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We’re Brad & Monnica Manuel - we've been married for 28 years and business partners a little longer than that.
Every Sunday morning, we press record on a conversation rooted in reflection. Over coffee and a vinyl record, we talk through the week we just lived: what challenged us, what taught us, and what tuned us along the way.
From marriage and mindset to leadership, resilience, and personal growth, these are honest conversations about being human through the lens of Gen X, family, work, and life in transition - one record, one reflection, one transmission at a time.
🎧 New Transmissions every Sunday morning
☕ Stories • Soundtracks • Marriage • Leadership • Self-Discovery • Coaching • Generation X
I put this headset on right now, and I was reminded that I'm wearing earrings. Which reminded me that last week, I went to take my earrings off. Oh. And I only had one earring in. And they were my good ones, I was really nervous that I had lost one.
Monnica:So I texted you and I said, hey, could you go check the bathroom, see if my other earring is in there? Maybe I just forgot to put it on. And you went and you said, no. I'm sorry. It's not here.
Monnica:So all day I stressed about it. And then I came home and guess where my earring was?
Brad:Right where you left it.
Monnica:Right where I left it, in the bathroom where I asked you to look. You know, it's okay. You have other skills.
Brad:Well, welcome to the manual transmission.
Monnica:Welcome.
Brad:Powered by sarcasm
Monnica:Awesome searching skills.
Brad:And search.
Monnica:Good effort and curiosity. Wow. Really curious about where that dang earring could be. Happy to be here with you, mister Manuel.
Brad:Great. I'm happy to be here with you. We are t minus
Monnica:Oh, gosh. We have to leave in, like, two hours.
Brad:Two hours before we get in a car, head to the airport.
Monnica:I'm not finished packing. Thank god. Still have to take the shower. Oh, boy. Hopefully, this recording done.
Brad:Hopefully, we are going to well, we'll make our flight
Monnica:if We'll make our flight. Hopefully, the flight's not delayed.
Brad:Right. There's a big snowstorm coming in to the East Coast, and that's where we're headed for our first leg from Salt Lake to JFK.
Monnica:It would be great if we could fly into JFK, switch planes, fly out of JFK, and then the storm comes.
Brad:That's the way it looks like it's gonna happen. As long
Monnica:as the storm isn't in our path.
Brad:Right. But they probably would move around it as long as we can get off the ground and there wasn't tremendous danger, like, going down through Florida.
Monnica:Yeah. I mean, I don't wanna, like, take any unnecessary risks. We could always go another time. But today, listened to Golden by Romeo Santos.
Brad:We did. And while I don't know that we're gonna talk a whole lot about this whole album, although he started with that band that we mentioned last transmission.
Monnica:Aventura.
Brad:Aventura. He was the lead singer. He went out on his own. He's done multiple collaborations. He did a collaboration with Bad Bunny.
Brad:And as I was researching a couple of weeks ago, ultimately what that did was it opened up this doorway to this Latin music, and I created my Bad Bunny Pandora channel. And it is it's dope. It's a great channel. I really like what's coming together with it.
Monnica:Your Pandora channel. I remember I I called and talked to you at one point this week. Or no, I think you texted me.
Brad:I was texting you in Spanish.
Monnica:Like this this channel is amazing. Anyway.
Brad:Some of the ones that I've been introduced to are Ozuna, an artist called Carol G. Obviously, Romeo Santos, but more specifically, I've really liked this artist Jose Balvin or Balvin or I don't know how you pronounce it, but he's done collaborations with Bad Bunny as well. And he's an artist from Medellin, Colombia. I think probably why I'm so attracted to it is that I'm a Bob Marley fan.
Monnica:We know you love reggae. I do too. But as I've said before, you just tend to overplay it.
Brad:I'm working on it. I'm just I'm transitioning across a couple of islands. The the music itself, the bachata music is it's got a very unique sound, which feels right. We're stepping into a global professional space.
Monnica:Yeah. I'm I'm looking forward to it. I won't be able to fully be on island vibes, but maybe there'll be some moments.
Brad:Okay. Well, I don't think we talk enough about the days when two big things happen at once.
Monnica:Yeah. That did happen this week.
Brad:Our daughter
Monnica:Our daughter.
Brad:Got the keys to her new apartment this week.
