Micki Pagano-Parente and Tony Parente of Branding Shorts: 5 Things We Wish We Had Known As A Couple Doing Business Together
An Interview With Nancy Landrum
Stay in your lane. Defining roles is crucial to success. Or you’ll be stepping on each other’s toes, confusing your clients and customers and daily business will chaotic. A perfect recipe for disaster. Creating roles based on your strengths and experiences reinforces your partnership, and the business. Even though we naturally feel into our roles, one of us being creative, and the other more business oriented, sometimes the lines blur. In the beginning we were doing everything together, writing scripts, writing contracts and proposals, negotiating — together. But now, we keep it separate. Even tho we are not perfect at it, and we step on each other’s toes, we try to stay in our roles. There’s just too much to do to be redundant.
Embarking on a business venture is challenging, but doing so with your significant other brings a unique set of dynamics. While many couples find great success and fulfillment in this arrangement, they will inevitably encounter unforeseen difficulties that can test both their professional and personal relationships. From communication hurdles to balancing work-life harmony, the journey of couples in business together is filled with both triumphs and trials. As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Micki Pagano-Parente and Tony Parente of Branding Shorts.
Micki Pagano-Parente is creative director and co-founder of Branding Shorts. She has been generating big ideas and building brands for over 25 years. Formerly an SVP, Advertising Group Creative Director, she worked at Madison Avenue’s top ad agencies creating award-winning TV campaigns for brand giants such as Coca-Cola, P&G brands, Liberty Mutual, AT&T and more. During her career, she’s worked as an art director, copywriter, creative director and filmmaker in the industry. Along the way, her advertising work has earned her Clio, Cannes, New York Festivals, London’s International Advertising, Effie, Addy and Telly Awards. She’s also written screenplays produced short films and is author of a novel “The Road To Beyond.” Micki’s range of experience helps steer the creative at Branding Shorts to produce engaging shorts through the power of story.
Tony Parente, is producer and co-founder of Branding Shorts. Finding new innovative ways to help businesses grow has been the focus of Tony’s work over three decades. He’s had the opportunity to do this with well-known national brands like IBM, Sony, American Express, McDonald’s, and Dunkin’ Donuts. He’s also had the chance to do this with small businesses across many different industries. To help him strengthen his business building and strategic marketing skills he also studied and received his MBA at The University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. He also studied and performed with Second City, a Chicago improvisational comedy institution. He leverages Second City techniques to help the people that appear in Branding Shorts productions shine in the video.
Micki and Tony have a son, Ricky, who’s a budding young producer among other things, and a pup. They live in Hoboken NJ.
BRANDING SHORTS is an award-winning creative production company that produces short, branded videos for local and national brands, from script to screen, across the country. Clients include Kerry Foodservice, American Express, Rockefeller Group, American Cancer Society, The Battleship NJ, among many others. Branding Shorts also creates original content, including two award-winning documentaries, “A Mile Square of Music,” which was the official selection of the International Filmmaker Festival of New York, and “A Mile In The Eye,” which was the official selection of the Monmouth Film Festival, as well as original short series, called “What If.” Branding Shorts is recipient of 31 industry awards including 17 Telly Statues.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to go into business as a couple?
We never set out to start a production company. We always enjoyed doing things together and did a couple of projects as a team. We both have entrepreneurial spirits and we came to a point, where we were tired of the rat race. Tired of working for a corporation or an ad agency, and being at the mercy of an organization. We wanted to control our own destiny.
We first dabbled in something fun, starting a small company to develop jokes, or roasts called RoastLife, for milestone celebrations, but that wasn’t sustainable. Then, we thought, you know, we were advertising and marketing veterans. A Madison Avenue SVP Creative and an American Express Marketing Executive. A perfect recipe for an agency.
We started by creating low-budget, and sometimes free, short branded videos for local businesses, utilizing our experiences with the big guys. So, they were getting Mad Ave and Big Brand quality commercials basically for free. Well, word got out, and before you know it, we had a full-fledged video production agency hybrid thing going. That was in 2008. And, we’re still going. Yes, a challenge working together 24/7 together for all these years, raising a kid and a dog, and managing everyday life. But we’ve found a way to make it work.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to both of you since being in business together?
Well, when we first started, we did a roast video for a top Amex executive — I mean, we really roasted the guy. And it brought down the house. That executive is now the CEO of American Express.
We’ve had many interesting experiences, working with all types of clients, including producing videos for a Jewish funeral home (which we thought was haunted) and a bug exterminator business, where we had to film them actually fumigating bugs.
But we’ve also had the ability, through the power of video, to help causes that mean a lot to us, like animal rescue and the American Cancer Society. We absolutely love animal rescue work the most. We are huge animal lovers and it just makes us feel good to help make a difference, and save the lives of shelter dogs. We were at Animal Care Center function in NY a few years ago where kids who sang for the Pope, provided a live soundtrack on stage to our video while volunteers brought homeless dogs on stage. Well, they all got adopted that night.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting?
