I didn’t realize I married an entrepreneur.
Heck, we didn’t even know that word when we married almost 40 years ago.
I knew we were dreamers, rarely content with the status quo. Neither of us really liked working for others, preferring to forge our own path. Little did I know where this journey would take us.
I work with entrepreneur couples who want to thrive in their marriage AND business. (Which happens to be the secret ingredient for true success in life.)
If your relationship is in serious trouble, I can help you find terrific therapists, but my focus is taking marriages from good to great.
Truth is, we struggled in marriage and business.
We started a church in the 80’s (entrepreneur venture, but NO ONE referred to it that way!) which didn’t make it. The disappointment and stress that followed almost did us in.
We stumbled back to Texas to live with my in-laws, disillusioned and depressed. That was fun, said no one, ever. Gratefully, we all still liked each other, even after living in a 1500 sf house with 3 kids under 8 years old.
Mark shifted to a new career
Mark shifted to a new career and later (1998) started his own company, providing assisted living for Alzheimer’s patients. I started my own Marriage & Family counseling practice simultaneously. We should have had our heads examined, but there was SOMETHING that drove us both to be independent…and just a little stubborn.
As Mark’s business prospered through the ups and downs, I also grew in my approach to marriage, parenting, and business. I realized that most people simply need practical tools and straight talk, not endless appointments.
It’s all about results.
In our own relationship, we felt like very few people understood the unique pressures of business life, especially a startup, on a marriage. Mark and I both felt like square pegs.
We stumbled forward for many years
We stumbled forward for many years, determined to find—and enjoy—success in all areas of life. By the grace of God, we found tools that brought us together, helped us appreciate each other, and increased the level of love and peace in our home—and business.
I offer these words, coaching, and resources, to help you find your success. These tools were game-changers for us, and that’s why I’ve curated them for you.
Mark’s company has grown, now employing over 250 people. All 3 of our kids are grown and happily married (hallelujah!). We are finally able to enjoy the fruit of our labor, and split time between Colorado (dream come true) and Texas. But no, we are NOT retired, and probably never will!
I gotta be honest—I really love mentoring young people.
So does Mark in his latest venture, The StartUp Board. But we also love working with the young at heart.
When our daughter was little, I read the classic fairy tales to her. After the closing words, “And they lived happily ever after” I added, “Actually, Hannah, that’s not completely true; they worked really hard on their relationship.”
We expect that running a business involves hard work and outside expertise. So why do we think that a marriage shouldn’t involve some work? This is true in startup businesses and startup marriages.
If we’ve learned anything in our journey, it’s that no one wins alone.
The resources curated here are for you. If you don’t find what you need, please contact me and let’s figure out how to take your marriage and business from good to GREAT.
