Blake Smith: Nurturing Relationships – Balancing Family, Friendships, and Professional Networks

The Power of Connections

In this episode, we dive deep into:

• Building and selling a successful fashion tech startup
• Applying business principles to improve family life
• Creating systems to manage a large family and encourage togetherness
• Balancing family life with the demands of running a tech company
• The importance of inclusivity, community, and genuine connections

Key Takeaways:

• Weekly one-on-one meetings are effective for maintaining relationships and staying connected. Blake applies this principle in his business and family life, finding it more beneficial than infrequent, longer sessions.
• Creating a living space that encourages togetherness, even if it means having a smaller home, can strengthen family bonds. Blake emphasizes the importance of family members spending time together at home, rather than alone in separate bedrooms.
• Treating every interaction with genuine care and respect can lead to life-changing opportunities. Blake shares a story about how a casual connection made while wakeboarding led to a significant investment in his business.
• In the professional world, it's crucial to invest energy in the people who will be there for you when your relationship with your current business eventually ends. Building lasting relationships beyond the immediate work environment can provide long-term support and opportunities.

“No matter what business you're in and that you're working on, there is a day coming when your relationship with that business is going to end."— Blake Smith

 

About Blake Smith:

Blake Smith is the Founder & CEO of Allsmith.org - a growth agency for startups.

Before starting Allsmith, he was the Founder & CEO of Cladwell, a fashion tech company that raised money from 500 Startups, Science Inc (who also backed Dollar Shave Club), and many other institutional and angel investors. They partnered with Nordstrom, Macy’s, Express, and Levi’s and eventually sold to Private Equity in 2019.

He and his wife Chandler have 6 children, 12 chickens, 1 dog, 3 cats, and a hamster and keep them alive on 14 acres on the Ohio River in Kentucky.

Connect Blake Smith:

Website: https://www.allsmith.org/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blakeallsmith/

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/blakeallsmith?lang=en

Connect with Rich Woo:

Website: www.catalyst.nm.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/richwoo/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rich_woo/?hl=en

Book: The Relationship Recession - https://a.co/d/dXlXd71

Email: [e-mail]