Oh, we have quite a few. Here are two:
When we first started out, we were doing everything ourselves. Video production, editing, producing, creating. Doing it all. I mean, why not? We had the skills, and we could depend on ourselves. And, keep the budget low. Right? Well…
One of those jobs was for a renowned chef in the foodservice industry. This is way back when we first started. After shooting the interview ourselves, we reviewed the footage. And, NO IMAGE! What? We were in a panic. Did we not press record? Did the camera not work? OMG, what should we do? Our business was over! We took the camera into a camera shop. And low and behold, the tape (yes, it was cassette tape back in the early 2000s) just needed rewinding. Funny. Stupid. But lesson learned. Double check everything. The video turned out great, and we delivered it on time, but phew. That was close.
And, during that time, another mistake we made was this: being eager to please. So eager to please our new clients, we gave away revision after revision, and it just became endless work. What started out as this low budget, easy peasy job, became as complex as a massive production.
Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
Yes, lessons learned:
Don’t do everything yourself. Then, it’s a hobby, not a business. Build a team of professionals you can trust. We now have an awesome team we absolutely love.
Don’t take on unprofitable customers! Time is money and it’s just not worth it. We’ve fired a client or two who tried to “bully”us into giving them more than the project was worth. At this point in our lives, we just want to work with people we like.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
For Tony it was a friend, the former CEO of Drexel Burnham, the late Fred Joseph, who was a great mentor. He kept one word on his desk at all times. MAXIMIZE. Meaning, you should look at every opportunity and ask yourself, what else can we do? How can you get the most out of it? It’s like the McDonald’s phrase “would you like fries with that” So now, for every job we ask the metaphorical question — “Do you want fries with that?”
For Micki, it was not so much a person, but the experience of being on Madison Avenue and learning from so many masters in the field. From creating concepts, scene objectives, working with the best of the best in filmmaking, editing and advertising communication. Lessons and expertise that has become our guiding principles when developing solid, bullet-proof creative.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Most of our readers — in fact, most people — probably don’t have an idea of what it is like as a couple to be in business together. In just a few words can you explain how being in business with your romantic partner is different from other business partnerships?
We are together 24/7. Literally. We work together, in the same room, shop together, eat together. Walk our kid to school together. Go everywhere together. So, we had to learn how to separate. Not only business and personal but also find a little space away from each other. We separated our work spaces — because we work remotely — to different ends of our apartment.
But the flip side of being together 24/7 in business and personal life, we have the opportunity to leverage it. Like, if we find inspiration while watching a movie, or an ad, or have an experience together — it sparks an idea.
And, because we know each other so well, we can push each other out of our comfort zone. Sometimes it feels like a big disagreement, but in the end, we come up with better solutions because of it.
Also, we get to share the challenges and celebrate accomplishments together. But we’ve also learned defining roles is important. When we first started out, we were being redundant a lot of the time, and that caused a lot of conflict. But now, we try to stay in our lanes. The lines blur a little every now and then — it’s not perfect — but we try to make it work. One of us handles the creative. The other, the business part.
What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a couple running a business? Can you explain what you mean?
- “You should never work with family.”
Maybe that’s true for some, but working with family does have its perks. You can trust each other. You have each other’s back. And you always have something to talk about! Building something together, builds your relationship
2. “Arguments are bad.”
We argue a lot, and it’s not a bad thing. We actually come to better resolutions because of it. And, it’s better out than in. Communication is the key.
3. “Working with your spouse will ruin your relationship”
If you don’t know each other well, and you’re in a new relationship, maybe it will. But if you have tenure, and you know what you’re getting into, it can be super rewarding and even strengthen your relationship, because you’re in it together.
What are the most common mistakes you have seen couples make when they start out in business together? What can be done to avoid those errors?
The most common mistakes, which are easy to do for couples starting out going into business together are:
- Not having designated roles:
It’s so important to have defined roles, to keep the peace and to keep the business rolling. And, sure, sometimes we step into each other’s space, but for the most part, if it weren’t for roles, we’d be disorganized and chaotic. For us, one of us handles the business and producing (Tony) and the other is in charge of creative and overseeing the team (Micki).
2. Talking shop all the time:
Talking shop all the time can just wear you down. You need time to recharge and just be a couple. It’s work-life integration, because if you’re running a business together, you can’t really get away from it. But you can manage it.
3. Not putting family first:
Family trumps the business. If our kid has a sporting event we’re going to make sure we’re there to support him. The work always gets done. But it’s important for us to not miss the milestone moments.
4. Getting too personal:
It’s so easy to let the business take over your lives. And, because you know each other so well, sometimes it’s very easy to fall into that trap of getting personal during a disagreement. Be conscious that it’s business. Not personal. Even though, when you work together, it is personal too!
