Why did we move to the resort ?

Well it is a story of an unfortunate reaction to cholesterol medication, overwhelming feelings of YOLO and perhaps a vocation of sorts. 

But, I’m getting ahead of myself… Let’s start at the beginning: As newlyweds, we had a not too uncommon dream to raise a family in the suburbs of the twin cities while working as a pilot and nurse. We thought that when we retired we would eventually take over the family business. 

What we missed in this dream was: the math. Around the time that we were ready to purchase our first home, Tom’s parents were in their 60’s. This means that according to our dream, we would have continued our life in the burbs while they operated the resort well into their 90’s. Unfortunately, that just isn’t realistic, without help anyway. 

Then, Tom’s dad had an unfortunate reaction to statins (a form of cholesterol medication) to the point that he was almost incapable of working the Summer we were about to purchase a home in the cities. At that time, Tom took a furlow/ TOWOP (time off without pay) from the airline in order to go up to the resort to help his parents with day to day operations for the Summer. At the time, nobody knew what was causing Mike’s illness and naturally, he feared the worst. This prompted him to propose a sale of the resort to his children. He needed help operating and did not want to see his life’s work go to a stranger. 

Tom and I (Steph) along with his two sisters were up for the challenge and purchased the resort in 2013. We were inspired by the feeling that we only live once and it was now or never and by a feeling of familiarity with the family business that could be described as a vocation. 

We operated the resort as a sibling partnership for six years before buying out Tom’s sisters in 2019. It was an experience that gave us first hand knowledge of the day to day challenges of family business. Not only were we operating a business with his sisters; but we were also navigating running a business with Tom’s parents who were still very much a part of the day to day. It taught us many valuable and difficult lessons about business, family, boundaries and life. Lessons that we are thankful for because they have brought us closer together and challenged us in ways we never thought possible. 

Since the buyout, Tom and I continue to own and operate the resort as a couple and are thankful for all of the experiences that we have had. Everything that we have gone through has made us stronger and more resilient as a couple and as a business. We plan to continue to own and operate the business and hope that one of our children will express interest in ownership in the future.