Husband and wife duo Dr. Michael Jones and Cathleen Trigg-Jones are here to change the way you think about mixing business and marriage with their new reality series, We Are The Joneses.
Ironically enough having met in the emergency room, the plastic surgeon and Emmy-winning journalist became business partners almost immediately after tying the knot and it’s been a strong bond they’ve shared ever since.
Their business-saavy mentality has been a big part of their nearly 20-year marriage and it plays a major part in making it work.
“What we’ve noticed in our relationship, and I think what works in relationships, is there’s always a ebb and flow,” said Trigg-Jones told ESSENCE. “Typically, I think just in human experience, in relationships in general, you’re not always on the same page at the same time, but that’s kind of what works. You know, we accepted each other where we were from the start. Sometimes the good, the bad, and the not so great.”
When they met, Dr. Jones was a resident in medical school and Cathleen was a journalist moving from city to city. The potential they saw in each other is how they knew it was going to last.
While some would say you shouldn’t mix business with marriage, it’s a facet of life the Joneses have embraced with open arms with now 6 plastic surgey practices across the country and a successful production company to their names.
Dr. Jones says bringing work home with his wife has just become a part of their life.
“That’s taught me to really just accept that that is a part of our lives,” he said. “Our work is a large part of who we are and although we try very hard to have those times where we turn it off and say, ‘we’re gonna turn off the phones and try to have a meal where we don’t talk about business.’ Invariably it’s very challenging. It always comes back into the conversation and you know, the nice thing is that we have a common goal. We have goals in common. We have dreams in common and because of that, it doesn’t feel like you’re bringing work into the house. It is our life.”
As for any advice they have for couples interested in getting involved in the business together–take things slow and find direction.
“Find a mentor,” advises Trigg-Jones. “Find someone. You just humble yourself. Humble yourself. That is the best advice that I can give anyone, period. In business or in marriage I think it’s important to let each other be individuals. You can’t hold a man down. You really can’t and you can’t hold a woman down. When you try neither one of you are being your authentic selves. I think when you let go and just let each other be you’ll fall in love madly. Because you actually can see what this person’s potential is who they really are. I think that’s a big thing. That would be my advice, find a mentor and humble yourself. Don’t be afraid to say I need help. With business, it’s hard you can’t give up because it takes so many years. We really started with nothing both in our medical practice and definitely in my production company. You go through those downfalls, but you learn. You get creative. You roll your sleeves up. Put your boss cap on as I say or your superman cape and you keep fighting. Because it’s really, really hard.”
Check your local listings for We Are The Joneses which airs on Centric Saturday at 10 p.m.