Building a Business with Your Spouse: Real Lessons from Behind the Bar

Starting a business with your spouse can feel like mixing cocktails blindfolded – you hope for the best but prepare for some interesting results. In Episode 22 of Never Stop Dreaming BIGGIE, we take you behind the scenes of our real entrepreneurial journey as we test cocktail recipes for The Holmestead Bar & Retreat.

The Reality of Husband and Wife Business Teams

Working with your spouse in business isn’t what you see on social media. There are no perfectly curated moments when you’re figuring out cocktail recipes with zero-sugar ginger ale (spoiler: it doesn’t work) or when your husband calls out your lack of preparation on a live recording.

“Preparation is the name of her game,” Brian said – sarcastically – while I scrambled to find my martini recipe. But here’s what I’ve learned about entrepreneurial partnerships: sometimes the magic happens in the unscripted moments.

Testing Business Ideas: Start Small, Learn Fast

Before investing thousands in premium Irish whiskey, we bought a $4 mini bottle to test “The George Bush” cocktail. This approach applies to every aspect of business development. Whether you’re testing new services, products, or in our case, cocktail recipes, start with small investments to validate your ideas.

We rated our first attempt a “B” – not perfect, but “better than expected.” That’s often how business growth works. You iterate, improve, and gradually build something worth celebrating.

The Importance of Quality in Business Building

“Quality ingredients matter in both cocktails and business building,” became our theme for the night. Just like our martini earned an A+ when we used High Wire Hat Trick vodka and Jack Rudy olive brine, your business improves when you invest in quality partnerships, advisors, and resources.

Building Your Advisory Team

Speaking of quality partnerships, we’re not building The Holmestead alone. Our advisory team includes:

• Jayce McConnell, our bartending consultant and teacher
• Ann and Scott from High Wire Distilling
• Gary Crunkleton, Charleston beverage industry legend
• Chris Finley, import/export logistics expert
• Roy Milner, former Blackberry Farm executive

Women entrepreneurs especially need strong advisory support. Finding people who understand your vision and can guide your execution makes the difference between dreaming and achieving.

Turning 52 and Still Dreaming BIGGIE

Age shouldn’t limit your entrepreneurial ambitions. At 52, I’m launching a podcast, developing a bar concept, and building multiple businesses. The key is authenticity – wearing your Pig Slayer t-shirt, sharing your mistakes, and being real about the journey.

Home-Based Business Testing

Our custom wooden bar serves as our testing ground. Moving it five times taught us that preparation matters, but so does adaptability. Your home can become your laboratory for testing business concepts before making major investments.

Creating Authentic Content for Your Business

This episode captures something most business content misses – the real conversations, technical difficulties, and imperfect moments that make up actual entrepreneurship. Your audience connects with authenticity more than perfection.

Charleston Entrepreneurship Community

Building in Charleston means tapping into an incredible network of local businesses and entrepreneurs. From High Wire Distilling to Jack Rudy Cocktail Co., we’re creating partnerships that strengthen our community while building our business.

The Secret Ingredient in Business Partnerships

“The secret ingredient is love,” I said while we toasted our martinis. Whether you’re building with your spouse, business partner, or team, genuine care for each other and the mission creates the foundation for lasting success.

Starting Your Entrepreneurial Journey

“You are here at the beginning. You are at the beginning,” I reminded our listeners. Every successful business starts with someone willing to test ideas, make mistakes, and iterate toward something better.

Key Takeaways for Women Entrepreneurs

1. Test small before investing big – Use $4 mini bottles, not $40 full bottles
2. Build a strong advisory team – Find people who’ve succeeded in your industry
3. Quality matters – In ingredients, partnerships, and execution
4. Authenticity sells – People connect with real stories, not perfect presentations
5. Age is irrelevant – Dreams don’t have expiration dates
6. Community amplifies success – Local partnerships create mutual growth

What’s Next for The Holmestead

We’re developing a curated menu of 8-10 signature cocktails, each renamed with our own twist. “The George Bush” becomes “The CIA,” and “The Harry and Maude” martini joins our permanent lineup.

The Holmestead Bar & Retreat represents more than cocktails – it’s about creating experiences that matter, building community, and proving that entrepreneurial dreams can happen at any stage of life.

Ready to start your own BIGGIE journey? Sometimes the best beginning is just showing up with whatever ingredients you have and figuring it out as you go.

Listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts, and follow our journey on Instagram @neverstopdreamingbiggie and @angelpholmes.