Welcome to Business Innovators Magazine…Please introduce yourself and a brief thumbnail sketch of your background.
TM: Hello to you, my name is Tommy Maloney the Co-Founder of Blending The Family. My wife Ann Stelling and I coach families who are becoming a family due to a new marriage or possibly are dating with kids and need help creating a successful family. We are both certified parenting coaches as well as Ann has her Masters degree in counseling. If you remember the TV show “The Brady Bunch” they were a blended family, and that is who we work with.
BI: What would you say is the area in business that you are most passionate about and why?
TM: The area in business I am most passionate about is the world of podcasting. I have a radio background and using podcasting to help promote our business as well as bringing in a wonderful guest is a natural fit for me. We have set up the mic and a laptop in a conference room interviewing, and that is how simple of a setup it is. With a podcast show, people can be any place listening to your show in the world. I have even learned how to embed the podcast into our website’s blog and for SEO that is important. The radio training has taught me about digital editing as well as listening to the guest to get the follow-up question. I see Blending The Family more than a small business but as a media company.
BI: How are you different than your competitors?
TM: We are different from our competitors because we walk the talk of being a blended family. when we serve other families, we can talk from personal experience. Even two of our kids have written a book “Ten Tips On How To Survive Your Parents Divorce.” The book is intended for kids who are not able to verbalize their feelings of going through a divorce. I am a published author of “25 Tips For Divorced Dads.” This again is why our business is different, and that is because it truly is a “family” business about serving other families.
BI: Please tell me about any recent business accomplishments that you are most proud of and why?
TM: I am very honored that in 2015 I was selected to be a TEDx Speaker. It helped open some doors including the suggestion of making the talk a book, and that is one of the projects I am working on. The talk was based on the advice my dad gave me after my son was born. The TEDx talk has allowed me to speak at events but it also gives me more credibility along with being a published author.
BI: What Leadership qualities in Leaders do you most admire and why?
TM: This is a great question, and I would say that sales and marketing I admire in leaders. There are just some leaders who have a great way of being able to sell by not making what they are saying a sales pitch. The same goes with marketing people. I know I am a creative person but many marketers can see things quite differently and they too in my opinion have a sales gene in them that is very different. People such as Gary Vaynerchuk, Jeff Bezos, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg are people who simply fascinate me from a sales and marketing perspective.
BI: What has been a key element of your success?
TM: I truly feel that the launch of our podcast has been a key piece of our business. We have had some special guest but have received feedback of even listeners like it when it is even just Ann and me.
BI: What are some of the business projects that you are currently working on that you are excited about and why?
TM: My next book titled “My Dad’s Advice At 5:04 AM” is the big project I am working on. The book will talk about the struggles I have gone through watching my parents divorce unfold in front of me as well as trying to be a good dad. My dad gave me advice, and I would reverse engineer it.
BI: What are 1 or 2 things you would like to say to a prospective client who stumbles across this interview?
TM: Working with us can be life changing, and I mean that statement. As I stated, we walk the talk and have gone through struggles trying to be not just good “bonus” parents (we do not use the word step) but how to co-parent as well. We might not have all the answers, but you will get help from two people who only wants best for your kids.
BI: Where can folks ask you and Ann questions?
TM: The easiest way is to send an email to info@BlendingTheFamily.com
BI: To wrap this up, what are you most excited about in the upcoming months in your business?
TM: The journey is what I am personally excited about. The new book and working with new families who just want to be happy is what truly matters to us.
