Good Neighbor Podcast: Cobb County

E36: Beyond the Boardroom: When Work and Love Collide

• Milli M. & Natalie Elliott • Episode 36

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The silent epidemic tearing apart entrepreneurial marriages is finally getting the attention it deserves. When Natalie Elliott noticed her entrepreneurial therapy clients struggling more than others, she created Maritalpreneurs Weekend Intensive to address the unique challenges these couples face. The statistics are startling: entrepreneurial couples experience a 75% divorce rate—significantly higher than the general population.

During our conversation, Natalie unpacks why these relationships face such intense pressure. The boundaries between business and personal life constantly blur as couples discuss contracts while shuttling kids to activities or debate business decisions during family time. The resulting tension often leaves couples wondering if they're experiencing marital problems or simply poor business planning. 

What makes this issue particularly critical goes beyond emotional wellbeing. When entrepreneurial marriages fail, entire businesses often collapse alongside them. Jobs disappear, community resources vanish, and couples can lose up to 77% of their wealth through divorce proceedings. Natalie's approach tackles both sides of the equation simultaneously, helping couples establish clear boundaries and communication strategies without sacrificing business success.

Some of her most effective interventions are surprisingly simple: designating business-free zones in the home, blocking out dedicated family time, or creating five-year focus plans that release the pressure to accomplish everything immediately. As Natalie explains, even small adjustments can rebuild trust and connection when implemented consistently.

Whether you're running a business with your spouse, supporting their entrepreneurial dreams while working a 9-to-5, or managing separate business ventures under one roof, Natalie's insights offer practical wisdom for strengthening both your marriage and your business. Take her free assessment at maritalbizquiz.com to identify specific areas for improvement and start implementing positive changes today.

Speaker 1:

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Millie M.

Speaker 2:

Hello everybody, welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. I am Millie M. Are you in need of a marriage and family therapist? Well, one might be closer than you think. I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, natalie Elliott of Maritalpreneurs Weekend Intensive. Hi, natalie, how are you?

Speaker 3:

I'm doing well. Thank you so much for having me today. I really appreciate platforms like this that allow small businesses to talk about their business. So thank you so much.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely. We are so excited to learn more about you, so tell us about Maritalpreneurs Weekend Intensive.

Speaker 3:

All right. So Maritalpreneurs is really kind of my brainchild that came out of my work. So I've been a marriage and family therapist for years. Now I have a private practice in the Marietta area it's called Atlanta Sex Therapy and when working with couples I noticed that my entrepreneurial couples were having a harder time and that a their schedules were all over the place so it was hard for them to consistently meet and and and be in therapy for like every Tuesday at two.

Speaker 3:

Just the world of entrepreneurs just sometimes doesn't work like that, and so I wanted to create something for them that takes them out of the hustle and bustle of their business so we can really work on their marriage, kind of without the time limits, really work on their marriage and work on business, cause that's another thing about entrepreneurial couples. It blends like. It blends like as we're taking the kids to the, the, wherever, the thousands of things we take kids, we're also going over the kids. We're also going over the contract. We're also doing this and you know you gotta be on the sales call, but I need you to pick the kids up from daycare, but I do need you to make that sale Like, and so there's so many ways that it rolls, get confused where I thought you were doing this, where I thought you were doing that, and so being able to, like, spend like a weekend intensively talking about the marriage and the business and how it works together and what do we need to do.

Speaker 3:

And so is that a marital problem or is that a business problem? Because we didn't put a good policy and procedure in place? Because when you're building a business from the ground up, you're building policies and procedures, but sometimes you don't realize that.

Speaker 2:

So yeah, that is so smart of you to include the business in the weekend, because I would imagine if you take an entrepreneur and say listen, two, three, four days off and you can't think about your business, it's going to be in the back of your mind. Anyway, they can't focus on the marital counseling because they're so busy worried about what's going on with the business Right?

Speaker 3:

Definitely so, and they're so intertwined. You's so intertwined, but okay.

Speaker 2:

So how did you get into this business? You said that you were seeing that your couples were having a hard time scaling down and committing to a regular schedule, but just marriage counseling in general. How did you decide?

