Ep. 242 - Exhaustion & Excellence w/ Kristine Moberg & Mitch Jackson

MITCH: “Starting a business is exhausting, running a business is exhausting, raising a family is exhausting. Running a business while raising a family and going through pediatric cancer treatment is exhausting. Running a business while raising a family and going through pediatric cancer treatment AND repairing your flood damaged house is exhausting. It’s easy to withdraw when things are difficult. Kristine always leans in. She just keeps going . . . and that keeps me going.”

 

KRISTINE: “As long as you are engaged you can always improve and fine tune.”

 

Kristine Moberg and Mitch Jackson own and operate a successful business they founded together named Queen City Bakery in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Queen City’s draw lies in the way Krisitine’s brilliance as a baker combines with Mitch’s exceptional people skills. His knack for being able to talk to anyone, for any length of time and remembering most every detail ensures that return customers are sure to be greeted by name whenever they enter. Mitch takes their orders, makes their coffee and asks questions that build on what he has learned about their lives on their previous visits. He wants his customers to feel good. He wants them to know that they matter. Back in the kitchen, Kristine is focused, efficient, and tremendously detail oriented as she bakes for hour after hour, making scones, pies, cakes, cookies, bars, quiche (basically all the food I’d love to eat all the time if I could).

Yes, Mitch and Kristine put their strongest skills together and built a dream they once had into a thriving business that’s a hub of the community.

They love being married. They go on long walks together and celebrate each other’s passions and interests outside of their business. You’d think after slaving away in a bakery all day, every day, the last thing either of them would want to do when they get home is be in a kitchen, but nope, you’d be wrong. They estimate that they cook 95% of their meals together. Indeed, through kindness and determination, they relentlessly bring out the best in each other. They are happy parents to two sons, aged 11 and 14, whom they are tremendously proud of. And yes, as implied in the quote above, their journey has not been without major, sometimes gut-wrenching challenges.

When we met up recently, Kristine and Mitch talked about finding joy in the immense amount of work they’ve undertaken in all aspects of their lives since May 10, 2008, the date Queen City Bakery opened. We also talked about finding joy in the challenges, finding joy in being a couple, finding joy in raising their sons, and finding joy in giving so much to a community they truly love and admire.

They inspire me. I hope you let them inspire you too.

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**Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest

**Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com