Monnica:Yay. Very happy about that. So is she.
Brad:And this is I'm gonna just say this is really my high low. I'll just kick this off right now. That was the high was that she got the keys to her new apartment. And on the same day, the low was that she lost her job. I
Monnica:got them both in the same phone call. Mom, I got my keys to my apartment, and I've been laid off. Like, oh, boy.
Brad:Yeah.
Monnica:So who just took on the rent payment? No. She's gonna find a job. She just didn't seem as concerned as I wanted her to seem.
Brad:Man, maybe that's my real high is the fact that she had this financial buffer that still allowed her to move out. So we are, like, inches from being empty nesters.
Monnica:I mean, we've kind of I mean, I know we're not alone in this, especially in this day and age with the way that affordability isn't. Mhmm. But it's kind of been a bit of a revolving door as they've gone through college and launch attempts and etcetera. But this marks Her moving out marks like I mean, I think that I think knock on wood. I think that's it.
Monnica:I think that's that's it. All the kids are out. Two of them are married.
Brad:Yeah. Congratulations. It's a
Monnica:good day. Cheers, man.
Brad:Slainte. And we're about to get on a a red eye to New York to go spend a week in Punta Cana.
Monnica:Happy day. And she's filled out, like, 14 job applications. That sucks. It happens, but I I got a little nervous. But then I don't know.
Monnica:I feel like she's handling it really well, and she's on the hunt. She already had a one job interview, and it's only been a couple days.
Brad:I was thinking about this word this week. You've said it before, this liminal word, liminal phase. And I feel like you even mentioned it earlier, but I feel like this trip is, like, representative of this liminal phase that we're in.
Monnica:How so?
Brad:I feel like there's a lot of transition that's about to happen. Things are shifting. I mean, literally, when we come back, our daughter will have moved out.
Monnica:Right. And, we have a couple weeks at home to do a bunch of stuff, and then we leave for Italy. And then we get back and I think I think I'm home for a week and then I'm gonna be gone like four weeks in a row. So there's just a lot going on to your point. You're right.
Monnica:I I love that word.
Brad:You I forgot why you started using that word.
Monnica:It's because I took an anthropology class. And they talked about liminal phases. Liminal phases are like, you're neither here nor there. They're in between. They're transitionary.
Monnica:So, you know, a border crossing where you're you're neither here nor there. It's a vulnerable place to be or like a graduation. You're not still in, you're not launched into your next thing yet, you're graduating. Or like a transition from one phase to another, Like a pregnant pause.
Brad:A pregnant pause.
Monnica:Yeah. Yeah. I think that's a good way to describe what's happening right now. Right. But usually, I mean, you've heard me say limbo.
Monnica:I hate limbo. I hate being in limbo, which I think that's still probably true. But I think putting it a little bit differently has a little bit different connotation to me to say it's a liminal phase because it's I think there's a lot of opt it is a vulnerable place to be generally, but it does feel like there's a lot of optimism for what's next.
Brad:Yeah. It feels like we're standing in the doorway. We're like, we haven't fully entered and we haven't we haven't left, but we're just kind of in between.
Monnica:Yeah. We're not fully empty nesters yet. We're right there. And we're not settled in at home because we're about to go on a trip. So but we're not on it yet.
Monnica:So today literally feels a little in between. Okay. So we can do high low. Well, you already did your high low. So the high was Bella getting her apartment and the low was her losing her job.
Monnica:What was my high low? Let me think. My low? It was self inflicted.
Brad:What? Oh my gosh. Monica. Alright. Let's do it.
Monnica:Let's do it? Should I share?
Brad:Hell yeah.
Monnica:Well, so I haven't done anything for the last probably four years. No Botox or filler or anything. But I've had this scowl line that I've developed. I think I scowl too much. And so I was like, you know what?
Monnica:I'm gonna I was talking to somebody I work with and who mentioned that she has somebody she really likes that she goes to. And I said, oh, I've been meaning to go take care of this 11 that's on my between my eyes with this scowl line. Let me have the name of your person. So I'd been meaning to schedule it, and I just happened to have a minute Thursday morning. I finally remembered and had time to call.