Speaker 3:

that Marriage counseling in general. I was one of those people who was in corporate America and working her way up the ladder and yet was still like something's not right here. So I feel like I'm good, I'm making good money, I'm having fun, but something's not right, like something's like I'm not living in my purpose. I'm not that. Like something's like I'm not living in my purpose, I'm not that. And so, after I think prayer and conversations and mentorship, I was working with the insurance client one day and I wanted to talk to them about their marriage and they were like Natalie, I don't have time for this, I just need to pay my car insurance and go. And so they left and I was like I need more time.

Speaker 3:

And then it hit me oh my God, I'm supposed to be a marriage and family therapist, and so it was so funny. My colleague looks at me and she was like well, don't you do that already? I had been doing it already. So people, and then all of the dots connect. Oh well, this person said said this, and so I actually had a client who would say y'all insurance is too high, but you kind of like my therapist. And so I think about I'm getting two for the price of one. So I'm okay pulling y'all rates like so, like being, and you know we had just been laughing about it throughout the years until that one day when it just flew out my mouth and so I went to grad school, I got the certifications and all of the things and I've enjoyed a wonderful career and I want to just serve, at a greater level and I think, marital preneurs, these entrepreneurial couples.

Speaker 3:

Their divorce rate is 50% higher than the average population. So that means they have a 75% divorce rate, 75. And it's bigger than that. So so this is the, this is for Cobb County, this is the good neighbor. So think about this when a small business, mom and pop, new age mom and pop business, when the marriage isn't working and the family breaks apart, then the business breaks apart and those are people's jobs. And so I know personally, I've been affected. I've gone to a business, loved the business and it was out of business why we were serving at. Oh, the couple got a divorce. And so we're talking about jobs, we're talking about the community, we're talking about just impacting a marriage can have these ripple effects of success, not to mention your wealth. I mean, how many businesses have like plummeted because of a divorce. Plummeted because of a divorce, so you can lose through a divorce. You can lose like up to like 77% of your wealth, absolutely. So I, I, I want to, I want to help.

Speaker 2:

There's so much value in saving these and saving these marriages and a lot of times it's it's able to be worked out, you know, but? But sometimes people don't have the tools or there's so much emotions and you are there.

Speaker 3:

And it's really the feelings and emotions because because sometimes we come up with really simple, simple, simple solutions. So, for example, we're going to not talk about business when we're on the couch watching TV.

Speaker 3:

That's just how that becomes a safe space, you correct, and so just that now builds some goodwill back into the relationship. So now I can just like hang out with my friend, the person I have fell in love with, as opposed to we're stressed again and now we're in a business argument and things like that. So just simple things like that, little tweaks. But when you're in it, it's so hard for you to think about how to change this and how to do it differently. You know, like we can't see our own backside. We need to look in the mirror to see our reflection. For a reason, like we just don't have that sight, and so just having somebody on the outside make simple solutions that you can implement is so valuable.

Speaker 2:

For sure, for sure. So what are some of the myths and misconceptions about your industry or what you do?

Speaker 3:

I think we were. I was talking with a colleague earlier and we were saying that some people feel like therapists are like trying to make them get a divorce or something like that. And we were like we don't know where that came from, because most of us, specifically marriage and family therapists. We got into the field, we've done thousands of hours worth of training, we're always continuing to learn to save marriages, and so I think that's a misconception, like, well, if therapists they're just going to tell us to get a divorce no, I know no therapist that would say that and if they do, they're bad therapists and please let me know so I can like contact our board or something Um with that. I think that, um, it's just talking, it can't help. I think that's that's. You know, that's a misconception, um, because talking can help. You know, I don't know if you've ever had a conversation and somebody says something differently and it gets you going into a different direction.

Speaker 3:

Right and so, and so I think that's important. And and then I think another one is like well, I don't want anybody to know my business. Okay, it's not like we're going on national TV Like it's one person, and if that one person at one conversation can make 1% difference, your marriage would wind up in a different place in five years, 10 years, 20 years, absolutely. So yeah, I hope that was enough.

Speaker 2:

Oh, absolutely, Absolutely. So who are your target customers and how do you reach them? Just anyone who's or your target customers are people who run a business and are married and let me say a little bit more about that.

