10/08/2026
❤️ A LITTLE BEHIND THE SCENES OF OUR FAMILY BUSINESS ❤️
They say working with your spouse can be challenging.
Well, after 20 years of doing just that, I can tell you… THEY WEREN'T KIDDING! 🤣❤️
Santiago started Preferred Pest Control in 1993. For the first 13 years, he built the business, made the decisions, and developed his own way of doing things.
Then, in 2006, the company had grown enough that he needed a partner.
And that's when I entered the picture! 🙋♀️😂
Now, you would think having your wife join the business would make everything run more smoothly.
Well… let's just say we both had some adjusting to do!
Santiago was accustomed to doing things his way, and suddenly here I came with my own ideas, questions, and opinions.
He was focused on the work out in the field.
I was focused on the office, customers, scheduling, finances, and all the little details that keep a business running.
He would say, "I've got it handled."
And I would say, "Wonderful! Could you please explain HOW?" 🤣
We quickly discovered that being married and being business partners are two entirely different adventures!
But somewhere along the way, we learned something important.
❤️ Life doesn't stop happening just because you own a business.
Like so many families in our community, we've lived through recessions, rising costs, inflation, and the uncertainty of a global pandemic.
We've experienced wonderful milestones and heartbreaking losses of people we loved dearly.
We've had seasons when everything seemed to fall beautifully into place, and others when we wondered how we were going to manage everything on our plates.
And through it all, the business still needed attention.
Customers still needed service.
Bills still needed paying.
And somehow, dinner still needed to be cooked! 😂❤️
That's the part of running a small family business that people don't always see.
Behind the company name are two ordinary people experiencing the same joys, worries, responsibilities, and heartaches as everyone else.
We've celebrated together, grieved together, disagreed, laughed, and occasionally driven each other a little crazy!
And yes, our romantic dinner conversations sometimes involve truck repairs, termites, customer schedules, and whatever unexpected adventure happened that day.
Nothing says romance quite like discussing pest control over a pot roast! 🤣❤️
But after all these years, one thing has become very clear to me.
❤️ A successful partnership isn't about always agreeing. It's about learning to understand each other, appreciating what each person brings to the table, and finding our way through life's challenges together.
We're still learning.
Still growing.
Still figuring things out.
And occasionally still having the same conversation twice because one of us apparently wasn't listening the first time! 😂
But we're grateful for the journey, for the people who have been part of it, and for the opportunity to keep doing what we do.
❤️ To all the couples, families, and small business owners out there navigating life's ups and downs: We see you. We understand. And we're right there with you.
Here's to love, laughter, perseverance, and remembering that we're all human.
To all the husbands and wives who work together: Please tell me we're not the only ones! ❤️😉
