Smart Luck – How An Entrepreneurial Couple Created Business Success In Their Pajamas

Nellie and Phil Akalp’s success story proves how important it is to actually love one another, have complimentary skill sets, exemplary character, a sense of humor and most important take total advantage of dumb luck, to run a successful business…together.

In 1997 marginal law student Phil, who was an early adopter of something called the Internet (in no small part because he could do business in his underwear) responded to a demand from his hard working mate, Nellie, to get his act together or else (Men, what would we do without a powerful woman, right?). Phil created an online destination for small businesses to get the forms they needed to incorporate and while he was off taking his bar exam (which he passed) Nellie turned it into a real business. Together, they then built a company that 8 years later was sold to Intuit.

It meant an exit into prosperity, i.e., they could afford to have 4 kids (told you they actually love one another!). Spending four years at home with kids also means, as soon as the non-compete ends in 2009, you start another similar business (CorpNet.com) and even though it’s harder now that there’s so much competition, spending quality adult time together, being entrepreneurs again and serving customers for the Akalp’s is sweeter than ever. Nellie answered our questions:

1. How did you meet, why did you decide to go into business together, and why this particular business?

Phil and I met in 1994 in college while in the process of obtaining our undergraduate degree and we had so much in common: only children, both raised by our grandparents, similar interests, wanted to each go to law school. We met, graduated college, got accepted into law school and realized that the entry level salary for a lawyer was not going to meet our lifestyle needs and more importantly we saw a huge opportunity in helping people make their business dreams into a reality by offering a low cost service to the masses vs. charging those high legal fees and only serving a few clients.

Why this business? Helping entrepreneurs navigate the murky waters of small business ownership is something we love! And have always been passionate about.

2. What are the biggest advantages of being in business together?

For us, it works because we come from such different sides of the spectrum. Phil is more the creative/idea guy and I am more the operations gal. It allows us to not only have our careers, but also be there and be present for our 4 children…plus we get to see each other all the time, have lunches together, bounce ideas off one another and truly there are two brains running and growing a successful business instead of one…so its perfect!

3. What, if any, are the disadvantages? 

You cannot keep your home life completely separate from your business life when you are working together as a husband and wife…complete separation is just not possible…. In an ideal scenario, a couple would be able to always separate business and personal, but it’s not always possible.  And that’s okay. From time to time, Phil and I realize that the office is the only place we can discuss important issues free from interruption from the kids. When we do talk about home life in the office, we make sure to do so only when appropriate. And even more importantly, we try to foster a work culture where our employees also feel comfortable attending to some personal matters in the office when it’s necessary.

We wouldn’t have it any other way… Not every couple is cut out to work together day in and out, but for us, it’s the ideal situation…. Running or starting a business with your spouse is not for every couple, but for Phil and I, it’s been an exhilarating roller coaster and we have no plans of stopping the ride any time soon!

4. What were your biggest challenges when you first started your first business?

With our first company, I really did not see any challenges because we started at the birth of the internet and really had nothing to lose, so the idea of taking risks and chances was very attractive to us because we did not have a family back then, no kids to support.  The only challenges back then were how do we collect payment, how do we get approved and accept credit cards, how do we innovate, because a ton of the tools and apps present today were not present back then.

5. What are your biggest challenges now?

The ability to balance doing the things we love to do at the business such as creating and innovating vs. the have-to’s such as accounting and paying bills etc.

6. How has copreneuring affected your relationship and your lifestyle?

It has made us closer as friends, business partners and as a husband and wife. As a result and throughout the process, we had a 4^th child (Aryanna age 2.5 now) and it has driven us to become better parents and more grounded as individuals.

7. How do you manage disagreements, misunderstandings and make sure you “fight fair?”

Leave the egos off the table.  When you run a business together, you must leave the EGOs out of it.  I may be adamant about something and Phil and I disagree on it.  We normally turn to a mentor or our colleagues and ask their advice and if they suggest a route that is against Team Nellie or Team Phil…so be it as it is in the best interest of the business.

8. What do you consciously do to nurture love in your relationship?

Mandate Date Night (Just Like a Business Meeting) –it’s just as important to schedule in couple time, as it is business meetings. Sometimes it takes moving mountains to make that happen, but the benefits are critical for recharging the batteries of your relationship: To this day, Phil and I try as hard as possible to have our own date night each week. I know that schedules get busy, and it’s all too easy to put off time for you ‘just this week.’ But having this special time together is critical for us and to our marriage, because without a healthy marriage, there would not be a business or anything else for us.

We are each other’s best friends, we are soul mates and most importantly we are the best role model for each other and always push each other to continuously improve in all aspect of our life whether business or personal.  Even though we may sometimes be tough on one another, we each are genuine and truly want the best for one another. He has made a huge impact in my life. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be the wife, mother, and the small business expert I am today.

9. What’s the most dramatic thing that’s happened while you’ve been working together and what did it teach you?

Starting our second business, CorpNet.com, together! We have never worked harder in starting, building and growing a business than the work we have done together in these past 4 1/2 years in building this company together.  It has been exciting, scary, invigorating, tiring, depressing, a true roller coaster for us, but I would not change a minute of it because I believe in it and I love every minute of it!

10. What was the most inspired advice or coaching you received?

“GOD has given you a special ability and many gifts for a purpose in this life that only the LORD knows.  Use that special gift.  You are smart, aggressive and more. Use it to conquer the world and then give it back to the world. This will show the world you have an ability to earn it and you have a heart to give it back.” From our mentor Zaya Younan of Younan Properties Inc.

11. Given the chance to start over again, what would you do differently?

Absolutely Nothing! We are where we are because of all the trials and tribulations we have experienced to date and had it not been for those experiences, I would not have become the person I am today and Phil and I would not be able to be where we are today.

12. Is there anything I haven’t asked that you feel our readers should know, as they consider starting or staying in a couple’s business?

Yes: How do you define success?

I believe success is something you achieve based on how much you put into whatever it is that you are doing. Certainly others can help you, just as others can provide obstacles, but ultimately you make your own success and your own failure.  What I know for sure is that if you want to have success and be successful, you can’t make success your goal. The key is not to worry about being successful, but to instead work toward being significant – and the success will naturally follow.  If you have the vision, drive, and the determination, and you immerse yourself into whatever it is that you are doing, you can and will accomplish that goal in the face of any obstacle or challenge. The rest will come. And that is success!!!  I truly believe, that the reason I’ve been able to be so financially successful is because my focus has never, ever for one minute been money, even to this day. I would do what I do today, which is inspiring and empowering small business owners by assisting them with making their business dreams into a reality, and not get paid for it. That is how much I love what I do and that’s how I know I’m doing the right thing.

Thank you again for this opportunity!

I left Nellie’s thank you on the end of her answers to show you the humility and earnestness that was apparent in every phase of our interaction during this process. That authenticity, complete attention to detail and empathetic connection with others might be the Akalp’s greatest lesson to learn.

P.S. We’re doing a series of interviews with couples entrepreneurs. What other questions would you like us to ask couples that are in business together?