12 Ways Our Marriage and Business Stay Strong
“That was the best session of the event!”
My wife and I are celebrating our 40th anniversary this year. Forty years of marriage deserve more than one day.
When people hear that, they often ask what’s kept us together through three decades of business changes, raising kids, and life’s inevitable challenges.
The answer is more straightforward than most expect.
It’s not realistic to distill 40 years of marriage into a 12-step program, but we’ve learned and practiced a few things along the way that help us have fun, enjoy life, and make an impact.
It’s a choice we make daily. It’s something Lisa has to remind me of more than I have to remind her. When I’m discouraged, when the business needs to change direction, when we face defining decisions, Lisa looks at me and asks, “What’s our word?”
And we say: Together.
And yet, that’s not all. My wife and I had the privilege of an impromptu conversation with Jay Owen at the 2025 Agency Builders retreat. Several people said it was the best session of the event. I give all the credit to Lisa.
These are the highlights of our discussion:
Faith is Our Foundation
Faith is our Anchor: Our trust in Jesus and reliance on the Bible’s teaching guides us in making simple and complex life and business decisions. It helps us align our time, talents, and treasure with God’s plan and purpose.
Marriage First: Our marriage is first and foremost. Children and business are the result of a strong relationship, not the reason for it.
The “Together” Principle: We’re committed to being a team. When challenges arise, we face and overcome them together.
Reinvent Together: We’ve learned that both business and life require reinvention. The key is to navigate the twists and turns of life together, not separately.
First Things First
Honor Each Other: We focus on understanding each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Lisa’s strengths (like encouragement and administration) complement my weaknesses, and vice versa.
Prioritize Your Marriage: We regularly schedule time for each other, like regular date nights, to protect our relationship from the demands of business and family life.
Create Transition Rituals: Being married and owning a business can make for a work/life blender. You can establish clear boundaries between work and home life. A symbolic “drive home,” even when working from home, helps me be fully present when I’m with my spouse and family. Don’t expect your spouse to guess what you need. If you need time to decompress after a long day of work, ask for it.
Listen More, Solve Less: Men, it took me decades to learn this. Understand that sometimes your wife needs you to listen and empathize, not immediately provide a solution. Ask if she wants you to listen to her or solve the problem. Thank me in the comments below.
We’re Together and Content in All Things
Plan Your Family Life Better than Your Business: We’ve tried to apply intentionality and planning to our marriage and family as we did with our business. I think this is one of the most challenging aspects of “being married to the business.” I remind myself often to keep my priorities in order.
Build a Shared Legacy: We’ve aligned our family, financial, and business goals with a greater purpose that we both believe in. I think we’re turning success into something more significant.
Prepare for New Seasons: This is so important as you get older. Kids move out, parents age, your business will change. Consciously prepare for life transitions, like the “empty nest,” by keeping your relationship strong so your identity isn’t tied solely to parenting or your role in the business.
View Life as a Marathon: Pursue slow, steady, and consistent effort over unsustainable sprints. Longevity in both marriage and business requires an endurance, trust, and devotion mindset.
At the end of the day, we’re stronger together. You can be too!
We’re praying that you can experience all the joy and blessings that God desires for you in your marriage, relationships, and business.
Congratulations, Brian! My husband and I just celebrated our 34th wedding anniversary and I couldn't agree more with all your points. I'll add one more: Express gratitude generously. We don't take each other for granted and still take time to notice and thank each other...even for small things. My husband is God's greatest gift to me (other than Christ) and I want him to know it!