Everybody thinks, "I will get some licensed products and I will make tons of money." It does cost us and it does take a lot of time and a lot of work and it takes a lot of nurturing to get these licensed products.

I have to say about this business, that it only gets harder.

Because – I think when you start out a business it is all so simple – there is one person that does this and one person that does that and one person that does that. And then before you know it, there is like a hundred people and five of them are doing this and you don't know what people are doing anymore. And you are saying, “like – how did we manage when we just had one person in this position?”

And you would like to go back to that and simplify everything and you just feel like you've built all of these layers. And then you're – it's just – you know the longer you are in business, the more problems that develop.

BUD: There was a time in 1988 when I said to my wife, “If I get out of this – I am some kind of hero.” And you know what, I wasn't scared – I was excited about the idea that I could get out of the problem we had after the crash of '87. We got into – really – a whole bunch of stuff that was really bad. And we worked it out, we worked it out and everybody was on board.

I didn't keep a secret from everybody, everybody knew it was.

We got down to eight people. Everybody was – we would stay here at 8 or 9 o'clock at night to make a four dress sale to some boutiques out in the hills. It was unbelievable. And we pulled it off. And it was great. So, those things keep -- those things keep you excited through thick and thin. It is almost more exciting when there is a challenge than when it is just rolling in.

What people are always asking us is, “What is your vision – what's the – where's the end game?” – you know, it's always. The end game is “Come to my funeral.” That is the end game. (laughter) So – anyhow – the end game is if we can do it right today, it's going to dictate the end game. If we could just get it right today.

HATTIE (In the studio): Partnerships are like marriages because they begin with good feelings, respect and admiration. However, they are different because when the business succeeds, it is because the partners focused all of their energy on one thing: making the business work. It's strictly business. Emotions often have to be set aside, played down. For a business to grow and prosper over years, means the partners have to hold on to good feelings, respect and admiration. In the case of Nicole Miller, the power of two prevails.

We'll see you next time.