Monnica:So I called to see about scheduling an appointment. They're like, oh, she has time today. And I looked at my calendar, and it it just so happened there was a hole in my calendar, which is pretty rare and it fit perfectly. And she only works on Thursdays and it was Thursday. And I was gonna be gone the next Thursday.
Monnica:And so it'd be a couple of weeks. I was like, you know what? I'll just run down there. No problem. So I go down there and I get in there and I'm in the chair and I'm like, oh gosh, actually, oopsie.
Monnica:I still have to go back to the office after I have to go to the office tomorrow and then Saturday I'm getting on an airplane to go on a work trip. Hey, is this gonna leave a mark? She's like, you'll be fine.
Brad:Oh my.
Monnica:Oh my, it left. Well and then, she's like, and we could do this and we could do that. So I got like probably 40 different stabs in the face. I bruise really easily. So yeah.
Monnica:Well, that's my low. It's gonna look great once all the bruising goes away.
Brad:It's looking much better. Yeah. But you did a number. She did a number on you.
Monnica:I know. I think
Brad:I warned you too.
Monnica:You said, isn't that risky? And I said, nah. It'll be fine. Well.
Brad:So look at me. What? Scowl at me.
Monnica:Can I see I mean, I'm not I'm
Brad:not scowl? Elevens.
Monnica:Hey. That's it doesn't take full effect for seven to ten days. So if I'm already like
Brad:I do see, like, in the middle, I see
Monnica:muscles trying and they're
Brad:trying, but it's like nothing's happening.
Monnica:Oh my gosh.
Brad:It's beautiful.
Monnica:Oh, boy. Well oh how do I transition from I
Brad:don't know.
Monnica:Let's see what was my high?
Brad:No that was your low.
Monnica:That was my low. Okay. I mean I think I think when it's it's all better it'll be. Maybe that'll be my high next week is that it turned out okay. Right now we're in a liminal phase.
Monnica:That's my phase. Yeah.
Brad:Would say. I would say. I think, again, from where it was yesterday
Monnica:Yeah. It is better.
Brad:To where it is right now, we're better.
Monnica:Okay. Let's see. What was my high? I oh, I know my high. And I had an actually a really good conversation with chat GPT about it actually too.
Monnica:So I am like a really shy aspiring novice amateur. Don't even wanna call myself an artist but I've taken up oil painting and I love it. I love don't have a lot of time to do it, but when I do, I love doing it. And so last year, I painted a painting, a 24 by 30 painting on on Jeso board. And I donated it to the Boys and Girls Club Gala for their their big fundraiser.
Brad:It was an awesome painting.
Monnica:Thank you. And it sold for, like, $550. I was very happy about that. That was a big stretch for me. Was very uncomfortable.
Brad:All for the kids.
Monnica:Anything for the kids. But anyway, they reached out to me this week and asked me if I'd do it again. So That's cool. That was a high. So but now I've gotta figure out what to paint.
Monnica:So but I had a good talk with ChatGPT about it. And I forgot that I had had it help me write the card you're supposed to put with
Brad:The description of the painting.
Monnica:Uh-huh. But it didn't forget because I I said, you know, I'm I'm an amateur artist. I'm I've been asked to do this thing. I need to figure out subject matter. Maybe you can brainstorm with me about it.
Monnica:And it said, Monica, you are not an amateur artist. You've already sold art. When you did this in a name remember the title of the painting? And, it was, like, giving me all this encouragement. I was like, wow.
Monnica:Go AI.
Brad:There you go.
Monnica:Anyway, that was my high.
Brad:Cool. That was a good high.
Monnica:Can we go back to your high low real quick?
Brad:Sure.
Monnica:You know, in that day where you got the you know, you're feeling proud. She's gone and, you know, sorted this out on her own. She's very excited. She's She did it all on her own. We didn't help her.
Monnica:We didn't cosign or anything like that. She just went and figured it out and
Brad:We just gave her the boot.
Monnica:Well, we gave her a few months. We said, hey, we really think it's time.
Brad:Yep.
Monnica:And you've got a few months, but we want you to figure it out. We're here for you, but go fly, little birdie. It's time. What did you feel in that moment? And then when she said, and by the way, also today, I got laid off from this job I've been at for the last three years.
Monnica:What were you feeling? What were you thinking?
