Season 1 Recap: What We Learned by Talking Out Loud
Season one started as an experiment. Justin and Sarah wanted a place to talk about marriage, parenting, and running a business together. Business shows up. But it didn’t take long to realize this show isn’t really about business.
It’s about the human stuff underneath. Adult kids. Identity. Change. Belonging. Staying connected when life shifts. The chaos in the house. The hard parts. The funny parts. And the friends who have shown us how wide life can be.
And somehow, nobody pulled the plug. Still feels like a win.
What Shaped the Season
We were intentional about reflecting the real spectrum of our lives and friendships. Not as a checkbox. Just honestly.
Different races and backgrounds. Different beliefs and non-beliefs. Different orientations. Different stories. Married, divorced, rebuilding, starting over.
What mattered most was this: we stayed friends. We stayed human. We loved each other. Our kids grew up watching that. And now their friendships reflect it too.
Also, a few running jokes became permanent:
Wearing our own show merch on our own show
The “no going to bed mad” rule (Sarah follows it, Justin forgets it exists)
“Not raising asshole kids” as a loose family goal
The drinking game made from our verbal tics (rude, accurate, funny)
Top Episodes (Most Listened)
Crazy Sports Parents
Parenting in the Launch Years
Intro: Meet the Ahrens
Family Boss of the Moment (Ava)
The first Enneagram episode
Top Blogs
Season 1 reflections and recap
The Mackenzie episode reflection
Mid-season: what we’ve learned so far
Both sides of the family, how friendship becomes more
Gratitude for the Rowans sharing their story
Takeaways
This is a business-owner podcast only on paper
The launch years of parenting are tender and blurry
Adult kids still want support, not management
Friendships shape your kids more than you realize
The most human episodes connect the most
Marriage rules sound great until 10:30 PM
Presence matters more than perfection
We want new tech and more analog life at the same time
What We’re Learning (and Unlearning)
Business is part of your story, not the center
Kids are resilient, parents carry the weight
Parenting adults is about trust, not control
Fixing is not the same as helping
Bravery is something you grow into
A full house can still feel untethered
You can raise open, honest kids without making it performative
Season one became something better than we planned.
Season two goes deeper.
Listen to the full episode: