Self-awareness only matters if it changes how we show up. That’s what this conversation is about. In part two of our Enneagram series, we sit back down with Michael Burditt Norton, a certified Enneagram teacher and conscious leadership coach, to explore what happens when understanding becomes practice. How does awareness change the way we love, lead, parent, and connect? How do we use the Enneagram as a guide without turning it into a label or a weapon? And what does it look like ...

Some tools help you manage life. Others help you understand it. The Enneagram is one of those tools. This is part one of our two-episode Enneagram series. We sit down with Michael Burditt Norton, certified Enneagram teacher, conscious leadership coach, and facilitator with The Conscious Leadership Group. Michael blends theater training, somatic work, and clear teaching to make a complex system simple and useful. Together we unpack what the Enneagram is, how the nine types work, and why self-a...

In this honest and funny conversation, Justin and Sarah sit down with their second child, and first-born son, Jackson. A quiet observer, deep thinker, and self-proclaimed nerd, Jackson opens up about what it’s really been like growing up as an Ahrens, navigating sports, college, and now early adulthood. From basement wrestling matches and “Jack accidents” to the discipline of Batavia football and a long recovery from injury, Jackson reflects on how risk-taking, leadership, and comfort h...

Some friendships fade when life gets busy. This one hasn’t. For more than twenty years, Justin and Sarah Ahrens have called Deon not just a friend, but family, “Uncle Deon” to their kids and a steady presence through every season. In this episode, Justin sits down with Deon to talk about what it means to build a life that doesn’t follow the script, and still leads to purpose, connection, and impact. They go back to where it started, Illinois Wesleyan University, and talk about how race,...

Do you talk in the car? We do. Road trips have always been where some of our best conversations happen long stretches of road, a little music, a lot of questions, and even some solid sing alongs. That space has been a thread through our marriage, parenting, and business. So this time, on the drive home from dropping Ava at school in Iowa, we decided to bring you along for the ride. We’re 14 episodes in now, with several more already recorded and being edited. So far, we’ve shared what it mean...

Some friendships are casual. Others become essential. For nearly 20 years, Jenn and Ken Visocky-O’Grady have been part of our inner circle, the people we laugh with, travel with, raise kids alongside, and lean on when life shifts. In this episode, we explore what makes a friendship last, even across states and differences. From their early days running a design studio while teaching, to raising their daughter Lulu as “onlys,” to navigating career pivots and family traditions, Jenn and Ken hav...

A year ago, Justin and Sarah thought the house was starting to empty. Kids were graduating, moving out, building their own lives. But now? Three of the four are back under one roof, and life looks very different than they imagined. From shared meals and grocery bills to rethinking roles and expectations, they talk about the joy, challenges, and surprises of parenting adult kids at home. Along the way, they open up about midlife shifts, faith that keeps evolving, supporting aging parents...

In this sibling spotlight episode of Running Ahrens, we sit down with our third child, Quinn, a national champion, a natural leader, and a 200% energy kind of guy. From being the tallest kid in school to learning when to slow down (literally), this conversation is fast-paced, funny, and full of heart. We talk about what it was like growing up Ahrens-style: full schedules, loud houses, big feelings, and sometimes, misunderstandings. Quinn reflects on his sports highs and heartbreaking injury, ...

In this special episode of Running Ahrens, Justin and Sarah open up about the wild, wonderful, and sometimes chaotic story of building a business and a marriage, together. From the early days of paychecks that didn’t always cash to growing a nationally recognized creative agency out of their unfinished basement, they share what it really looked like to raise a family, run a business, and somehow stay married through all of it. With honesty, humor, and a few deeply relatable moments, they refl...

In this moving episode of Running Ahrens, Justin and Sarah sit down with their longtime friend and former teammate Kelly Allison, a creative force, solo parent, and survivor of some of life’s hardest chapters. What begins as a conversation about growing up in a deeply conservative world quickly unfolds into a rich, layered story of becoming. From singing in a ska band in college to building a photography business without a blueprint, Kelly shares how her life unraveled, and how she found hers...

In this first-ever “kid interview” episode of Running Ahrens, Justin and Sarah flip the script and invite their youngest, Ava, into the hot seat. What follows is an honest, hilarious, and unexpectedly profound conversation about growing up in a loud, passionate, and sometimes chaotic family. From sibling drama and sports parent confessions to the unspoken perks (and pitfalls) of being the “baby” of four, Ava holds nothing back. She calls out family myths, shares what it’s really like survivin...

Love, laughter, and legal loopholes, today, we sit down with Jeff and Ed, a couple who have not only weathered the storms of marriage, but also navigated the wild, often heartbreaking, landscape of LGBTQ+ rights in America. Their story is filled with joy, hard-earned wisdom, and more kindness than we could ever put into words. We know that everyone’s story and background are different, and some of our listeners might find this episode stretches them in new ways. That’s okay, in fact, we think...

We weren’t bad sports parents—we just had some things to unlearn. In this episode of Running Ahrens, Justin and Sarah reflect on the emotional rollercoaster of raising kids in competitive sports while navigating marriage, business, and personal growth. From intense sideline moments to cringey car rides home, they share real stories, missed layups, and what it’s taken to grow into more mindful, present parents. Whether you’re parenting an athlete, leading a family business, or trying to balanc...

Marriage and Business Don’t End, They Evolve. Most people think a thriving marriage and business partnership just needs hard work and luck. But for Martin and Heila Rowen, the real magic and challenge was learning to stay together when everything felt like it was falling apart. In this heartfelt episode, Justin and Sarah sit down with the Rowens to talk about the journey from young love in South Africa to raising kids, moving continents, and building a life in the US, together. Martin and Hei...

Parenting doesn’t end—it transforms. Most parenting advice ends at high school graduation, but the launch years? That’s when the real shift begins. In this heartfelt episode, Justin and Sarah Ahrens reflect on celebrating their son’s college graduation and dive into the complex, often unspoken world of parenting adult children. From learning to mentor instead of manage, to navigating the return of grown kids to the family home, they share honest stories about what it means to let go without...

Send us a text Justin and Sarah have been partners in business and life for over three decades. They started a creative agency while starting a family—and over the years, they’ve experienced the highs, lows, and in-betweens of running both a household and a company together. In this honest, funny, and sometimes raw conversation, they unpack the emotional weight of ambition, the unspoken expectations that come with traditional gender roles, and what it takes to stay on the same team when your ...

Send us a text In this short kickoff, Justin and Sarah Ahrens introduce Running Ahrens, a show about the messy, beautiful reality of building a life together. With over 30 years of marriage, four kids, and decades of running businesses side-by-side, they’re pulling back the curtain on what it really takes to navigate work, love, and family without losing your mind (or each other). Whether you're raising kids, launching something big, or simply craving real conversations, this teaser sets the...

Send us a text Justin and Sarah grew up in two completely different worlds—one marked by constant change, single-parent homes, and loud, expressive family dynamics; the other, rooted in perceived stability, structure, and quiet expectations. In this episode, they share how their unique family backgrounds shaped everything from communication and conflict to holidays, parenting, and emotional growth. With humor and honesty, they reflect on the early days of marriage—what they didn’t know, what ...