Brad:Well, the first call I got, she said, hey. So they let me go. She was just pretty calm. I think you had mentioned it. I think she is ready for a change.
Brad:I think at the end of the day, it's probably a blessing in disguise that she was let go. She's been with this job for how long?
Monnica:Three years, and she did wanna change, but she wouldn't, like, make the call.
Brad:Yeah. So it's one of those life situations where the call is made for you. And to what you said, I really appreciate her response to it, at least her attitude about handling what's next. She was moving forward with the the apartment, which excited me knowing that she had this buffer and had built in kind of this safety, and she was optimistic about still moving in, getting everything moved before we get back home from this trip, and finding a a new job, a new opportunity. So I was I was just really encouraged and made me feel like empty nesting was right around the corner.
Monnica:Yeah. I mean, we're basically empty nesters. She lives across the street from us. What's it like, though, to just let her figure it out?
Brad:I love it. I don't have a problem with it. I'm all about her flexing that muscle because I know that that's how she's gonna get stronger. The only thing that trips me up is the fact that our grandson is involved.
Monnica:You mean as far as the room to allow her to fail is just a lot shorter a lot smaller because before we would intervene because you don't want him to
Brad:be Absolutely.
Monnica:Ever in.
Brad:Right.
Monnica:In peril. So what how does it feel? What does it mean to you to be having that last little bit of emptying of the nest happen the same week that we head out?
Brad:It it it's even better because I'm not having to empty the nest. I'm not having to go and, you know, sweep out the nest. She's doing it. So how do you feel about that?
Monnica:Spectacular. Like, I I think I told you several years ago. I think the kids were they were teenagers. We were getting close to where they were gonna start, you know, graduating from high school and moving on. And I was talking to a woman who was a little several years older than me and was an empty nester.
Monnica:And I asked her about it and she said, look, the emptying, the process of the emptying of the nest is emotional, and it's hard. She's like, but the empty nest is awesome. I agree. I'm I love it. Like, they're I'd rather just hang out with them as grown ups and not be responsible for them.
Monnica:And
Brad:yeah. Do do you feel like your professional pursuits are different being an empty nester?
Monnica:A 100%. I always talk about liminal. I always felt if I was at work, I felt like I was not where I was supposed to be because I was supposed to be doing mom things. When I was home, I felt like I was neglecting my job. Always Because of gender stereotypes and even though we made that decision early on that one of us was always gonna be home and there was a point where we decided it was going to be you, I still felt like I was neglecting my motherly responsibilities and this pull of gender roles is so strong.
Monnica:But now I just feel I just feel like I am free to be where I am and, you know, they don't they need me in the sense that they wanna be able to call me and talk to me occasionally and they do. But they don't need me, they're launched and I'm cheering for them from the sidelines and they do complain, sometimes I'm hard to get ahold of but I always call them back eventually. But I'm kind of okay with it. It's like look, go live your life. I'm doing my thing.
Monnica:I love you. I'll talk to you at least once or twice this week, probably more. But if you need something, call twice. If they call twice, I pick up. Even if I'm in a meeting or on a call.
Monnica:But other than that, like, go. Do your thing, man.
Brad:If they can't get ahold of you, they call
Monnica:They call you. Do you feel
Brad:good place to be.
Monnica:Hell yeah.
Brad:It's like we've worked a long time to get to this point.
Monnica:Yeah. This is at first I was when it first started happening, I was devastated. I was so sad thinking, oh, end of an era. It went by too fast. And but then I realized it's not so much an ending as it is different beginnings.
Monnica:I I honestly feel like the liminal phase is ending and this next phase has started. Yeah. I mean, this last little bit of, you know, of her her moving out is like, okay. We're we're not empty nesters with an asterisk. We're empty nesters, period.
Brad:Right.
Monnica:For real and possibly for good. Yeah. It's great.
Brad:So considering that we're about to get on a flight, when we are traveling for work and this is your work, I am showing up as a plus one.
Monnica:You're my arm candy.
Brad:Okay. What do you think that's gonna look like? Who do we become?
Monnica:We've talked about this a little bit. When I'm in work mode, I'm in work mode. And I don't I feel like I'm just being me, but it's been pointed out to me by multiple people when I'm in work mode. I'm work, Monica. So my goal this week will be to try to be a little more relaxed.
