Family Brand: Take Back Your Family

Hey, Family Brand community it's Melissa! It's just me today.
It's been a little while since I've recorded a solo episode, and honestly, the last several months have held a lot of change for our family. Family Brand was acquired, my role has been shifting, Chris has been traveling a lot for work, and our oldest son is getting ready to leave home for a couple of years. There has been a lot of transition, growth, and figuring out what this next season looks like.
But today, I wanted to share something a little different.
Recently, I was asked to speak to a large group at our church about how Jesus Christ can be our relationship guide, and specifically how our individual relationship with Him can influence our marriages and the other important relationships in our lives. As I prepared for that message, I found myself asking God much more intentionally, What would You have me say? What does this group of people need to hear? And afterward, I kept thinking: Why don't I ask for His input like that more often?
One of the biggest things I've learned through our own marriage is how easy it is to look outside ourselves for a standard of what our relationships are "supposed" to look like. We compare our marriages, our spouses, and even ourselves to what we see around us. But Jesus gives us a very different example. He consistently saw people not only as they were in that moment, but as who they could become. Where other people saw mistakes, shortcomings, or limitations, He saw possibility.
That idea became incredibly personal for me during some of the hardest years of our marriage. There were times when my prayers became, Lord, help me see myself the way You see me. Other times they were, Help me see Chris the way You see him, because right now I'm not seeing clearly. And there were moments when I couldn't see a future for our marriage at all, and all I could ask was, Help me see the light and the possibility of what we could become.
Around year four of our marriage, Chris and I separated and began moving toward divorce. We had two very little boys, and I felt lonely, overwhelmed, defeated, and unsure of what came next. During that season, I had an experience while worshipping alone that reminded me that faith is believing in something we cannot yet see. I wasn't asking God to part a sea or perform some enormous biblical miracle. The miracle I wanted was for one relationship to be healed.
At the time, I had no evidence that it would happen. But I remember thinking that if God is truly a God of miracles, then surely I could have enough faith to believe that this relationship could become something different too.
And today, nearly twenty-two years into our marriage, I can say that the relationship I once viewed as one of the greatest weaknesses in my life has become one of our greatest strengths. That transformation didn't happen overnight, and it certainly didn't happen without work. But as we continued to prioritize our relationship, ask God to help us see ourselves and each other differently, and put faith in Him and in one another, we began to see something we couldn't see before.
So I want to leave you with the same challenge I shared in that message:
Choose one important person in your life and, for a period of time, ask God to help you see that person the way He sees them.
Maybe it's your spouse. Maybe it's one of your children. Maybe it's a parent, sibling, friend—or maybe the person you need help seeing differently is yourself.
Ask for new eyes. Exercise faith that the relationship can become stronger. And seek and expect miracles.
I believe Jesus can help us see the people we love differently. He can help us see ourselves differently. And sometimes, being able to see differently is where transformation begins.
Hit play to hear the full message.
P.S. We're here to help you build your own Family Brand, one episode at a time. So go ahead, hit play, and let's grow together! Or, if you're ready to dive even deeper into our community, follow the links below.
 
LINKS:
All Links: Family Brand! 
stan.store/familybrand
familybrand.com/quiz
familybrand.com/retreats. 

Episode Minute By Minute:
00:00 A Personal Message From Melissa
01:00 Navigating a Season of Change
02:00 Preparing to Speak at Church
03:00 Why Don't We Ask God for Help More Often?
04:00 Jesus as Our Relationship Guide
05:00 Why This Topic Felt So Personal
06:00 How Our Relationship With Jesus Changes Our Relationships
07:00 The Marriage Story Behind This Message
08:00 Stop Comparing Your Relationship to Everyone Else's
09:00 Seeing People for Who They Can Become
10:00 "Help Me See My Husband the Way You See Him"
11:00 The Lowest Point in Our Marriage
12:00 Faith for a Miracle You Cannot Yet See
13:00 Our Marriage Became One of Our Greatest Strengths
14:00 A Challenge for Your Most Important Relationships

Dia De Los Muertos 2026 is here!
Every year around this time, Chris and Melissa share one of their favorite family traditions — celebrating Dia De Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. What started years ago as an invitation to a friend's backyard gathering has turned into a cherished Family Brand tradition that connects their kids to their heritage in the most fun and meaningful way.
In this episode, Chris and Melissa unpack why Dia De Los Muertos is so powerful, how it has evolved in their home, and why they believe every family can benefit from celebrating it — no matter your background. Far beyond face paint or costumes, this holiday is about remembering those who came before us, honoring their legacy, and helping our children understand where they come from.
Melissa shares research from the article "The Stories That Bind Us," which reveals that kids who know about their family history are more resilient, grounded, and confident. Chris adds that Dia De Los Muertos has become their built-in reminder each year to tell those stories, building both identity and belonging for their children.
They walk through practical ways to celebrate — from hosting a full neighborhood party with a food potluck and an ofrenda (altar) to something as simple as sharing popcorn and stories about a grandparent at home. Whether you want to go all-out or keep it small, this episode will leave you inspired to make it your own and create a tradition that helps your family feel more connected, seen, and rooted.
 
