25 Years, One Business, and a Whole Lot of Life: Reflections on Building Rule29 Together

When we sat down to record this episode of Running Ahrens, we honestly weren’t sure how it would go. We’ve told pieces of the Rule29 story before, over coffee, at conferences, on walks with friends. But this was the first time we both sat down together to really unpack it. Start to finish. No script. Just the truth.

And wow, did it bring up a lot.

There were laughs (employee attire flashbacks), unexpected tears, and a whole lot of “do you remember that?” moments. But more than anything, this episode reminded us of just how much we’ve built, learned, survived, and shared, together.

The Power of Looking Back

Reflecting on the early days, starting Rule29 while pregnant, navigating unpredictable cash flow, running a business from our unfinished basement, was humbling. We didn’t have a roadmap. We had each other, a shared vision (most of the time), and a whole lot of grit. Looking back now, it’s easy to see the lessons. But back then? It was mostly late nights, hard conversations, and figuring it out as we went.

And yet, we’d do it again.

Because even though it was hard, it was ours.

Gratitude in the Grit

We are deeply grateful, to the team members who joined us when we could barely pay ourselves, to our families who helped us juggle babies and budgets, and to each other. There were seasons we carried different loads, and times we didn’t feel seen in the work. But there was always respect, even when we were stretched to the edges of our capacity.

This episode made us realize how rare it is to go through that kind of professional and personal journey side by side, and still be laughing (mostly) about it on the other side.

If You’re Building Something Together…

Here are a few takeaways we’d share with any couple or partners trying to grow something meaningful without losing themselves, or each other, along the way:

1. Have the hard conversations early

We wrote a contract to protect our roles, responsibilities, and expectations. It felt odd at the time, but it saved us more times than we can count. Get aligned. Write it down. Revisit it often.

2. Know your strengths—and your limits

One of us is a big-picture dreamer (hi, Justin). The other is the operational rock (that’s Sarah). When we leaned into what we each do best, the business thrived. When we tried to do everything together? Not so much.

3. Separate the business from the marriage (when you need to)

Sometimes the biggest gift you can give your relationship is stepping away from the business. Sarah’s decision to leave Rule29 was incredibly hard, and exactly what we both needed to grow in new ways.

4. Celebrate the little wins

We were often so focused on the next milestone that we forgot to acknowledge how far we’d come. Every client, every hire, every late-night breakthrough mattered. Looking back, those were the moments that built our legacy.

5. Support doesn’t always look the same

One of us might be out front while the other holds everything together behind the scenes. It doesn’t mean one role is more important, it just means you’re on the same team, playing different positions.

The Story Continues

Rule29 is still growing. So are we. And though we’re no longer in the trenches of the day-to-day together, the foundation we built is still solid, and full of memories we’re incredibly proud of.

We hope this episode offers a little hope, a few laughs, and maybe even a gentle reminder: you don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to keep showing up, for the work, and for each other.

Thanks for being part of this story with us.

With gratitude,
Justin & Sarah