25 Years, 1 Business, and a Whole Lot of Life, Our Story of Building Rule29 Together

In this special episode of Running Ahrens, Justin and Sarah open up about the wild, wonderful, and sometimes chaotic story of building a business and a marriage, together.From the early days of paychecks that didn’t always cash to growing a nationally recognized creative agency out of their unfinished basement, they share what it really looked like to raise a family, run a business, and somehow stay married through all of it. With honesty, humor, and a few deeply relatable moments, they reflect on everything from business pivots and burnout to parenting, power struggles, and even employee work attire standards.It’s the kind of conversation you’ll laugh through, nod along with, and maybe even feel a little less alone after hearing.Takeaways & Talking Points:Starting Something With NothingThe (un)romantic truth about launching Rule29 while pregnant, broke, and living with familyPaychecks, Pivots & The Basement OfficeHow Sarah took over the books, Justin rebuilt the business from scratch, and their unfinished basement became the birthplace of a creative agencyRules We Made for Each OtherWhy they signed a literal contract before rebuilding the business, and what it taught them about boundaries, expectations, and shared goalsWhen Everything ChangedBusiness challenges, financial pressures, and the hard decisions that shaped their next chapterThe Collaboration ContractLearning to divide responsibilities (and not kill each other), grow a team, and raise four kids while running the showThe Exit That HurtWhy Sarah ultimately stepped away from Rule29, what it cost them, and how it made space for her to step into her own storyLove, Regret & What They’d Do DifferentlyThe honest truth about ego, burnout, creativity, and how they’d build something together now, if they ever did it againThings We’re Learning (and Unlearning)You can love someone deeply and still feel unseen in the business you built togetherContracts aren’t just for clients, they can save your marriageThere’s no such thing as “enough” for a driven creative… unless you define it togetherEven the best partnerships have seasons of resentment, reinvention, and releaseSometimes, letting go is the bravest (and kindest) move you can makeStats Worth KnowingOnly 3% of businesses make it 25 years60% of married co-founders eventually part ways professionally75% of couples in business together admit they argue over who does what45+ interns and countless team members have launched careers through Rule291 contract, 4 babies, and two rebuilt careers later… the story continuesThis one’s for anyone who's ever tried to build something without losing everything else. For the dreamers, the doers, the co-founders, and the couples working side by side (or trying to).You’re not alone. And you’re not crazy. This is what building something real looks like.#CreativeCouples, #BuildingTogether, #BusinessAndMarriage, #RunningAhrensPodcast, #Rule29OriginStory, #BehindTheBusiness, #WomenInBusiness, #FamilyAndEntrepreneurship, #HardConversations, #RebuildingTogether, #MarriageAndWork, #PartnershipInBusiness, #DesignLife, #CreativeLeadership