Jackie and Andy Elliott talk about what made their partnership work. Jackie had strong boundaries and self-value. Andy describes himself as a former project who changed after meeting her, and they pushed each other to improve in business, marriage, and parenting rather than settling into complacency.
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A lot of times in relationships, I think a lot of. I see a lot of women or a lot of men in this case are like, well, I got to do this for this person. All that. I think that you saw that I valued myself at the time.
Yeah.
And you were like, hey, this is. This is different. This is. I can't really mess around because she loves herself and she values herself too much, that if I screw up, I'm going to screw the whole thing up.
There would be no Andy Elliott if there wasn't Jaclyn Elliott. Because when. When you found me, I was an absolute project. And a lot of people, they. They find people that are doing great in life right now, and they're like, man, I want to be like them, but they have no idea that they're once a project, and the project has to have someone to believe in the project. And. And that was you. So. So when you. When. Let's go back to when we first met.
Well, going back to the project, you were 24.
I was 26.
Yes, I was. I was 24. I was. I'm two years younger than you, but I've always been really addicted to projects, probably in the worst way possible, but I saw potential in it.
Yeah.
Very interesting. He was a little crazy. You were all over the place. You know, he was a little womanizer. You know, at the time, I guess.
I was like, little House on the Prairie.
No, you weren't like House on the Prairie. You actually were like Wedding Crashers style guy. Like, you were really bad. And everybody told me, hey, do not talk to Andy Elliott. He's crazy.
Yeah, dude, what was up with everybody saying, don't talk to me?
But, you know, on the other hand, you know, I wasn't like, you know, scared, I guess. And I'm like, hey, I don't put up with anybody. I was very opinionated. I was very independent. So I was like, hey, you mess up one time, don't get to see me again. I'm not gonna cry for you. If you do something to me, you just won't ever see me again. And you're like, oh, shit. You got real serious.
Yeah. So I think. I think everybody in life, at some point, they find that person that kind of gets them in check, right? And Jackie drew a hard line in the sand right. When I got with her, which, by the way, Jackie was super cool. I mean, when I first met you, you know, you were my best friend. I was like, oh, my gosh, she's super cool. You know, I didn't Want you to leave. You know, like, we were doing work, we were doing all that. Then after work, we'd hang out. And then I remember I was like, man, why don't you just stay, you know, tonight? You know, why don't you stay again?
And he never let me go home. Like, a year and a half.
Yeah, a year and a half. You kept an empty apartment and you stayed with me every night. But I remember the first thing that you said, you know, you said, you know, like, there's. There's going to be a line that we don't cross. Right. And I always crossed those lines.
Previously.
Yeah, previously, but because I was crazy, and there was actually nothing worth having to not cross the line. And by being raised, you know, without a mom, women obviously being great moms, teach their kids to be good. That was never taught. So I was raised by guys and raised by kids. So I'm doing well in business, or at least I think I am. I'm making money. Young salesman, hustling, have lots of girlfriends. And then I meet you, and I'm like, dude. Like, oh, my gosh. And that was really the first time I think, that I found love. Right.
Well, you also were attracted to the girls that you had to really take care of. I think at that time, like, we were pretty much equals. Like, I worked, I had my. My own money, I had homes, I had properties, I had my own.
Yeah, that was different.
It was a little different. It was a little different. But it was hard for me, too, because I was stubborn, I had my own opinions, I didn't put up with anybody's shit, and I didn't feel like I needed a man. So there was. It was a big learning curve for both of us, and in that sense. But, yeah, that line was really, really, really, really marked, really hard.
Yeah.
And there was not anything.
Well, but when you called the shot, I actually listened. And for the first time in my life, I want to tell you, I listened. And I think that was some of the best things that I ever did. So if you ever find someone that's worth changing for, change with that person, dude. And I'm telling you, life gets pretty amazing, you know, pretty quick. A lot of people always ask me, they say, you know, andy, how do you. How do you. How do I get my wife to be successful? Like, you just, like, you always have guys ask, like, how do I get my wife to support, you know, me? Like, you support Andy?
That's. That's a big question that I get asked all the time, going back to like what we were talking about, too. Because a lot of people are like, hey, you know, I. There's a. There's a fine line between, like, really saying what you want and drawing that hard line. Like, it has to come from. First, somebody respect you respecting and loving yourself and really giving yourself value in order for the other person to really see that. Because a lot of times in relationships, I think it's a lot of. I see a lot of women, or a lot of men in this case are like, well, I got to do this for this person. All that. I think that you saw that I valued myself at the time.
Yeah.
And you were like, hey, this is. This is different. This is. I can't really mess around because she loves herself and she values herself too much, that if I screw up, I'm going to screw the whole thing up.
Yeah, I think that's true. I found a lot of people that needed me.
They needed you.
And really, like, I would be good without them not being negatively, but, like, you know, like, I'm good, you know. And then when I met you, I was like, damn, dude, you know, she's killing it. She's doing good. You know, like, when I was with you, my life was better. And then I realized, and this is where I think that people always ask, like, how do I make my wife, you know, be like you? Or how do my girl be like you? One of the big things is that you would have been successful and had a great life even if I wasn't around. And so that was one of the things that I knew that, like, dude, she's going to be good. Like, either way, like, she's going to be great. So, like, I think that together we would both be great. So, like, I found value in you. So I think, like, if anybody would take any relationship advice, it's that, you know, work on yourself, become great. And that way whoever you run into or whoever you're with, they're like, and if you're with somebody now, you just change, become that person.
That person should help you become a better person. Yeah. Or enhance who you are.
I became better just being with you.
So a lot of people are, I'm going to be happy once I move into this house. I'll be happy when I find this person. I'm going to be happy once I graduate college, or I'm going to be happy when I get this job, or I'm going to be happy when I move to the city. But you're never going to find happiness in what you have. And I think that that's something that I did. I was fine on my own, and I was. I was content being a loner, and I was content being around people because I was very confident in that sense. So when we found each other, it was like, hey, you know what? You were your way. You had your qualities. And you, you're always a great salesman. And you, you always been good in business. You were just a little all over the place. And I was addicted to personal projects, and I'm still that way. I like doing projects. Like, even in business, if I see something that needs attention, I'm going to go and dive into it and. And do that. That's just my personality, but it's part of that build. I don't think I would have been the girl that would have been married some rich doctor and been like, hey, you know what? Like, I'm going to go and get taken care of. That wouldn't have been the same. I don't think I would have respected him the same way I respect you if that would have been the case, you know?
Well, well, plus, I think relationships thrive whenever people constantly are keeping, you know, like, newness and turmoil and crazy stuff in their life. And most people want to get all that out, and they're like, oh, we're tired of chasing, you know, let's just relax. But at the end of the day, that's when people die in decay. Right. Like me and you always stay wound up. You know what I mean? Just because we're always putting a new project, it's like we're so competitive.
Yeah, like, we're massively competitive, but we're competitive in a good way.
Yeah, we're a team. We're a team competing for the same thing. But it's. It's almost become a competition to, like, who's crazier. But we do communicate and make that the stuff that we go crazy on. It's things that we align with in life.
Yeah. Something's going to help us grow in a healthy way. I guess that's something that's going to. That's going to allow us to push to another level. And that's why I think that we're. We grow not only in business, but in marriage and as parents and all that, because you really grow when you push yourself to that next level. So we don't allow ourselves to get comfortable in that. Sam.
