Andrew and Nicole Hopkinson
Hopkinson Aircraft Sales
HOW DID YOUR LOVE STORY BEGIN?
Andrew: Our love story began when we met as teenagers. I unexpectedly showed up at a friend's house where they were laying out by the pool, and I instantly fell in love. Although we didn't start dating until college, I made a 24-hour drive to get a New Year's kiss, and from that moment, we've been inseparable.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE STRATEGY AND RISK-TAKING AS PARTNERS IN BUSINESS?
Andrew: When it comes to strategy and risk-taking, I wear both hats. However, my inspiration for high-risk ideas often comes from Nicole, who has a remarkable risk tolerance. I then filter and simplify these ideas into a few viable options. We make our decisions together, ensuring they align with our goals.
WHAT DOES WORKING TOGETHER LOOK LIKE?
Andrew: I’m the President of Hopkinson Aircraft Sales and Nicole is our Chief Marketing Officer. Working together means our personal, professional, and family goals are always in sync. We are intimately aware of each other's daily experiences, allowing us to discuss detailed topics efficiently and reach consensus quickly. It's rare for us not to agree almost immediately, and at most, it takes us a day or two to revisit a topic.
IF YOUR RELATIONSHIP HAD A BUSINESS MOTTO, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Andrew: "Keep it simple."
HOW DO YOU UNPLUG AND RECONNECT OUTSIDE OF WORK?
Andrew: We love going out for a good dinner and reconnecting over a glass of wine and movie at home.
hopkinson.aero
Jacob and Leslie Duffy
Jacob (Jake) Duffy, Managing Director, The Duffy Mathias Group - Baird Wealth Management
Leslie Duffy, Director of Health Economics and Market Access for Boston Scientific
WHAT’S YOUR LOVE STORY?
Leslie: We were introduced by friends. I had just graduated from ASU and Jake, who is a few years older, was working in Scottsdale. Jake was smitten from the start, and we connected right away. I loved Jake’s vision for the future… running his own business, a focus on building a family, and sharing a Catholic faith.
WHO MADE THE FIRST MOVE?
Leslie: After meeting, Jake asked for my number and called me the next day. I got butterflies every time we spoke. Eventually, we went to dinner and it was the best first date we both have ever had.
DO YOU WORK TOGETHER, APART, OR A LITTLE OF BOTH?
Leslie: We work together raising our kids (Landon 10 and Ava 8) and running our home, but it is a partnership and takes a village! We have never formally worked together professionally, but I value supporting Jake’s company events and helping him network within the community, which I’m very philanthropically involved in. We have always both supported each other in our professional efforts; watching each other succeed gives us a profound respect for one another.
WHAT IS A CAREER STRENGTH YOUR PARTNER HAS THAT YOU ADMIRE?
Leslie: Jake has the strongest photographic memory. He reads and does extensive research daily to guide his clients in an ever-changing market. He has a savvy way of articulation- one I greatly admire. He deeply cares for his clients knowing the advice he provides them is shaping their family's future.
Jake: Leslie is very organized and strong at multi-tasking. She operates like she has 100 tabs open in her brain and always knows what’s going on in each. I admire her continuing to work full time with a work-life balance that has kept her in the medical device industry for nearly 20 years.
WHO IS THE STRATEGIST AND WHO IS THE RISK TAKER?
Both: Leslie looks at all the angles and really thinks through a decision. Jake makes the financial decisions and determines the best approach. Leslie has always felt blessed to have a trusted financial advisor in Jake, and she knows whatever decision he makes will be the best!
HOW DO YOU UNPLUG TOGETHER?
Both: We try to take one big trip a year out of the country together. This past September, we traveled to Greece and Italy for two weeks celebrating Jake’s successful year in business, Leslie’s birthday and our upcoming (February 18th!) 20th anniversary! We also love spending family time together in Park City, UT.
theduffymathiasgroup.bairdwealth.com/team/jacob-a-duffy
Scott Grigg and Adrianna Baum
Griggs Group Powered by The Altman Brothers
WHAT’S YOUR LOVE STORY?
Adrianna: Our love story isn’t exactly a fairytale… it’s better. It started with him approaching me in a Kierland parking lot when I was doing hair, and ended with a proposal after a night of drinking while I was undressing in our hotel room. Somehow, it’s the perfect story for us.
DO YOU WORK TOGETHER, WORK APART, OR A LITTLE OF BOTH?
Scott: We work together, though Adrianna is now pursuing a new career avenue as well. It’s added a new dynamic to our relationship… one where we’re still a team but also evolving independently in ways that strengthen us.
WHAT’S SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU A GREAT PAIR PROFESSIONALLY?
Both: After nine years of working side by side, our trust in each other and our alignment on the end goal is unwavering. That foundation is what drives everything we accomplish together. Although always a work in progress.