LINKS:
All Links Family Brand! 
stan.store/familybrand
familybrand.com/quiz
familybrand.com/retreats. 
 Links For This Episode:
Movie- Disney's 'Coco': https://movies.disney.com/coco

Article - "The Stories that Bind Us" by Bruce Feiler: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/17/fashion/the-family-stories-that-bind-us-this-life.html

Dia De Los Muertos Invitation: https://www.canva.com/design/DAFQjqjuXGo/N4wG0U-JXTTSBCdohrtjUw/edit?utm_content=DAFQjqjuXGo&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

Episode Minute By Minute:
00:00 – Intro: Why Dia De Los Muertos matters to the Family Brand
01:00 – What is Dia De Los Muertos and how the Pages started celebrating
02:00 – The meaning behind the holiday: honoring heritage and ancestors
03:00 – The science of family history: "The Stories That Bind Us" study
04:00 – Why knowing family stories builds resilience and identity in kids
05:00 – How Chris and Melissa adapted the tradition for their own family
06:00 – Hosting your first Dia De Los Muertos gathering
07:00 – Setting up an ofrenda like in the movie Coco
08:00 – Bringing food that represents your family's heritage
09:00 – Inviting kids to share stories about relatives and ancestors
10:00 – Why storytelling and tradition make this night unforgettable
11:00 – Making it simple: popcorn, photos, and one meaningful story
12:00 – Turning small moments into powerful family connections
13:00 – Creative ideas: Canva invites, neighborhood gatherings, or movie nights

Hey, Family Brand community! I'm flying solo on this episode after an incredible weekend with our team and clients at PSBLTY.
We just wrapped up the UpMarket Experience, where we had around 100 of our clients together for two days. At PSBLTY, we help financial advisors move upmarket in their businesses—but to me, "upmarket" has always meant more than simply working with higher-net-worth clients. It's also a philosophy. How do we move upmarket in our mindset, our beliefs, our relationships, our health, our leadership, and the areas of life that matter most to us?
One of the things we worked on during the event was creating a 2027 Growth Plan, and as I was preparing to teach it, I had a realization that changed a framework I've used for years.
I've often taught that there are three ways to play the game of life. You can play not to lose, where you're mostly trying to avoid failure. You can play to play, where you put in some effort and see what happens. Or you can play to win, where you're committed, intentional, and giving it your best shot.
But I realized there's actually a fourth option:
You just decide to win.
Playing to win still leaves a little room for, I'm going to try really hard, but this may not work out. What happens if instead you decide, No. I'm going to find a way to win this game?
And when I say "whatever it takes," I'm not talking about sacrificing your family, your health, your integrity, or the things that matter most. I'm talking about becoming incredibly clear about what you want and making a real commitment to creating it.
The first step is making sure you've created a winnable game.
"I want to have a great year" isn't really a winnable game. Neither is "I want my business to do better." How would you know if you won?
Maybe winning for you looks like buying your first home. Maybe it's paying off a specific amount of debt, rebuilding your marriage, strengthening your relationship with one of your kids, starting a business, changing careers, going back to school, or hitting a specific health goal.
The point is to create something specific enough that, at the end of the year, you can look at it and know: I won that game.
And you don't have to win every game at once. I have to remind myself of this too. When we try to completely transform our health, finances, marriage, parenting, business, and everything else simultaneously, we can end up making very little meaningful progress anywhere.
Pick a game. Win it. Then move on to the next one.
There's one more part of this that I think matters just as much: you have to believe it's possible—or at least be willing to believe that it could be.
Maybe there's something in your life you've secretly wondered about for a long time.
Is it possible to save my marriage?
Is it possible to become financially free?
Is it possible to rebuild my relationship with my kids?
Is it possible to finally go after the thing I've always wanted to do?
I'm telling you: it is possible.
And if you don't fully believe that yet, that's okay. One of my favorite examples in scripture is the father who tells Jesus, "I believe; help my unbelief." Sometimes faith isn't having absolute confidence that something will happen. Sometimes faith is saying, I don't completely believe this yet, but I want to.
That's enough to begin.
So here's what I want you to do after this episode:
Decide what game you're going to win.
Make it specific. Decide that you're going to find a way. You don't need to know exactly how yet. You don't need to know when every piece will come together.
Get clear. Have the courage to say what you really want. Decide to win. And choose to believe that it's possible.
I want to see you win. I believe the people who truly love you want to see you win. And I absolutely believe God wants to see you win too.
Hit play, and then ask yourself: What game am I going to win next?
P.S. We're here to help you build your own Family Brand, one episode at a time. So go ahead, hit play, and let's grow together! Or, if you're ready to dive even deeper into our community, follow the links below.
Learn more about PSBLTY: https://psblty.com 
LINKS:
 