5. Not embracing challenges:
Because you’re in it together, and this is your main stream of income — together — you will definitely hit challenging times. There will be the good years and the bad. When you’re an entrepreneur, there are ebbs and flows in the business, and you just have to accept the challenges that come along with business ownership. But, on the bright side, you’re in it — together.
Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “Five Things You Wish You Had Known As A Couple Doing Business Together”? If you can, please share a story or an example for each.
1 . Stay in your lane. Defining roles is crucial to success. Or you’ll be stepping on each other’s toes, confusing your clients and customers and daily business will chaotic. A perfect recipe for disaster. Creating roles based on your strengths and experiences reinforces your partnership, and the business. Even though we naturally feel into our roles, one of us being creative, and the other more business oriented, sometimes the lines blur. In the beginning we were doing everything together, writing scripts, writing contracts and proposals, negotiating — together. But now, we keep it separate. Even tho we are not perfect at it, and we step on each other’s toes, we try to stay in our roles. There’s just too much to do to be redundant.
2 . You need your space. Physical and personal separation. You need to find time to do your thing. Find time to be a couple — without having the business consume you. Hard to do. In the beginning we sat next to each other in a small space. We just got on each other’s nerves. Now, even though we work remotely, we work from different areas of our home. And, space from the business. We have a family and we make that a priority. Even if we have to take an urgent call while we’re at our kid’s baseball game, we take it, keep it short, but don’t miss out on family time. It’s work-life integration.
3 . Don’t take on every job. Avoid unprofitable clients. In the beginning we were taking on every client possible. Even clients who were cheap and mean. I mean we didn’t want to miss a dime. But saying no to the unprofitable customers, and especially clients who made our lives miserable and put a strain on our relationship, helped us make room for the profitable customers. On the flip side, though, there are other opportunities that offer more opportunities than money. While they may not pay cash, they can offer value in good will, PR and connections. And, situations like that, for us, helped us feel good together. Because we’re making a real difference. Together. As partners. As a couple.
4. Not just the two of us. In the beginning we did it all ourselves, which really put a strain on our relationship and personal time. It was work around the clock. That’s all we did and talked about. But we quickly learned, we needed to delegate. Create a team we could trust to show up and deliver a good job on time. And, we did. Our team and partners gave us relief — and some have been with us for ten years. Now that we have a family it’s so important that we get personal time. To sleep at night knowing you have support.
5. Avoiding arguments. Don’t be afraid of conflict — it’s important to come to better decisions, but it’s about how you argue. In the beginning, we tried to avoid arguing and just do the job, even if one of us disagreed. But we’ve learned since, it’s okay to argue and present your view of a project. And we argue — a lot! But we’ve learned the disagreements make for better outcomes, because we hash it all out and land on a better resolution to a problem. Avoid the silence. Speak your piece. Communication is key.
In your opinion, what are a few ways that couples can ensure they are successful in business with each other? Can you share a story or an example?
Communication is key. Listening is important.
Turn problems into opportunities.
Define strengths to define roles.
Don’t duplicate efforts.
Listen for the push. Sometimes the Universe tells you when it’s time to venture out on your own. Like losing a corporate job can spark your entrepreneurial spirit and change your life.
Hire a team. It can’t be just the two of you against the world. It frees you up to have personal time. And, you’re more of a business.
Hire attitude. You can teach skills, but you can’t teach attitude.
You are a couple of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
At this point in our lives, our goal is not only to give back, with content that helps causes make change in the world. But, also, produce content that creates an emotional connection — an emotional impact — that sparks action. That makes people think differently about the world around them. Content — videos, stories, films — that cultivate the greater good in each of us. Work we do as a couple. As a family. That creates a wave of difference, that ripples out to touch many people.
How can our readers further follow you online?
You can find out more about our videos and original content at brandingshorts.com. Or contact us at info@brandingshorts.com.
We’re also co-hosts of a podcast called A COUPLE OF ENTREPRENEURS, a series about couples who start a business together without ending their relationship. We’ve interviewed couples from all walks of life and a range of businesses who share tips and advice on what makes them successful. It’s available on all podcast platforms as well as brandingshorts.com/podcasts, with a free downloadable Survival Guide.
We’re also on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn @brandingshorts
Thank you so much for inviting us to share our story. It was a pleasure.
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.
About the Interviewer: Nancy Landrum, MA, Relationship Coach, has authored eight books, including “How to Stay Married and Love it” and “Stepping Twogether: Building a Strong Stepfamily”. Nancy has been coaching couples and stepfamilies with transformative communication skills for over thirty years. Nancy is an engaging interviewer and powerful speaker. Nancy has contributed to The Washington Post, Huffington Post, Authority, Medium, Yahoo, MSN, Psych Central, Thrive, Woman’s Day magazine, and more. Nancy is the Founder of the only one of its kind online relationship solution, www.MillionaireMarriageClub.com. Nancy coaches couples across the globe in person and via Zoom. Nancy’s passion is to guide couples and families to happy lasting marriages where children thrive and lovers love for life.