Monnica:I have a lot of social anxiety and I'm an introvert and so I have to put on the skill sets of an extrovert and be social. And I make it look like it's, you know, natural to me, but it very much isn't. And so I'm gonna really try this week to just be relaxed and to not be so anxious. And to just let let them see a more relaxed side of me. We'll see how it goes.
Brad:I think that's why these incentive plus one trips are designed that way. It's to get to know people.
Monnica:Yeah. More human level.
Brad:It makes total sense that as we're going on this trip that you're probably going to slip into performance mode.
Monnica:Well, yeah, I'll have to. All I was saying is I don't wanna be that way the whole time.
Brad:Okay. So we can be intentional, and we've talked about how we plan our days or our time or even how we how we signal each other in social environments to say, you know, I need help, I need to be rescued, or I've had enough.
Monnica:It'll be I've had enough. And so what we've talked about is because you are an extrovert, and you do like to be social to you know, more than me, less than probably most, but more than me. But we've talked about how you can run a little bit of interference and carry some of that socializing weight. And there's probably gonna be times when I just wanna take a break and go back to the room for a little bit or sit and read a book.
Brad:Well, it'll be my first real introduction to this group, so it'll be interesting. It's always interesting.
Monnica:Everyone always likes me better after they meet you, so I'm looking forward to that part of it.
Brad:Well, I'm glad that I can add value somewhere.
Monnica:Oh, come on.
Brad:As you think about this week, what do you think is gonna stretch you? This the social piece?
Monnica:For sure. Yeah. Everything I'm not nervous about it. I just it's just the the hours on end of needing to be social is in, you know, and carry conversations and be on is it's not even that I don't like it. It's just that it drains my batteries very quickly.
Brad:Mhmm.
Monnica:And so when it's lots of it over multiple days, that's where it tends to get pretty fatiguing.
Brad:Is there any moment this week that you're looking forward to based on the itinerary and what you know is about to happen?
Monnica:Based on the agenda, no. But, what I am hoping for, not not specific moments, but generally that there's some some experiences and some moments that anytime you have are gonna have a high performing team. And some dynamics on this particular team have changed recently. So when you talk about the stages of group formation with Tuckman, forming, storming, norming, performing. We are probably not quite to that high performing level yet just because there's been so much recent change.
Monnica:We're still everyone's still kind of figuring each other out. And so I really hope to see some big forward these trips can be accelerants in that way. So that's what I'm looking forward to.
Brad:I love that. Your team is in this liminal phase.
Monnica:Yeah. We're probably in the norming, like figuring out what are the norms among this group. Who's who's doing what? Who can you count on for what? What are the relationship dynamics like?
Monnica:And so we're just kind of on the cusp of really breaking through. It's highly talented, really smart group of people. But there's the individuals and their contributions and their talents and their intellect. But then there's what are you as a whole?
Brad:Mhmm.
Monnica:And so I'm looking forward to some high performing team bonding and experiences that way this week. And then there's a couple of speaking pieces I have that I'm looking forward to that I hope go well. I'm sure they will. I'm public speaking is no problem for me. I'm not scared of it at all.
Monnica:I'd rather do that any day of the week all day long than have to do socializing.
Brad:I'm excited to see you in that setting to be able to
Monnica:You said you felt like you missed being
Brad:Well, yeah. Vegas, I totally felt like I missed a performance. This week is completely not about you. Like, although you will be addressing the group, and it's a it's a sizable group. But
Monnica:Well, Vegas wasn't about me either.
Brad:Well, it wasn't about you. You're right. But it you were running the show.
Monnica:Yeah. This is tech technically my team's responsibility as well. We're running it as well. But this isn't this is nowhere near the level of production. We've got basically three events versus Vegas was all day, every day, so many moving parts.
Monnica:It was a huge production. This is island vibes. You'll see my team at work. They're great.
Brad:Cool. It's gonna be fun. I'm looking forward to the week. A week on the beach, although the weather
Monnica:It's gonna be rainy.
Brad:Right now.
Monnica:Having to pivot and entertain people indoors.
Brad:That will be interesting.
Monnica:What is this like for you going on a trip like this as with people you don't know and as my plus one and support system.
Brad:Well
Monnica:And what moments are you hoping for?
