Libsyn Directory

Ep. 217 - Success At The Expense of Your Marriage and Family with Krystal Parker

Thriving in Tandem: The podcast for married entrepreneurs

Release Date: 07/23/2025

Ep. 235 - Inconvenient Entrepreneurs: How Not To Start A Business with Robbie and Nicole Harper

Thriving in Tandem: The podcast for married entrepreneurs

Want to live a better balanced life and win in marriage AND business at the same time? Purchase our (audio) book Tandem: The married entrepreneurs’ guide for greater work-life balance. Download the 5 Daily Habits to Thrive in Tandem Need some insight into how to balance it all? Schedule a free discovery call. What happens when a career shake-up, a calling to entrepreneurship, and a surprise pregnancy all collide at once? In this episode, Robert sits down with Robbie and Nicole Harper—co-founders of Blue Ridge PR—to talk about what it really looks like to build a business while...

Ep. 234 - Five Hidden Business Growth Traps Costing You Time and Money

Thriving in Tandem: The podcast for married entrepreneurs

Want to live a better balanced life and win in marriage AND business at the same time? Purchase our (audio) book Tandem: The married entrepreneurs’ guide for greater work-life balance. FREE Marriage and Business Assessment Need some insight into how to balance it all? Schedule a free discovery call. As married entrepreneurs, it’s easy to fall into traps that seem harmless but quietly eat away at your profits, your time, and even your marriage. In this episode, Robert and Kay Lee uncover five hidden growth traps that keep business owners stuck working harder instead of...

Ep. 233 - How To Make Risky Moves In Business and Marriage with Susan Schramm

Thriving in Tandem: The podcast for married entrepreneurs

When big ideas stall, it’s rarely because the idea is bad—it’s because people get stuck. In this week’s conversation, we welcome strategist and author Susan Schramm (chair of Nehemiah Project; founder of Go To Market Impact) to unpack how married entrepreneurs can de-risk decisions at work and at home—without killing momentum or connection. Susan introduces her De-Risk System for Impact, a simple, people-first way to move initiatives forward: clarify why and why now, name who must take action, surface assumptions, and explore both upside and downside risk—including the risk of...

Ep. 232 - Cracker Barrel (Marketing) Mistakes To Avoid

Thriving in Tandem: The podcast for married entrepreneurs

Cracker Barrel’s attempted rebrand lit up the internet—but the logo was only the tip of the iceberg. In this episode, Robert and Kay Lee unpack what really happened: rapid, sweeping changes to brand visuals, menu staples, and in-store experience that left loyal customers feeling ignored. Robert draws on his Coca-Cola days to connect the dots to “New Coke” and other big-brand missteps. The lesson for married entrepreneurs? Expansion is great—if you bring your core with you. We talk about how to modernize without losing the soul of your brand, why you must weight research toward your...

Ep 231 - Live Life Rich (in Tandem) with Marissa Nehlsen

Thriving in Tandem: The podcast for married entrepreneurs

Live Life Rich Book Website: Instagram: @marissanehlsen Facebook: Twitter:@MarissaNehlsen LinkedIn: Eight-figure founder and wealth strategist Marissa Nehlsen returns to share how married entrepreneurs can build real wealth and protect what matters most at home. From her North Dakota roots to stewarding multiple Costa Rica retreat properties, Marissa unpacks the mindset shifts that moved her from hustle to harmony—where profit funds purpose, family, and freedom. She reveals why “keeping moving” doesn’t mean doing more; it means making better, braver...

Ep. 230 - The Myth of Hustle & Grind: Build a Legacy Without Burning Out

Thriving in Tandem: The podcast for married entrepreneurs

After a jam-packed few weeks onboarding clients and juggling a major project, Robert & Kay Lee get real about a message every married entrepreneur needs to hear: “Hustle now, rest later” is a myth that steals joy, strains marriages, and sabotages long-term business value. In this candid conversation, they unpack why constant grind doesn’t equal greater achievement—and how to build a business that grows and lets you enjoy life with your spouse now, not “someday.” You’ll hear how choosing family over finance actually creates a stronger company: better culture, lower turnover,...

