Finding the Right Partner - in Life & Business

Personal Development

Partnerships can be for a few years, and the greatest partnership can last a lifetime. Who we choose to share our lives with, whether in love, in business, or both, has the power to shape our future more than almost anything else. Who you marry is the most important decision you will make.

Last week Ria and I celebrated our 14th anniversary (🥳). It made us reflect on how different our stories were when we met, and how much we have learned about building together. This edition is not a formula but an invitation to reflect on your own path and the partners who walk beside you.

Agenda

⏳ Estimated Read Time: 6 minutes

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Finding “The One” in life (or business)

We talked about “working with a partner” a few weeks ago, but finding a partner whether that’s romantic or in business is a question we get asked constantly.

Ria and I’s stories are different, but the frameworks can apply whether you are choosing a spouse, a co-founder, or a business partner.

Before I was ready to settle down, I believed I needed to develop myself. I wanted to be in a comfortable place so I could attract a really great partner and have something to offer.

All through high school, university, and grad school, I had great relationships. But I was clear with myself: I was not planning to get married until after grad school. I wanted to feel stable before I committed fully.

For a decade I lived out of a suitcase. I never stayed anywhere more than a couple years.

By the time I met Ria, I had started to build a foundation: a duplex we moved into together, and a couple industrial properties that were rentals. I had made sacrifices to save money and set things up so that when the right person came along, I was ready.

The other way I was ready (in true Trent fashion) was that I wrote down all the qualities I was looking for in my long term partner - just like a dreams card (thank you to one of my mentors, Pastor Tim Schroeder, for suggesting it).

Timing mattered. I knew I wanted to be a husband and a dad, and when Ria and I met, I was open that next chapter beginning.

I told Trent early on that I was not sure I even believed in marriage.

I was a product of my experience: I grew up in a divorced family and knew that half of marriages end in divorce. I thought humans liked variety, and I thought my expectations were so high that no one could really meet them.

When we met, I had just finished undergrad and was preparing to go to grad school. I was in transition, focused on my own path, and not planning on marriage or kids. My philosophy was to do me really well, to fulfill my heart’s goals and that would always put me on the right path.

But I was also open to detours.

Traveling and backpacking had made me flexible, willing to reconsider my plans when the universe presented an engaging option. Trent ended up being the biggest detour of my life. It was not my plan, but it felt right on every level except the fact it was not my plan - and that is a bad reason to ignore all the other signs pointing to YES.

Timing mattered. My goals turned out to be flexible and I got the “street MBA” by building SAXX with Trent. Sometimes you need to reevaluate your plan if life is showing you something better.

From the start, we not only supported each other but we supported each other’s independence. Mainly because we valued that for ourselves.

Trent encouraged me to go to India for six weeks to do yoga teacher training. I told him to give the underwear company a shot.

We were steady with and for each other from the beginning.

Weddings, family events, passing out flyers. We naturally included each other.

We learned the importance of communication and before getting married we did pre-marriage counselling.

It forced us to talk through hard questions before they were problems.

Vetting the common obstacles before they occur is an approach that works for business partners too.

Partnership requires both vulnerability and confidence. We knew that we needed to be a soft landing for each other if one was struggling with something or wanted to talk through a topic.

We valued and put the relationship first a lot.

And it cannot be a scoreboard. If you’re keeping score, you’ve already lost.

Yesterday I was sick and low. Trent told me, “We got this. We are together. You did not fail.” That is what we all want to hear from a parent, a business partner, or a spouse.

Most struggles come down to power.

Ego, control, competing bank accounts, trying to one-up each other. That dynamic erodes trust.

For us, we have chosen teamwork. Some times I lead, some times Ria leads, but the goal is the same: a strong relationship and a strong family (Now I just follow Ria because she knows best 😇).

At its core, partnership is knowing someone has you when you are down. That you will be carried, not judged, when you stumble. This is true in our personal lives and in business.

Finding a partner in love or in business is about timing, values, and chemistry. It is about communicating early and often, supporting independence, and refusing to keep score.

And it is about being the one who carries when the other is down.

We are not here to tell anyone what they should do. Every relationship is unique.

We are simply sharing what we have learned, hoping it helps you think about the partnerships in your life.

What are some of the most valuable frameworks or approaches that have (or haven’t) served you when it comes to partnership?

Hit reply and let us know - We read every response.

What others are saying:

Does your organization want to hear these stories and more live?

From starting SAXX out of the back of a truck to stumbling through failures that became my best teachers, I have learned what it really takes to create and grow something meaningful.

When I speak, I do not just share the wins. I talk about the challenges, the lessons, and the practical tools like Dream Cards, prioritization, and leadership ladders that helped me and Ria keep moving forward.

These are lived frameworks that your team can put into action right away.

If you want your audience to leave inspired and equipped with something real for tomorrow, I would love to join you.

Hit reply and let’s chat.

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Tariffs are adding weight. Around 28% of Lululemon’s fabrics are sourced from China, and the company reported a $240 million hit to gross profit from elevated U.S. tariffs and the removal of the de minimis exemption. That’s a material drag on margins.

Meanwhile, Alo Yoga has increased its cultural visibility through celebrity partnerships and a wellness-lifestyle positioning. Kendall Jenner fronted Alo’s 2025 “Luxury Is Wellness” campaign, highlighting the brand’s cultural reach. Alo is privately held under Color Image Apparel, and while supply chain details aren’t publicly broken down by country, the brand is expanding its retail footprint into new markets like Mexico.

The result? Consumers are starting to ask if Alo is becoming the new Lululemon, the brand that feels culturally relevant, aspirational, and aligned with where wellness and fashion are headed.