Brad:What is it gonna be like for me? Well, I have a little bit of experience.
Monnica:You've been to events like this with me in The Bahamas and in Jamaica and
Brad:Yep.
Monnica:And other places, but island wise. Oh, yeah. Napa.
Brad:Napa Valley. Mhmm.
Monnica:Chicago.
Brad:It's really interesting to get a inside track to the leadership team and the dynamics that are happening with the leaders within an organization. And then you throw in their plus ones, and you get to see a different side of them because you have to drop your guard
Monnica:to a certain degree. Information about them that you get all at once.
Brad:Yes. It's totally, an anthropological exercise.
Monnica:Mhmm. And it's always I always love getting your take, your perspective after one of these.
Brad:I love watching. I love observing. And I also know that there is an element of performance on my part. I've gotta show up. I've gotta I can't embarrass you.
Monnica:You wouldn't, but, but I I see what you mean. Like,
Brad:you But you also have to self regulate in an environment like this when
Monnica:The filter is different.
Brad:The filter is different. The alcohol is flowing. And
Monnica:I'm not worried. We can go back another time when it's
Brad:just you and me
Monnica:and you can do whatever you want. But on this trip Yeah. Good choices. Yeah. When we started Vegas, I was opening up the week with with a yeah.
Monnica:Two of us were opening up the weekend. I I said, hey. Let's let's all keep our jobs this week. So this isn't a vacation episode. This is an episode where we're kind of on the threshold of some new things.
Monnica:Right? So
Brad:we're We're recording this before the house changes.
Monnica:The house when we get back, we've we've taken a small pause on the renovation while we needed to do some some other things. But when we get back, it's on. We're gonna get this thing done. When we get back, it'll be March. March is my favorite month of the year because spring is here.
Monnica:I'm it's so so exciting. Birthday. Doesn't hurt. I love the month of March.
Brad:Oh, and and by the way
Monnica:What?
Brad:Also, March.
Monnica:Saint Patrick's Day?
Brad:Well, that too. Geez. March
Monnica:is the hundred twenty one I'm telling you. It's the best month of the year.
Brad:You want me you want me to top it all off? What? Put a cherry on top? Yeah. On March 9
Monnica:Oh, yeah.
Brad:We begin our
Monnica:Thirtieth year.
Brad:Thirtieth year together.
Monnica:Because we got engaged on March 9. Crazy. 1997.
Brad:'6. Nope. You're right. '97.
Monnica:Also, by the way, we need to make a correction. Last week, you said that we celebrated our twenty eighth Valentine's Day together.
Brad:We did.
Monnica:It was '29.
Brad:No. We didn't celebrate a Valentine's Day. Remember February before March?
Monnica:Oh, because we got engaged March 9.
Brad:Yes.
Monnica:Okay. So we had our first Valentine's Day almost a year after we got engaged because we became an item and got engaged on the same day. We were just friends until we the day we got engaged. Who decided That's a different story for another day. I decided that.
Monnica:You just went along with you decided too in response to my
Brad:I did decide. I did. Suggestion. I was excited about it.
Monnica:So alright. We're about to step into another country. We're we're gonna come home, and it'll be spring. We'll have a couple of weeks to get ready for spring, do some spring cleaning, and then we're off to Italy.
Brad:A liminal phase over.
Monnica:Transitioning into spring. It's that time of year. I am so excited for spring cleaning and planting and growing flowers. When I get back, I'm gonna plant all my seedlings. I'm a little late.
Monnica:Yeah.
Brad:Well, you're excited.
Monnica:Oh, I'm excited. It's my favorite time of year.
Brad:I love the spring. March is gonna be good.
Monnica:Well, here's to what's been a good February. Let's go spend the last week.
Brad:That's quite a way to finish February.
Monnica:Heck yeah. Get the heck out of it snowed this week. So it's a good time for me to go to the beach.
Brad:85 degree weather.
Monnica:For all of you out there who understands that seasonal affect. Disorder. Gosh. I didn't wanna say disorder because that sounds so sad. It's sad.
Brad:You're you're a comedian.
Monnica:I need to go to the beach. Yeah. Have a great week.
Brad:Have a great week. Thanks for being with us.
Monnica:Salute.
Brad:Salute.