Christine Donovan & Adam Weems - They bet their retirement and bought a 50-year-old ski shop

Christine spent eight years at Northern Trust managing billion-dollar philanthropic portfolios. Adam helped steward 400-year-old legacy brands in the music industry. But when COVID hit, something shifted. They needed a change. They both cashed out their 401ks, sold their house, and bought a 50-year-old ski shop in Northern Michigan. My conversation with Christine Donovan and Adam Weems covers their leap from corporate comfort to business ownership and what it means to steward a legacy brand. Key takeaways: → The power of having a partner who says "I got you" → Why worst-case-scenario thinking actually reduces fear → The question "how much is enough" is a powerful question 0:00 Intro 2:00 The 50-Year Legacy of Bahnhof Ski Shop 3:45 Christine's Journey: From Flutist to Finance 8:17 Adam's Path: Grocery Stores to Zildjian Drums 16:08 Purpose-Driven Work and the Question of "Enough" 25:10 The Leap: Why Fine Careers Weren't Enough 29:04 "You're Not Fun Anymore" 36:35 Finding the Listing on New Year's Day 44:04 Cashing Out Everything for Retirement 46:42 What "I Got You" Really Means 55:02 Building Kindness Into a Specialty Shop 1:00:03 Keeping a Legacy Brand Alive 1:06:56 What Surprised Them Most About Running a Ski Shop 1:12:32 The Moment the Switch Flipped 1:21:02 You Belong Here ~~~ This episode is brought to you by Auxiom Find out more: https://auxiom.com/