In Business and In Pleasure: How Couples Who Work Together Find Balance

By Kaia Findlay,

Anita Rao

Published July 7, 2023 at 12:01 PM EDT

Two images side-by-side. The image on the left features a white man with brown hair leaning on a wooden ledge, on the other side of which sits a white woman with glasses and light brown hair in a green dress. She is sitting with her knees up to her chest. The image on the right features two Black women standing together laughing. The woman on the left has short hair and the woman on the right has long braids. The woman on the left has a couple of those braids in her mouth. — Sarah & Austin (left) are in the band Chatham Rabbits together, and Danielle & Brandé (right) co-founded the CBD product company Unoia. They’ve learned a lot about making things work, whether it's for business or for romance!

Some couples don’t get enough time to spend together, between work and other commitments. But couples who work together experience the opposite, juggling business and personal time while keeping the romance alive.

What is life like when your life partner is the same as your business partner?

Austin and Sarah McCombie, the married duo of the band Chatham Rabbits, and Brandé Elise and Danielle Gray, co-founders of CBD product and lifestyle company Unoia, describe the joys and challenges of work and romance with host Anita Rao.

Thanks to Areli & Leon Barrera Grodski and Joe & Terry Graedon for their contributions to this episode!

Tips for Finding Harmony In Your Relationship

Got an issue? Ease into it.

“We have started asking, like: May I give you some feedback? Or: When you're ready to hear this, I have a few things I'd like to share … And we also try to bookend it with a compliment and some praise.” - Sarah McCombie

Assume the best of your partner.

“You really have to trust that everyone at the table, which is just the two of us, is really coming with the best intentions. And there's no negativity.” - Danielle Gray

Let your partner do things their way.

“When you trust someone, … if you give them that grace to get it right, they'll feel comfortable enough to be that vulnerable with you again.” - Brandé Elise

Take time for yourself!

“It's healthy for us to have space, because when you're with somebody 24/7, you can start taking them for granted.” - Austin McCombie

Please note: This episode originally aired July 15, 2022.

Update: Chatham Rabbits is on tour this summer — learn more here. And Unoia is making more of a shift towards CBD for pets — learn more here.