JOEL AND JESSICA GANDARA
ONE LIFE TO LIVE
- How long have you been together? 22 years married and 23 years together.
- Do you have kids? We have 4 kids.
- Where do you live? Weston, Florida
- What do you do for work? We help men and women transform their lives through our 31-day coaching program
- A fun fact about you as a couple: We love being together, and we are together quite a bit.
- What dynamics or rituals do you have that make you unique as a couple, and that you would recommend to others? We exercise a lot, and we do a lot of these workouts together. We also laugh A LOT with each other.
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Where can we follow or reach you?
Visit www.31DailyChallenges.com
Instagram: @joelgandara and @jessicagandara
We had the pleasure of speaking with Joel and Jessica Gandara, a power couple who have weathered numerous storms and emerged stronger together. Joel, a Cuban-American entrepreneur, and Jessica, a cancer survivor turned motivational coach, share their incredible journey from their unique meeting on America Online to building a successful apparel business, coaching programs, and nurturing a loving family. Their journey together incorporates all the exciting elements of an epic love story.
Read along as we get to know them better.
Q: Joel and Jessica, we all love a beautiful love story. Can you tell us how you met and what you liked about each other?
Joel: In the 1990s, we met on America Online, an unusual way to connect back then. I was in California, and Jessica was in Miami, and our paths crossed in a Miami chat room. From the start, we felt an undeniable connection. Jessica was drawn to my sense of humor and strong, masculine presence. I admired her beauty and kindness. Our conversations quickly grew deeper, sharing our dreams and daily lives, and our feelings blossomed. After years of nurturing our bond online and through phone calls, we decided to meet in person.
When I arrived in Miami, the connection we felt online was even more powerful in person. In 2002, we married, surrounded by friends and family. Our love continued to grow with the arrival of four wonderful children. We've built a life filled with laughter, love, and shared experiences, proving that sometimes the heart knows exactly where it belongs, even across the miles.
You must have seen some things, even when getting to know each other from a distance, that made you say: “This is the human I want to keep!”
Q: What do you admire about each other that would be difficult to find in another partner?
Joel: Jessica is the most giving person. She treats me like a king while taking great care of our kids. At the same time, she’s tough and doesn’t put up with excuses or poor behavior. She’s a perfect mix of love and a Drill Sergeant!
Jessica: Joel is the type of person who moves quickly, takes calculated chances, and is a visionary and a hard worker. I have never met anyone like him. He can be the most sensitive soul and yet have the most masculine traits. He is my protector, physically, emotionally, and mentally. He is an AMAZING father, always putting family first and my best friend. He is also passionate and very loving. You’d be surprised to hear that he is quite the prankster and keeps us all laughing.
That’s a beautiful combination of traits to find in each other.
Q: So, what do you think makes you unique as a couple?
We have a special bond that we can’t explain. We have so many of the same tastes. We fell in love with each other while dating at the exact same moment, which we didn’t know until years later when discussing it. Our relationship is filled with amazing coincidences. We can even finish each other’s sentences.
You sound so in sync!
Q: If you had to name three key values or principles in your relationship, what would they be and why?
- Communication is key in our relationship. When we have an issue, we get it out and resolve it in the moment.
- Respect is a must. We NEVER put each other down.
- Growth is something we both strive for daily. We work to be 1% better every day.
Those are some good ones, but as we all know, life has its ups and downs, and you’ve probably had to put those values in motion from the very beginning.
Q: Can you share with us what has been your biggest challenge and your biggest success in your long-lasting relationship?
We started dating 3,000 miles apart, so that was a massive challenge to overcome. Our biggest success is creating the life we envisioned years ago. While sitting on a tiny balcony in a little blue-collar neighborhood of the condo we lived in, we would talk for hours about what we wanted our life to look like.
Q: When learning more about you, we understand that both of you have faced individual challenges from early on. Joel, as a Cuban immigrant starting from scratch, and Jessica as a cancer survivor, how do you think that each of these individual challenges has contributed to your success as a couple?
We both understand that we have one life to live and have to make the most of it. We are VERY grateful for life and all the opportunities it has to offer. We don't take anything for granted. We know where we came from and appreciate everything in our lives.
That’s something everybody could learn from regardless of the situation they are in.
Q: Now, business makes up a big part of your relationship together. What advice would you offer to couples aspiring to become entrepreneurs or starting their own business?
A: There will be a lot of stress and tribulations. Don't allow that to get in between you two. Instead, attack these issues as a team. Live below your means. It never seems to be enough when you keep spending. So many people are chasing money, and when is it enough? Stay true to why you started this journey. Was it to accumulate more stuff or create freedom in your life?
Q: You’ve done it for such a long time, successfully balancing running a business and managing a big family of six. How does your business mindset contribute to managing a big household?
A: We are intentional about the way we operate our businesses and our family. We don’t shy away from hard conversations. We don’t allow life to happen to us. We set a plan, and we execute it. We have the same no-excuse attitude toward business and our family.
Q: As parents of four children, what advice would you give to couples who are hesitant to have kids because they fear it will be too challenging to pursue their own dreams and aspirations?
A: Kids are not for everyone. Now, if you’re going to hand them an iPad and let technology teach them, then yes, it is easy. Real parenting is not easy. Do it only if you’re committed to teaching and being a positive role model for life. It is challenging, especially with all the temptations to let technology adopt your kids. Raising productive, kind, loving children is not for the faint of heart.
Thank you for such wonderful insights. Lastly, there’s a question we like to ask every couple we meet when we ask them to finish a sentence:
If you wanted to change the world one happy couple at a time, how would you complete the following phrase?
A: Why Don’t We become what we want to see in the world?
By embodying the principles of love, respect, and growth, and by being the positive change we wish to see, we can inspire others to follow suit.
Joel and Jessica Gandara's journey is a compelling narrative of love, resilience, and shared dreams. From their unexpected online meeting to overcoming personal challenges and building a successful business, their story is evidence of the power of mutual support and unwavering commitment. Their insights on communication, respect, and continuous growth provide valuable lessons for couples everywhere. Joel and Jessica exemplify how a strong partnership can lead to a fulfilling and impactful life as they continue to inspire others through their coaching and community involvement.