All Links: Family Brand!  
stan.store/familybrand
familybrand.com/quiz
familybrand.com/retreats. 

Episode Minute By Minute:
00:00 Chris Takes Over for a Solo Episode
01:00 What It Means to Move "Upmarket" in Life
02:00 Creating Your 2027 Growth Plan
03:00 The 3 Ways We Usually Play the Game
04:00 The Fourth Option: Just Win
05:00 Stop Hoping and Decide What You're Going to Win
06:00 How to Create a Winnable Game
07:00 Why Your Win Matters to Other People
08:00 Is It Really Possible?
09:00 You Don't Have to Win Everything at Once
10:00 What If You Don't Fully Believe Yet?
11:00 "I Believe, Help My Unbelief"
12:00 Clarity + Courage + Belief
13:00 Surround Yourself With People Who Want You to Win

Hey, Family Brand community! Have you ever wondered if you're doing too much for your kids—or maybe not enough? That's the question we're digging into this week after Melissa came across a post from another mom that immediately made her think about some of the choices we've made in our own family.
The post shared a few everyday examples: 10-year-olds making their own lunches, a teenager handling her own sports paperwork, and a daughter working through an insurance issue after an accident. The idea was simple: being a supportive parent doesn't always mean doing everything for your kids. Sometimes support looks like cheering, guiding, observing, and loving while still letting them figure things out for themselves. And honestly, that can be hard. As parents, it's so easy to feel guilty and wonder, Should I just do this for them?
We've seen that same tension in our own house. Our kids make their own lunches, do their own laundry, and sometimes pay for things we technically could afford to cover for them. They love reminding us that they're "the only kids" who have to do certain things! But we've started looking at those moments differently. Maybe when our kids say, "I'm the only one who has to do this," it doesn't always mean we're doing something wrong. Maybe sometimes we're giving them a chance to build independence, responsibility, resilience, and confidence.

One of the biggest distinctions we talk about in this episode is the difference between supporting your kids and doing things for them. Challenging a child to make their own lunch doesn't mean leaving them completely on their own. You can buy the groceries, teach them how to make it, have everything available, encourage them, and still let them be the one who actually does it. Sometimes the more loving thing isn't removing the challenge—it's giving them enough support to learn how to handle it.
We also talk about something we've noticed among successful adults who grew up having to figure a lot of things out themselves. Many of them credit those early experiences with teaching them resourcefulness, hard work, creativity, and the belief that they could solve problems. Then they become parents and naturally want to give their kids more than they had. But maybe "more" doesn't have to mean more things or fewer struggles. Maybe it can mean more knowledge, more encouragement, more resources, more connection—and still allowing our children to experience the confidence that comes from figuring something out for themselves.
So here's our challenge this week: look at what you're currently doing for your kids and ask yourself, Is there something here they're ready to start doing for themselves? Then have an intentional conversation about it. Don't just suddenly announce that they're responsible for all their laundry forever! Explain why you're making the change, how you'll support them, and what you hope they'll gain from it. And when you see your kids being resourceful, disciplined, independent, or self-driven, call it out. Help them build the identity of someone who knows, I can figure things out. I can take care of myself. I can make things happen.
Hit play to hear the full conversation!
P.S. We're here to help you build your own Family Brand, one episode at a time. So go ahead, hit play, and let's grow together! Or, if you're ready to dive even deeper into our community, follow the links below.
 
