Welcome to pioniq, a site dedicated to entrepreneurial families. After nearly 17 years of building companies and helping friends and clients get their own endeavors off the ground, we looked back and noticed a few constant threads that wove predictably through the fabric of entrepreneurial families.

In first place is the misconception that starting a business is one spouse's endeavor. Families that operated with such a philosophy often run into challenges. Take our word for it. Sixty to seventy hour work weeks (common among entrepreneurs) don't just bother one spouse, they can change the family dynamic entirely.

In second place is the notion that entrepreneurism is something "he" or "she" simply needs to "get out of their system." That would only be true if it were possible to remove DNA and still survive. It is our belief that everyone is created for a purpose. Some are born to build, others are created to maintain. Entrepreneurs don't usually make the best managers of multi-billion dollar companies (most prefer to exit when a company reaches maturity) and large-company folks usually can't stomach the start-up. If you're married to a builder then be prepared for a fun, exciting, rewarding and (in some cases) insane ride. It's best to be supportive and realize that the best success comes through failure and the strongest families are built when partnerships are strengthened through the tempest.

Third place belongs to the proverbial "root of all evil"--money. It's better to learn to loathe it early, for it is a wicked task master. One minute you have it; the next you don't. What doesn't change are the bills that have to be paid. I've raised money, lost money and spent 18 months making nearly no money. It's easy to get too fixated with the 'ol greenback. I (Peter) am a slow learner. It took me nearly 16 years to realize that my life wasn't quite as under control as I thought and that there was a purpose for my existence and it wasn't to focus all my energy on attaining cash. It's a freeing experience to truly believe that money is just paper that pays; it's a secondary mechanism, and not the primary ruler of our lives. Most families fixate on cash. Financial stress is the number one cause of divorce, in fact.

We hope you enjoy pioniq. Comeback often, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter. We hope you'll enjoy the honest, sometimes humorous content we'll publish here.

P.S. That photo is of Susan, Peter, Nick and Alyssa in Jackson Hole, WY. 

What's pioniq Mean?

pioniq (pion-ick): is a fantastic word we created by combining the Latin pios (which means light, cleansing or to cleanse) with IQ (the abbreviation for intelligence quotient). The official definition of pioniq (per this website) is:  enlightened wisdom gained through through a cycle of successes and failures that make clear the path forward.

prosperitas prosapia: is Latin for "successful family."

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