WHAT IS A CAREER STRENGTH YOUR PARTNER HAS THAT YOU ADMIRE?
Adrianna: For Scott, it would be more patience. For me, it would be staying calm and clear-headed in difficult transactions.
WHO IS THE STRATEGIST AND WHO IS THE RISK TAKER?
Adrianna: Scott is the strategist in our relationship, while I’m the one who’s ready to jump into something new and take a chance. It’s a balance that makes us a strong team.
WHAT IS ONE CHALLENGE YOU’VE TACKLED TOGETHER?
Scott: Amongst many challenges throughout our 17 years, it was opening our brokerage… a true make-it-or-break-it decision. We proved we were built to make it.
WHAT IS ONE THING YOUR SPOUSE DOES THAT ALWAYS MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Adrianna: Watching Scott get ready. He stares himself down in the mirror, blows kisses, and gives himself more love than he gives me some mornings.
YOUR RELATIONSHIP IN THREE WORDS:
Both: Work in progress (LOL).
thealtmanbrothersgriggsaz.com
Tal Masserman, DDS & Danielle Masserman, DDS
Affiliated Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics
HOW DID YOUR LOVE STORY BEGIN?
We have been together since college at the University of Michigan (Go Blue!) and both ventured to Los Angeles for dental school as crosstown rivals, Danielle at USC and Tal at UCLA. We have been married for 14 years and have 2 boys, Brooks (10) and Levi (7) and our newest addition, a 4 month old puppy, Markley.
WHAT DOES WORKING TOGETHER LOOK LIKE?
We are fortunate to work together at the same dental practice; however, due to having two locations and different working schedules, we are only under the same roof a few times a month. We complement each other professionally by collaborating on cases and providing our patients with a comprehensive dental experience.
WHAT MAKES YOU A UNIQUE HUSBAND AND WIFE TEAM?
We are able to celebrate each other's wins (and struggles) at work because we have an understanding of one another's professions. Working together allows us to combine our strengths and support each other through challenges. We truly are each other's cheerleaders in and out of the office.
HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN BALANCE BETWEEN WORK AND HOME LIFE?
We have a rule that once we are home, our focus shifts to our family. We absolutely love our professions but we also value our time when we are able to escape from the office whether on date nights, dinners out with friends, or family adventures.
WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU HAVE LEARNED FROM YOUR SPOUSE THAT HAS MADE YOU BETTER PROFESSIONALLY?
One thing Danielle really values about Tal is his genuine nature and the care he shows when interacting with patients.
WHAT IS ONE CAREER STRENGTH YOUR SPOUSE HAS THAT YOU WISH YOU HAD?
Tal says he wishes he had Danielle’s ability to multitask and always complete office to-do lists efficiently.
smilesbyapdo.com
Erik and Kirsten Tinker
Erik (owner)/Kirsten (Tinker Controller (and of Erik, haha), Tinker Development
DO YOU WORK TOGETHER, WORK APART, OR A LITTLE OF BOTH?
Kirsten: Although we work together (I’m the Tinker Controller), I work from our home office and Erik works from our company office in Scottsdale. I think it’s great we each have our own space while working simultaneously in building our business. We started building our business in 2014, and this has only strengthened our relationship. Building a business is a lot of work, but it is similar to building a marriage in that you get what you give. It has helped us ensure we are always communicating, making important decisions together, and supporting one another.
WHO IS THE STRATEGIST AND WHO IS THE RISK TAKER?
Kirsten: I am definitely the strategist and Erik is the risk taker. I am a planner and am okay with marginal outcomes if the risk is less. Erik, on the other hand, lives by the motto of our Pops (Bruce Arians): “no risk it, no biscuit.” It makes for some interesting conversations where we have to meet in the middle, but we always figure it out.
WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF BUSINESS OR LIFE ADVICE YOU ALWAYS GIVE EACH OTHER?
Kirsten: We always keep God the center of everything we do. We always know God will provide and His plan never fails. When things get stressful, we remind each other of this. We can only control what we can control, so it is important we give 100%.
HOW DO YOU UNPLUG?
Kirsten: We have another home in Payson and our home-away-from-home is at my parent’s home in The Black Hills, South Dakota.
WHAT IS ONE CHALLENGE YOU’VE TACKLED TOGETHER THAT MADE YOUR RELATIONSHIP STRONGER?
Kirsten: Erik stopped drinking over a decade ago. It was the biggest challenge we faced together, but he did it. I am so proud of him. Once we knew we could get through that, we knew we could get through anything.
tinkerdevelopment.com
"After nine years of working side by side, our trust in each other and our alignment on the end goal is unwavering. That foundation is what drives everything we accomplish together. Although always a work in progress." -Scott Grigg and Adrianna Baum