Print
More News

Working As A Husband-and-wife Team

By Cece Nunn, posted Jan 17, 2020
Brooke and Devin Skipper own Salt Air, a heating and cooling services company in Wilmington. (Photo c/o Salt Air / by Laura Glantz Photography)
The Wilmington business owned by husband and wife Devin and Brooke Skipper began with Devin as the sole employee about eight years ago before Brooke joined him.
 
Since then, Salt Air, which offers heating and cooling services and is located at 3119 Kitty Hawk Road, has grown to about 18 employees.
 
The couple answered questions recently about their company and what it’s like to run a business together.
 
GWBJ: How did Brooke become involved in the business?
BROOKE: Originally, I thought I wanted to be a teacher, and I was teaching for about two years and just really decided that that wasn’t for me. That wasn’t where I was supposed to be. And while trying to figure that out, I just kind of fell into helping with taking calls and invoicing and that sort of thing and I’m still here. But that’s a good thing. I do enjoy it … Devin handles more of the technical side of things and operational type stuff and then I handle all the financials and the marketing.
 
GWBJ: What are the greatest benefits of working in a family business?
BROOKE: I would say that our goals are the same as far as company growth and company culture so us really being on the same page and in tune with that I think helps because we kind of hold everybody to that same standard. DEVIN: On my side, the biggest benefit is … they say organizations move at the speed of trust; there’s nobody I can trust more than Brooke.
 
GWBJ: How would you describe your company’s culture?
BROOKE: The first word that comes to mind is ‘team.’ We’ve done a really good job of emphasizing the point that it’s not just about you. If we’ve got a job to do, we’re going to do the job as a team and get it done.
 
GWBJ: What are the biggest challenges of being involved in a family business?

BROOKE: Work comes home a lot of times, and I think with any business owner … it’s kind of inevitable. He and I both are around it all day and then sometimes it’s just really hard to turn it off. We have a 24-hour business so it’s just hard, but I think we do a really good job of blocking out time for a date night as silly as that might be; us going to breakfast on a random Thursday morning together is considered quality time, and we try to just make the most of that hour and block out work a little bit.
 
DEVIN: But for everyday life, just not adding the stress of trying to not talk about work is important.
 

Special Focus: Family Business

Ico insights

INSIGHTS

SPONSORS' CONTENT
Headshotrosaliecalarco 1182131047

The Government is Calling? Think Again!

Untitleddesign7

Getting Your Community Ready for Spring and Summer

Dave Orr - Community Association Management Services
Untitleddesign2

The Importance of Real Estate Appraisals

Steve Mitchell - Cape Fear REALTORS®

Trending News

Conservation Group Signs $8M Deal To Buy The Point On Topsail Island

Audrey Elsberry - Mar 26, 2024

National Organization Bestows Top Award On Cape Fear Professional Women In Building

Staff Reports - Mar 26, 2024

Engineering Firm Hires Four Employees

Staff Reports - Mar 26, 2024

N.C. Ports Officials React To Baltimore Bridge Collapse

Audrey Elsberry - Mar 26, 2024

NCino's Fourth-quarter Earnings Signal Rebound From Liquidity Crisis

Audrey Elsberry - Mar 27, 2024

In The Current Issue

Expanding Tastes On Castle Street

As John Willse and Beth Guertin, owners of Wilmington Wine bottle shop and now the recently opened Creative Tastings restaurant on Castle St...


Topsail-area Realtors Share Updates

Pender County Realtors recently shared updates about the coastal market at an event hosted by the Wilmington-Cape Fear Home Builders Associa...


Hacking Cyberdefense Shortage

A shortage of cybersecurity professionals influenced professor Ulku Clark and her team to slowly evolve UNCW’s offerings to now include eigh...

Book On Business

The 2024 WilmingtonBiz: Book on Business is an annual publication showcasing the Wilmington region as a center of business.

Order Your Copy Today!


Galleries

Videos

2023 Power Breakfast: Major Developments