Ep. 229 - 5 Mistakes We’ve Made As Married Entrepreneurs

Thriving in Tandem: The podcast for married entrepreneurs

Every married entrepreneur knows mistakes come with the territory—but they don’t have to derail your marriage or business. In this episode, Robert and Kay Lee pull back the curtain on the top five mistakes they’ve made as married entrepreneurs—and the lessons learned along the way. From overlooking the “Chief Feelings Officer” to chasing shiny objects, they share candid stories that cost them time, money, and peace (sometimes six figures!). You’ll hear how “hiring for convenience” created unnecessary conflict, why building real friendships beats pouring money into funnels,...

Ep. 228 - Is Tech Helping Or Hurting Your Business (and Marriage)?

Thriving in Tandem: The podcast for married entrepreneurs

With over 10,000 AI tools at our fingertips, it’s tempting to think technology will be our golden ticket to efficiency, profits, and free time. The problem? All that “help” can actually lead to tech creep—where one more tool, one more subscription, and one more DIY task sneak onto your plate until your calendar is full and your marriage is on the back burner. Bottom line: Tech can absolutely help you grow your business and free up more time for your marriage—if you use it in moderation and keep your focus on the high-level work only you can do. 🎧 Listen now to learn how to put...

Ep. 227 - Dealing With Changing Roles As Husband and Wife and Business Partners with Phil and Shae Bynes

Thriving in Tandem: The podcast for married entrepreneurs

When roles shift at home and at work, even strong couples can feel the strain. In this episode, returning guests Shay and Phil Bynes (Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur) pull back the curtain on their four-year journey of transitioning Shay out of the CEO seat and Phil in—while raising three kids and continuing to lead a global movement. They share what changed, what didn’t, and how they protected connection through it all. You’ll hear how they navigated identity, authority, and expectations as spouses and co-leaders—without letting business tension become marital tension. From hearing...

Ep. 226 - Navigating Different Energy Levels As Husband and Wife

Thriving in Tandem: The podcast for married entrepreneurs

Get on the waitlist for a Thriving in Tandem event near you. Want to live a better balanced life and win in marriage AND business at the same time? Purchase our (audio) book Tandem: The married entrepreneurs’ guide for greater work-life balance. Download the 5 Daily Habits to Thrive in Tandem Need some insight into how to balance it all? Schedule a free discovery call. Every married entrepreneur knows the challenge of managing different energy levels—especially when one spouse is ready to go full throttle and the other needs to pace themselves. In this episode, Robert...

More Episodes

Download the 5 Daily Habits to Thrive in Tandem https://marriedentrepreneur.co/5-daily-habits-download

Need some insight into how to balance it all? Schedule a free discovery call. https://marriedentrepreneur.co/lets-talk

In this deeply vulnerable and inspiring episode of Thriving in Tandem, we’re joined by Krystal Parker, President of the U.S. Christian Chamber of Commerce. Krystal shares her raw journey from corporate executive climbing the ranks of a Fortune 200 oil and gas company to discovering the devastating cost of success when it came at the expense of her marriage and family. What looked like professional triumph on the outside masked a crumbling home life and personal disconnection from what mattered most.

As Krystal takes us back to the peak of her corporate climb—fueled by power, ambition, and external validation—she candidly reveals the blind spots that hurt her marriage ending and relationship with her young daughter. But in the aftermath of that breaking point, Krystal discovered what true leadership and intentional living looked like. From restructuring her work-life rhythms to raising up her team, and ultimately placing God and family at the center, her story offers hope and a powerful reminder that redemption is possible.

Whether you're in a season of hustle or navigating growing pains in business and marriage, Krystal’s testimony is a call to evaluate where your time and heart are going. She shares practical boundaries she and her husband now implement, how she keeps her daughter a priority, and the critical difference between using work as worship instead of worshiping work. This is a must-listen for married entrepreneurs who don’t want to succeed in business only to lose what truly matters most.

Key Takeaways:

Success without alignment can destroy what matters most. Krystal's corporate rise came with sacrifices she didn't fully see until her marriage and family unraveled.
You are irreplaceable at work but you not at home. Delegating empowered Krystal’s team and freed her to re-engage with her daughter and home life.
Boundaries and intention create lasting connection. Krystal and her husband carve out intentional moments—even in busy seasons—to stay united and keep God at the center of their marriage.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Thriving in Tandem Podcast

02:01 Crystal Parker's Journey in the Oil and Gas Industry

10:11 Challenges of Balancing Career and Family Life

12:00 The Turning Point: Becoming a Solo Parent

18:07 Finding Balance in a New Marriage and Career

23:53 Lessons Learned and Final Thoughts

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