have on the podcast as well as topics to cover. And specifically, I'll just put the ask out this time. If you have an idea, if you would like for Michaela and I specifically to cover a topic,
please let us know so you can do that by getting ahold of us. We have a couple of contacts that are in the show notes. You can get ahold of us that way. You can get ahold of us on social media, our emails in there as well. But let us know what you'd like to hear about. And then of course too, if you are enjoying the podcast, we really appreciate when you leave your star reviews and on the platforms where you're able, we'd love to have a written review too, because that just really helps us a lot with this type of content. So.
Cool. All right, well thanks so much and we'll catch you on the next one.
Machaela (01:06:47.362)
All right, see you later. Bye.
Vivian Kvam (01:06:49.059)
Bye.