LINKS:
All Links Family Brand! 
stan.store/familybrand
familybrand.com/quiz
familybrand.com/retreats. 
Episode Minute By Minute:
00:00 What's New With Family Brand
01:00 The Parenting Post That Started This Conversation
02:00 What It Means to Be a "Lighthouse" Parent
03:00 "We're the Only Kids Who Have To..."
04:00 Don't Raise Kids Who Expect Everything Done for Them
05:00 Why Our Kids Do Their Own Laundry
06:00 Should Parents Pay for Everything?
07:00 Supporting Your Kids Without Doing It for Them
08:00 Challenge vs. Support
09:00 What Support Actually Looks Like
10:00 What Skills Are Your Kids Ready to Learn?
11:00 Why Resourcefulness Matters
12:00 Giving Your Kids More Without Doing More for Them
13:00 Letting Your Kids Struggle a Little
14:00 What Can Your Kids Start Doing Themselves?
15:00 How to Introduce More Responsibility
16:00 Catch Your Kids Being Resourceful
17:00 Helping Kids Build an Independent Identity
18:00 If It's Going to Be, It's Up to Me

Hey, Family Brand community! This week, we're talking about something that feels a little confronting for us as parents—one of those areas where, looking back, we can honestly say, we wish we had done some things differently.
As our kids get older and closer to leaving home, we've started having those moments where we wonder, Did we teach them this? Did we prepare them for that? Are there life skills we assumed they would just pick up along the way? One of the biggest ones we've been thinking about lately is reliability. Being on time. Following through. Doing what you say you're going to do. Becoming the kind of person other people—and you yourself—can count on.
And here's the part that's hard to admit: reliability is one of those things that's caught much more than it's taught. We can tell our kids all day long that they need to be on time for school or follow through on their commitments, but if they've spent years watching us be late, change plans, or not consistently be our word, they've learned something from that too. Over the last 20 years of raising kids, our own relationship with things like punctuality, dependability, and following through has changed dramatically—and now we're seeing some of the ripple effects of what we modeled earlier on.
So instead of just lecturing our kids about being more responsible, we've been experimenting with something different: natural consequences and clear agreements. For example, some of our kids have access to cars and phones that we help provide. Rather than constantly reminding, nagging, or getting frustrated in the mornings, we've created agreements around things like being at breakfast and leaving the house on time. Their car and phone aren't simply something they automatically get—they "rent" them with their reliability. If they keep the agreement, great. If they don't, there is a clear consequence that everyone already understands.
What we've loved about this approach is that it takes a lot of the emotion out of parenting. Instead of hovering over a teenager saying, "It's 7:14! Hurry up!" the agreement gets to do the work. Of course, there's another uncomfortable lesson in that for us too: if we're asking our kids to be their word, we have to be ours. When a consequence is inconvenient for us or we feel bad enforcing it, we still have to follow through. Otherwise, we're undermining the exact principle we're trying to teach.
This isn't really an episode about punctuality. It's about identity. We want our kids to leave home believing, I'm reliable. I'm dependable. I do what I say I'm going to do. Because we've seen over and over—in relationships, work, leadership, and life—that reliability can become one of the greatest differentiators a person has. Talent matters. Ability matters. But if people can't count on you, eventually it costs you.
Hit play to hear the full conversation! We're sharing where we think we fell short, what we're trying now, and why becoming more reliable isn't just about getting somewhere on time—it's about creating a life that works.
P.S. We're here to help you build your own Family Brand, one episode at a time. So go ahead, hit play, and let's grow together! Or, if you're ready to dive even deeper into our community, follow the links below.



LINKS:
All Links: Family Brand! 
stan.store/familybrand
familybrand.com/quiz
familybrand.com/retreats. 
 
Episode Minute By Minute:
00:00 The Parenting Gap We're Trying to Fix
01:00 Why Reliability Matters So Much
02:00 Are We Running Out of Time to Teach Our Kids?
03:00 Kids Learn More From What We Model
04:00 Reliability Is Bigger Than Being On Time
05:00 The Consequences of Being Chronically Late
06:00 What We Wish We Had Modeled Differently
07:00 When Parents Send Mixed Messages
08:00 Teaching Reliability Without Constant Nagging
09:00 Using Natural Consequences
10:00 "Renting" the Car and Phone With Reliability
11:00 Teaching Kids to Manage Their Time
12:00 What Leadership Has to Do With Being On Time
13:00 Reliability Is a Skill You Can Build
14:00 Natural Consequences for Younger Kids
15:00 Letting the Agreement Do the Heavy Lifting
16:00 Why Parents Have to Follow Through Too
17:00 Reliable Kids Become Reliable Adults
18:00 What Unreliability Costs You in Life and Work
19:00 Creating a Life That Actually Works