by Stephanie Struyck Elgin
He was a southern California boy. She was born and raised in Finland. Yet somehow they found each other, becoming successful partners in business and life.
Katri first came to the United States as an exchange student when she was 17 years old, but she didn’t cross paths with Wayne until the spring of 1997. “I was working with one of Wayne’s relatives at the Consulate of Finland,” states Katri. “A bunch of Finnish girls were going out dancing one night, and Wayne was invited to join.”And it was at O’Briens Irish Pub and Restaurant, where Wayne and Katri first laid eyes on each other.
“I thought she was extremely beautiful,” states Wayne.
Who knew that only a few years later, Wayne would be asking for Katri’s hand in marriage?
“I wanted to propose on a rainy November night in 1999, at the first place we met, but the lines were two hours long to get in, and we didn’t want to wait. We ended up going back home,” states Wayne.
But the rain didn’t stop Wayne from proposing. He warmed up a nice cup of hot chocolate, Katri’s favorite, loaded it up with whip cream and topped it with a beautiful ring. He got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. On June 10, 2000, Wayne and Katri wed in her hometown of Lahti with 100 people witnessing. Just a few years later, their son Kyle was born and then followed their Valentine baby, Emma.
There are many successful partners who not only share their commitment to one another but also the responsibilities at work. Katri and Wayne,` along with another couple, opened up Creative Years Preschool in 2002. Katri works at the school doing administrative and web work, while Wayne does most of the jobs requiring “manpower” as Katri states.
“We also ventured into franchising with three other couples in July of 2007 as we opened our first SportsClips Haircuts store that specializes in men and boys haircuts. In December of that same year, we opened a second location. Wayne manages the daily operations with the stylist and the store while I do the payroll. So the same story here, the same company, but specializing in a different area of the business.”
So how do they make it work?
“It takes dedication, commitment, responsibility, flexibility and respect. Dedication and commitment to keep going, ups and downs of the daily operations in business, but also commitment to each other that you are there for one another to reach for the goals you have at work, and at home…Respect goes a long way.”
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