Startup Spouses

In this special "Ask Us Anything" episode of Startup Spouses, Marie and Adam tackle real questions from listeners about building stronger relationships while running a business together. They open with their weekly personal and professional good news, then dive into three big listener questions:  "How do I get my spouse to agree to a weekly meeting?" — Marie and Adam share the...

Episode Summary Marie and Adam open with personal and professional good news — including celebrating a successful first keynote together where they delivered their SPARK Framework (Safety, Play, Alignment, Rhythms, and Kaizen) — before diving into a candid conversation about how pop culture, romantic comedies, and porn have shaped our understanding of sex and sexuality, often in unhealthy ways. Wh...

In this solo episode, Marie opens up about her personal journey — from a teenage moment when her therapist celebrated her sexuality instead of shaming it, to the gradual burial of that vibrant part of herself through the pressures of motherhood, cultural expectations, and self-numbing. Marie shares how a podcast about sex and intimacy sparked a "thawing out" — and how reclaiming that one...

Most people think confidence is a mindset. It's not. It lives in your body.  In this episode of Startup Spouses, intimacy coach Marie and business coach Adam break down the concept of embodied confidence — and why affirmations, pep talks, and "fake it till you make it" fall flat without it.  Marie shares her raw, personal story of learning to distrust her own body starting in puberty...

check out our FREE workbook here!!! startupspouses.co/free-workbook-download Marie and Adam get vulnerable and go deep — sharing their personal psilocybin journeys as a couple navigating trauma, generational patterns, and major life transitions. From setting intentions to facing their darkest fears in the experience itself, they walk through what it's really like to pursue psychedelic-assisted...

EPISODE DESCRIPTION: What does it really mean to be open and honest with your partner — and are you actually doing it? In this episode, Marie and Adam dive deep into one of the most misunderstood concepts in relationships: true openness and honesty. Using the powerful Johari's Window model, they break down the four quadrants of self-awareness — what you know, what others see, your hidden side,...

Episode Description:What does it really mean to be sex positive — and why does it matter for your relationship and your business? In this episode of Startup Spouses, Marie (intimacy coach) and Adam (business coach) get real about their personal journey from shame, silence, and suppressed desires to radical openness and a thriving intimate life. They share how growing up in a culture that stigmatiz...

What if you could predict whether your relationship would last — with 90% accuracy? The Gottman Institute can. In this episode of Startup Spouses, Marie (relationship & intimacy coach) and Adam (business coach) break down the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse — four destructive communication patterns that, left unchecked, can destroy your relationship and your business partnership. Whether you&#...

In this episode of Startup Spouses , Marie Intimacy coach) and Adam (business coach) get real about burnout: what it looks like, how it sneaks up on you, and why hustle culture is conditioning an entire generation — including our kids — to run on empty. Drawing from their own experiences with sobriety, family business near-bankruptcy, a daughter's eating disorder, and a global pandemic all hit...

Episode Description: Body image isn't just a women's issue — and it's not just about how you look. In this episode of Startup Spouses, Marie and Adam get honest about their personal journeys with body image, eating disorders, and the cultural pressures that shape how we see ourselves. Marie shares her experience being put on a diet at 12 years old, navigating body dysmorphia through pe...

Show Notes: Ever feel like you're speaking a completely different language than your partner? In this episode of Startup Spouses, Marie (relationship & sex coach) and Adam (business coach) dive into three powerful frameworks that have transformed their own relationship — and can do the same for yours. They break down:The 5 Love Languages — why you might be showing love in a way your partne...

Episode Description: Legacy. It's one of the most loaded words in entrepreneurship — and one of the most misunderstood. In this episode of Startup Spouses, Marie and Adam Hill get real about what legacy actually means for entrepreneurial couples, why the traditional model is broken, and how to stop building a legacy about you and start building one for them . Drawing on Adam's firsthand ex...

