What does it look like when two people not only build businesses together, but also share decades of laughter and partnership?

Lois Smith never expected to own a winery or become a property manager, but life had other plans.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why Lois and her husband jumped headfirst into new ventures, even when they didn’t have all the answers
• How they’ve balanced business, family, and a 45-year marriage
• Lois’s approach to aging, staying connected, and living with humor

Key Takeaways

1. Lois’s journey from working in banking and insurance to property management and then owning a winery exemplifies a willingness to take risks and try new things, even without prior experience. This adaptability and openness to new ventures have been central to her personal and professional growth.

2. Her 45-year marriage to Preston is highlighted as a source of joy and stability. Lois attributes their success to laughter, shared values, similar tastes, working through hard times together, and genuinely enjoying each other’s company. The underlying message is that strong relationships are built on both fun and resilience.

3. Lois and Preston balance busy professional lives with active involvement in their community, extended family, and hobbies. Their secret lies in shared interests, mutual support, and finding common ground, even when working closely together. Community involvement and helping others are presented as key components of a fulfilling life.

4. Lois embraces aging with high energy, humor, and a refusal to become intolerant or set in her ways. She emphasizes the importance of staying open to new experiences, remaining accepting of others, and using humor to navigate life’s changes. Her positive outlook on getting older is both practical and inspirational.

5. Lois’s advice to her younger self, and to listeners, is to listen carefully to others, seek interesting people, and learn from every encounter. She stresses that doing kind deeds, even without recognition, enriches life. Her mother’s wisdom ("Do something nice and kind today, but don’t share it with anyone") reinforces the value of quiet generosity and genuine connection.

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