Couples Who Work Together – How to Protect Your Relationship and Your Business
- Madonna Hirning
- Sep 4
- 8 min read
Running a business with your partner is both exciting and challenging. Couples who run a business together often discover that working side by side strengthens their bond—but it can also create stress and put their relationship under pressure if not handled well.
Hi! I’m Madonna, as a registered psychologist and Certified Gottman Couples Therapist who works with couples on the Sunshine Coast, I work with many couples who share both a business and a home. Over time, I’ve seen the patterns that make couples in business thrive, as well as the challenges that can strain their connection.
This guide will explore the benefits and challenges of working with your partner, along with practical relationship tips for couples in business to help protect both your love and your livelihood.
Why Couples Choose to Run a Business Together
There’s a reason many couples take this path. Building a business with your partner comes with some incredible benefits:
Trust and admiration: You already know your partner’s strengths and character. That trust makes collaboration easier than with anyone else.
Shared vision: Working toward a common dream can be deeply connecting. Whether you’re building financial security, creative freedom, or a legacy for your family, you’re in it together.
Flexibility: Running a business together often allows for more family-friendly choices – like time with kids, travel, or structuring workdays around your values.
For instance: “Imagine a couple running a boutique café. They know each other’s rhythms – one thrives in the kitchen and also loves running the numbers and managing the finances, the other loves front-of-house and the marketing aspect of business. They don’t need to second-guess each other’s intentions, because they’re both invested in the same dream.”
The Challenges Couples Face When They Work Together
Conflict spilling over: Disagreements about business decisions can easily turn personal.
Blurred boundaries: Work talk at the dinner table can take over your relationship. One may find this a good time to check in with the other whilst the other partner might prefer to leave work at work.
Different styles: One partner may be detail-focused while the other is big-picture, which can create tension.
Role Confusion: When romantic and professional roles overlap, it becomes difficult to know when to act as a partner, a manager, or a spouse, often leading to misunderstandings and unmet expectations.
Pressure from staff: When employees raise issues about your partner, it’s tricky to balance fairness with loyalty.
For example: “A couple running a digital agency finds themselves arguing at midnight about a client invoice. What started as a business discussion escalates into frustration about feeling unheard – and now it’s not just about the client, but their marriage too.”
Relationship Tips for Couples in Business
So how can you enjoy the benefits of working together while managing the challenges? After many decades working with couples to improve their marriages and relationships, here are my tips and strategies I share in couples therapy:
1. Define Roles Clearly
Agree on who does what in the business. Play to each other’s strengths and respect one another’s areas of responsibility. For example: “You handle suppliers; I handle marketing.”
If you want to ask the other about something concerning their role, be careful of criticism. Be sure to approach from a position of curiosity and wanting to better understand the situation and acknowledging the position of the other person before offering up your thoughts on the issue.
2. Protect Personal Time
Decide when and where you’ll discuss business and when you won’t. Try to keep some evenings or weekends as business-free zones.
Example: Make a rule that after 7 p.m., business talk is off-limits. Instead, you cook dinner together and watch a movie, which helps you recharge as a couple. If something urgent comes up that requires discussion out of regular business talk time flag the need with the other and come to an agreement about how and when that issue should best be dealt with together.
3. Hold Structured Business Meetings
Instead of letting work spill into every moment, schedule set times to discuss the business. This keeps communication efficient and prevents overwhelm.
Example: On Monday mornings, sit down for a one-hour meeting to plan the week, or agree on a set time each day where business issues are discussed where possible. This keeps conversations focused, instead of having stressful “mini-meetings” every time one of you remembers something and the other is not expecting it to be work time.
4. Practice Protected “Spouse Time”
Each day, set aside some time to vent, not as business partners, but as husband and wife (or relationship partners). During this time, listen for support not solutions, criticism or giving the perspective of the other person involved in the scenario.
Example: Create a ritual of venting about the day as you prepare dinner together or step outside for a bit when you both get home from work and take some time to unload about the day. A daily ritual where you can both let off steam without judgment and feel understood and supported by the other without having your business hats on.
5. Strengthen Conflict Management
Healthy conflict is a skill. Stay calm, focus on the issue (not the person), and take breaks if emotions run high. Couples who manage conflict well at home translate those skills into business.
Example: When a disagreement about marketing gets heated, suggest a short walk or even just agree to take a short break. Coming back calmer can make you talk through the issue without personal jabs or blame. Just make sure you agree on how long the break will be – 20 to 30 minutes is good.
Take time out to distract yourself from the disagreement – you could practice a relaxation exercise, go for a walk or run while listening to music or a podcast or just do another task that occupies the mind.
