n today's episode, we address head-on a feature of search that is so important — and so neglected:

What the journey to buy a business means for the searcher's romantic partner, if they have one.

First we hear from Cliff Nelson, who bought a business with over $15m in revenue and about 125 people. The business provides mental health services to nursing homes & facilities.

Cliff and I get into all the usual good detail about his search and the business he bought.

You will get a window into acquiring, leading, and growing a business that is people intensive, a common feature in healthcare businesses.

But you'll also get a window into Cliff's home life as he went through this journey. His wife was pregnant contemporaneous with his search, and gave birth to their first child within a week of Cliff closing on the business.

Cliff Nelson with baby
Buying a business and having a baby at once

This was a trial for the family, to say the least.

And then we'll hear about that trial in more depth from Christine, Cliff's wife.

Christine and I have our own, separate conversation, in order to give you another perspective on this journey.

You will hear how intertwined the search is with Christine and Cliff's personal life, with their marriage, with the birth of their first child.

And it is a keen reminder that while the searcher is so often the protagonist in these stories, the spouse or romantic partner is very much on this journey themselves.

Christine Nelson on new apartment floor with baby
Starting a new life in Maryland

Cliff's words:

"There has been lots of ink spilled, lots of podcasts about the grit it takes from a searcher or entrepreneur, but a lot less said about the grit that you're basically asking your partner to go through. Like all those ups and downs are shared. All of the risk is shared. So, really, they're entrepreneurs too in this. And I think that's important for prospective searchers to know."

Well said.

Here is first Cliff Nelson, CEO of PsychoGeriatric Services and husband to Christine, and then Christine Nelson, senior product development scientist at McCormick and wife to Cliff.