People ask me all the time how Sam and I do it. How do we build a business together and have family, home, and work so intertwined, and still see it as a marriage strengthener?
My answer might surprise you. Using your strengths to help your number one person, and watching him use his to help you, builds a deep appreciation that I never had when we had separate careers. We are also evolving and growing together, stepping outside our comfort zones side by side, rather than apart.
But to have a business partnership strengthen your marriage rather than strain it takes something much deeper. And it starts with you.
I spent years teaching leadership development to college students. One of the most important things I tried to give them was this: before you can lead others well, you have to learn to lead yourself. The same is true in partnership. Before you can have a great partner in business or in life, you have to become one.
For Sam and me, that starts with shared values and a common mission. As Rodd Wagner and Gale Muller write in The Power of 2, great partnerships are built on aspects such as “complementary strengths,” “a common mission,” “trust,” “fairness,” and a genuine commitment to each other's success.
We aren't just building a commercial real estate portfolio. We are building a life that reflects what we believe, rooted in our shared vision and values for our family and for our greater community. We also know that no matter what happens, we have each other's back. When your why is the same and your shared values are the filter for your world, the hard decisions get clearer and the hard days get lighter.
It also means seeing each other's strengths, really seeing them, and trusting that what the other person brings is exactly what's needed. Sam goes deep. He is a brilliant analyst, a patient relationship builder and listener, someone who finds hidden value where others see nothing.
I build systems, bring intentionality and order to all our moving projects, and show up front-facing with warmth and clarity when Champion needs a voice.
And when something goes off course, because it always does, we don't blame. We bring our emotional intelligence to the table and solve problems together. No raised voices. No scorekeeping. Just two people committed to the same mission, knowing we have each other and that we will be okay.
That's not always easy. But it's always worth it.
For instance, one of our properties has required a full repositioning, retenanting multiple units in order to move rents higher, with a longer turnaround than planned. But we never lost faith in the fundamentals. We bought a well-located center at the right price, protected our downside, and when the plan shifted we did what we always do. We sat down together, problem solved without blame, and stayed resilient.
No panic. No pointing fingers. Just two people who trust each other and trust the work.
That property is still a work in progress. And so are we. But we have each other and wouldn't have it any other way.
In short, a business partnership, at its best, carries the same weight as a marriage contract. It asks you to show up fully, give generously, and trust deeply, even on the days when it's hard.
If you are building a partnership in business or in life, start here: shared values, complementary strengths, a common mission, and the emotional intelligence to navigate the inevitable hard moments with grace and faith.
And then ask yourself honestly: am I being the partner I want to have?
When I fall short, Sam tells me. And I course correct with gratitude that he loved me enough to hold me accountable.
That kind of honesty, offered and received with love, is what makes a partnership not just survive but thrive.
Never give up. Always be better.
Liz Bapasola, Ed.D. is Partner at Champion Investment Properties LLC. She writes about habits, mindset, and the strategies that help you reach your goals.
Reference:
Wagner, R., & Muller, G. (2009). The Power of 2: How to Make the Most of Your Partnerships at Work and in Life. Gallup Press.