Needless to say if you spend the time rehashing in your mind all the ways you feel upset at your partner or how they have hurt you, you won’t come back feeling calmer!
6. Create a Shared Staff Policy
Agree in advance on how you’ll handle staff raising concerns about one another. This avoids misunderstandings and shows your team that you’re united. Have a clear policy within your business that you develop together along with advice from a Human Resource expert around how staff issues will be approached by each of you and be sure to stick to that and seek specialised advice as needed.
Communicate during business discussion time around any staff issues and develop a joint approach on how best to respond to each situation that respects each of your work roles in the situation.
Check in on personal time around how the other is feeling about any staff related issues they may be experiencing and create space for them to share and feel listened to and supported around this.
7. Nurture Your Relationship Outside of Work
Plan date nights, hobbies, or downtime that have nothing to do with the business. In addition, be sure to nurture small rituals like checking in about the day before you part in the morning, checking in through the day and greeting each other when you get home. Remember: your relationship is the foundation—when it’s strong, your business benefits.
How Therapy Can Help Couples in Business
You don’t have to figure this out all on your own. Many couples find that bringing in professional support helps them step out of the cycle of work arguments and back into feeling connected as partners.
One of the unique benefits of working with me is that I’m both a registered psychologist and a Certified Gottman Therapist on the Sunshine Coast. The Gottman Method is one of the most research-backed approaches to couples therapy in the world, focused on helping couples strengthen friendship, manage conflict, and build lasting trust.
When you add my lived experience of overlapping business and marriage, you get both professional expertise and real-world understanding.
When you add my lived experience of overlapping business and marriage, you get both professional expertise and real-world understanding.
At Sunshine Coast Couples Clinic, there are three different ways you can get support, depending on your needs:
This workshop is based on decades of research by Drs. John and Julie Gottman into what makes relationships succeed.
The workshop will assist couples to develop a deeper understanding of conflict management, communication under stress, and can create opportunities for deeper discussions around boundary-setting and also specific ways to nurture the relationship which will be beneficial for couples in business.
Perfect if you’d like to learn new skills, connect with other couples, and gain practical strategies you can apply immediately, both in business and at home.
Think of this as a relationship reset bootcamp. Over two focused days, we’ll unpack your relationship dynamics, process hurt from the past, practice new tools, and leave you with a clear plan which may include some maintenance therapy sessions moving forward. This is especially powerful for motivated, time-poor business owners who want results quickly.
If you’d prefer steady support, ongoing regular sessions give you space to build skills, strengthen connection, and integrate changes week by week.
Conclusion: Thriving in Both Business and Love
Working with your partner doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your marriage for your business. With the right skills and support, you can protect your love while growing your Company.
Whether you choose a workshop, a Couples Therapy Intensive, or ongoing Couples Therapy on the Sunshine Coast, you’ll be supported by a Registered Psychologist and experienced Certified Gottman Therapist. That means everything we do together is grounded in decades of research and tailored to the real challenges couples in business face today.
At the end of the day, your relationship is your greatest asset. If you and your partner are navigating the unique challenges of working together and want to protect your relationship while running a thriving business on the Sunshine Coast or from elsewhere, I’d love to help.
Ready to Strengthen Your Relationship and Business on The Sunshine Coast? Take the Next Step
Running a business with the person you love is a bold choice, it shows vision, trust, and commitment. But it also comes with unique pressures that not every couple understands. If you’ve ever felt the tension of blurring home and work, or wished you had better tools to handle conflict and stay connected, you’re not alone.
At Sunshine Coast Couples Clinic, we specialise in helping couples just like you—couples who share both a business and a life. Whether you’re:
Looking for a quick boost of connection and new skills,
Ready for a deep reset to break old patterns fast, or
Wanting steady support to keep your relationship strong while you grow your business,
we have a pathway designed for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it a good idea for couples to run a business together?
Yes, when done in a healthy balanced relationship. Running a business together can create added stress, get professional help to set work/relationship boundaries & guidelines.
Can couples therapy help business owners specifically?
Absolutely. Couples therapy for business owners helps you separate work from your relationship, strengthen communication, and manage conflict more effectively. It provides practical strategies tailored to couples who run a business together, so both your partnership and business can thrive.
How do I know if a workshop, intensive, or therapy is right for us?
A Workshop is best if you want to learn skills in a weekend and get immediate tools and assistance.
An Intensive is ideal if you want fast, focused progress over two days. Follow-up sessions are often recommended to help integrate the work.
Ongoing therapy is perfect if you’d like steady support and accountability over time.
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