Two Ships, One Dream: When Life Interrupts Business (and What to Do About It)

Marriage, Business, and the Art of the Pivot

Let’s talk about real life for a minute.

Because it’s easy to get caught up in the highlight reel when your business is growing.

The big stage moments.
The wins.
The client love.
The launches.

But behind every growing business is a real life — with real people and real pivots.

When Life and Business Collide

Last week, I was headed to Digital Shift LIVE in Atlanta — a three-day event we’d been planning for months… honestly, more than a year.

Everything was lined up.

Bags packed.
Team prepped.
Slides finalized.

And then…

Ken — my husband — got called to California for an unexpected aviation job.

Emergency trip.
Last minute.
At the exact same time I was flying to Atlanta.

We looked at each other like, “You’ve got to be kidding.”

He was supposed to be home — helping with the house, the dogs, the pre-event nerves.

I was supposed to be away — fully focused on the entrepreneurs flying in from across the country.

Instead?

We became two ships passing in the night.

And you know what?

We figured it out.

Not because it was easy — but because we’ve learned how to pivot together.

4 Real-Life Tips for Navigating Business When Life Is Full

If you’re building a business, supporting a partner with big dreams, and constantly making it work — these lessons matter.

💡 Tip 1: Talk About the Dream (When You’re Not in the Fire)

Don’t wait until your spouse is boarding a flight and you’re melting down about hotel AV to talk about your business goals.

Ken and I talk about the vision often — during slow dinners, over cocktails, easy mornings, relaxed weekends, and long car rides.

He knows what I’m building, why it matters, and what’s coming next.

Because when life hits the fan, you don’t have time to explain.

You just need support.

What to do:
Sit down and share your real business vision with your partner — not just what you’re doing, but what you’re building and why it matters. Paint the picture. Bring them in.

💡 Tip 2: Build a Back-Up Plan Before You Need It

This week, we had to pull in dog sitters, change flights, call in favors, and reshuffle our entire support system — all in 48 hours.

Did it feel chaotic? Yes.
Did we survive? Also yes.

Because we didn’t panic — we planned.

What to do:
Create a “Life Happens Plan.” Keep a shared note or document with go-to helpers, backups, emergency numbers, house instructions, and pet sitters.

This doesn’t just help you — it helps your partner breathe.

💡 Tip 3: Normalize the Pivot

When you’re growing a business, raising a family, and managing real life — things won’t always go as planned.

The sooner you stop seeing these moments as failures and start seeing them as flexibility in action, the faster peace returns.

What to do:
Instead of asking, “Why is this happening?” ask, “What’s our next best move?”

That single mindset shift has saved our sanity more than once.

💡 Tip 4: Find Gratitude Inside the Mayhem

Was the week perfect? No.
Was it memorable? Absolutely.

We were two flights, three time zones, and 2,200 miles apart — both juggling high-pressure work trips.

But we were also supporting each other’s dreams.

And that matters.

What to do:
When the dust settles, pause and celebrate the fact that you’re doing it — not perfectly, not Pinterest-worthy, but powerfully.

Because you’re building something that matters.

You Can’t Build a Business and a Life in a Silo

Marriage while scaling a business isn’t always roses and room service.

Sometimes it’s FaceTiming from airport gates.

Tagging in friends to feed the dogs.
And saying, “I’ve got this — go do your thing.”

But if you keep communicating, keep planning, and keep choosing each other — it works.

And honestly?

It’s beautiful.

P.S. One of my favorite wins from Digital Shift LIVE was watching our Tech Savvy students have massive lightbulb moments — realizing their businesses were about to get a whole lot easier.

P.P.S. I’ll be sharing the full behind-the-scenes story of the event in an upcoming Digital Shift™ Podcast episode — from setup to execution to what we’d do differently. You’ll definitely want to hear this one.