Episode Description: What if the key to a stronger business partnership was in the bedroom? In this episode of Startup Spouses, Marie and Adam tackle "the big P" — Pleasure — and why entrepreneurial couples can't afford to ignore it. They explore how years of conditioning have taught us to earn, limit, and feel shame around pleasure, and why that's quietly undermining both your r...

Your marriage isn't failing because you love each other less. It's failing because you're running three companies with no operating system. Most entrepreneurial couples treat their business, their marriage, and themselves as one tangled system — and wonder why everything feels like it's burning. In this episode, Adam and Marie break down the Three Circles Model (adapted from a 1978...

In this episode, Adam and Marie dive deep into the topic of shame — what it is, where it comes from, and how it silently impacts our relationships, our bodies, and our sense of self. What You'll Learn: The difference between guilt and shame — and why it matters How shame becomes tied to your identity (not just your actions) The shame spiral behind addiction: alcohol, food, and beyond Why we as...

Adam and Marie explore the often-unspoken topic of loneliness within long-term relationships, especially for entrepreneurial couples. Drawing from their own 27-year journey together, they discuss why you can feel deeply lonely even when you're partnered, how inauthenticity and unmet expectations feed that isolation, and practical steps to rebuild connection — both with yourself and your commun...

Ever wonder why a simple disagreement turn into a full-blown argument? In this episode, Adam and Marie get real about one of their own past arguments and unpack why couples — especially entrepreneurial ones — fight the way they do. What You'll Learn: Why arguments are rarely about what you think they're about How childhood experiences shape the way you fight as an adult What Internal Famil...

Episode Summary: Adam and Marie challenge the conventional narrative around imposter syndrome, reframing it from a problem to overcome into a powerful signal that you're in exactly the right place for growth. Fresh off earning their black belts in karate, they share personal stories about navigating self-doubt in martial arts, business, and marriage—and reveal the four-step framework that turn...

Ever notice how you can remember every small thing your partner did wrong in an argument, but can't remember where you put your phone? In this episode of Startup Spouses, Marie and Adam dive deep into why we fight with the people we love most and what we can do about it. The Real Reason Behind Arguments Why surface-level fights (like taking out the trash) are never actually about the trash How...

Asking your partner "how can I be a better spouse?" only to feel overwhelmed by their answer? In this episode, we challenge the conventional wisdom that you need to put your partner's needs first—and explain why discovering who YOU are is actually the key to showing up better in your relationship. In This Episode: • Why asking "what do you need from me?" puts too much press...

Are you and your partner building a business together while trying to keep your relationship alive? Stop chasing "balance" – it's exhausting, anxiety-inducing, and impossible to maintain. In this episode, Marie (relationship & sex coach) and Adam (business coach) reveal why the 8-8-8 formula doesn't work and what entrepreneurial couples should focus on instead. 🔑 KEY TAKEAWA...

How can we focus on intimacy and joy when there's so much suffering in the world? In this episode, Adam and Marie tackle one of the hardest questions facing entrepreneurial couples today: how to maintain connection when both macro chaos (global events, polarization, uncertainty) and micro challenges (business struggles, family crises, personal battles) are hitting all at once. In This Episode:...

Think running your relationship like a business sounds cold and calculated? Think again. In this episode, we reveal why the BEST marriages actually operate like the BEST companies—and how adding structure creates MORE spontaneity, romance, and passion (not less). The Controversial Truth: Most people reject the idea of "business meetings" with their spouse because most businesses SUCK. Bu...

In this raw and vulnerable episode, Marie turns the tables and interviews her husband Adam about his journey from anxiety and alcoholism to becoming the man he is today. This isn't your typical love story—it's a story about transformation, sobriety, and learning what love really means. In this episode, Adam opens up about: • Growing up in a "Brady Bunch" household and how it shap...

Turning the Tables: Marie's Story of Growth, Recovery & Building a 10/10 Relationship In this special episode of Startup Spouses, we flip the script! Adam interviews Marie about her journey from struggling with anorexia as a teenager to building an extraordinary relationship while navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship, addiction recovery, and raising a family. What We Cover: • Growing...