How My Spouse and I Make Business Decisions as a Team

Starting and running a business is no small feat, but doing it alongside someone you trust makes the journey even more meaningful. While I was the one who started Jones’s Burrow & Books, it has never truly felt like a solo mission. From day one, Amber has been involved—cheering me on, asking thoughtful questions, and now, helping shape the direction of the business.

Amber may not be the one who creates the drafts or came up the company name, but she’s been here every step of the way. She works as my administrative assistant, managing the back end of the business with care and dedication. But her involvement goes far beyond emails and invoices. We talk about ideas together, discuss next steps, and weigh big decisions as a team.

Even though I technically have the final say—as the founder and the one with the industry background—her input matters a lot. She’s deeply invested in our success, and brings a different perspective to the table. She’s great at thinking through how our choices affect our workflow, our clients, and our long-term goals.

The truth is, I trust her instincts. When we sit down to talk about expanding our services, taking on a new contractor, or making changes to our branding, I want her opinion. She’s smart, intuitive, and she knows this business almost as well as I do—because she’s lived it with me.

We don’t always agree right away, and that’s part of what makes our conversations valuable. Amber challenges me in a constructive way. She asks questions that push me to think beyond my gut reaction. And sometimes, she’s the one who helps me slow down and reconsider a decision that I was ready to make too quickly.

What I appreciate most is that our partnership isn’t just about dividing tasks—it’s about building something together. We’re both working toward a shared vision for our future. And even though we’re married, when it comes to the business, we’ve learned how to respect each other’s lanes while staying connected in the decision-making process.

Sometimes, that means talking about strategy as we lay in bed before ending our day. Other times, it means showing each other what we’re working on and opening a discussion about the project. No matter what, we’re in this together.

We may not have all the answers, and we’re learning as we go. But having someone beside me—someone who sees the same future I do and wants to help shape it—is one of the biggest advantages I have as a small business owner.

This business may have started as my idea, but its success is a result of both of us pouring our time, effort, and care into it.