Speaker 3:

So it could be both people running two separate businesses. It could cause then this whose business takes precedence when one of us, when we both have a project that has a deadline and the key has got to be fed. It could be one person has the business and the other person still has a nine to five, and so those conflicts are hard because entrepreneurs work patterns are very different than a nine to five, and so those conflicts are hard because entrepreneurs work patterns are very different than a nine to five person. So they may go like balls to the wall for seven days straight and not sleep to get a project out, and the nine to five is just steady along, and then they may be on the couch the next week watching TV all week because they just essentially burned out and they need a week to recover. And now the nine to fiver is like you just sit on the couch all day, and so it could be that it could be a couple where one person kind of owns the business and the other person's working in the business.

Speaker 3:

So you're my boss, but now we're off work, so don't try to boss me around. I love that. Wait a minute. Right, right, I got off at. I love that. Right, I got off at five. So that's a, so that's a dynamic, and so so any couple that has any ventures, business interests or however that may fall and that was only three examples. There's a lot of different ways. I've had couples that have two parts, I mean two full-time jobs, and they're running, they're running a business together. That's a lot, right. I deal with people like that have like five kids under five to try to run a business and get a PhD and like like do all the things.

Speaker 2:

I looked up and said who told me this was a good idea? I feel like. Who told me to have all these kids and run a business and work a job?

Speaker 3:

Right, it is a lot, it is a lot. So one of the things that we do and I don't want to take that is like I need to get it all done yesterday and I'm behind because Kylie Jenner made $2 million last year and I only made $200,000. And so there's this like pressure that I should have had it all done yesterday. Right, I'm the same. I don't know if y'all have heard of Gary Vee. He's this popular kind of YouTuber.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely.

Speaker 3:

Gary Vee is the same age. I am like we are the same age and so when I look at him his, his millions of dollars to like two very successful wine business too.

Speaker 3:

So there's I mean, it's certain things, but he's one of the people that I can look at and say like, oh my god, I'm so behind right. And so when we sit down and make our couples write out their timeline to age 100 and really think about, ok, what do you want to focus on this five years, what do you want to focus on the next five years, what do you want the next decade? That releases the pressure. And so if we got five kids under five, maybe we just, on this five years, focus on family, focus on family, and then when that baby gets in the kindergarten, maybe then we get the PhD, or maybe then we, we maybe then we scale the business to a million dollars.

Speaker 2:

You do what you can, when you can and as they get older.

Speaker 3:

Correct, as opposed to all everything, all the things have to be done right now because I'm behind and so that that releases so much pressure on people. It's just like, oh, okay, I'm like okay. And even with myself I was trying to think like, oh, I need to do a cruise this year, and blah, blah, blah, blah. And then I wrote it down and I was like we can pitch the cruise in three years, Like it doesn't have to be a today.

Speaker 2:

And we don't know how long we have, but pushing it, you know giving yourself a time frame definitely takes the pressure of get it.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, having everything done yesterday, right so?

Speaker 2:

outside of work. What do you do for fun?

Speaker 3:

cruising, I hear um, I love it. I love the atlanta music, the live music scene. I've got to say I just love how our our city, in all of those small cities but we're talking about Cobb County, so the one that's smart, the one, the ones that Smyrna have in the little, that John Quill area, that that is like wonderful for me, like I just love being out there on that lawn and like, as the sun is going down, listening to the wonderful live music, the cover bands. And so last year they had, um, they had a Bruno Mars cover band. I honestly didn't know Bruno Mars had sung all those songs like. So the cover band like introduced me to to Bruno Mars and I was like this, this is fabulous, I don't need to see Bruno Mars in concert, I come here for free. And so to all of the, any of the Cobb County organizers that may be listening to, like I love that. Please keep doing those concerts. They fill my soul with joy, absolutely.

Speaker 2:

Music is definitely a healer. I have a lot of musician friends and so definitely a healer. So let's switch gears a little bit. Can you describe a hardship or life challenge that you overcame and how it made you stronger?

Speaker 3:

Yes, let's say which one. I'll say. When I transitioned from corporate America making good corporate America money to mental health, at the beginning it was a oh God.

Speaker 2:

It was a financial struggle, that's your own entrepreneurial journey that you can relate to.

Speaker 3:

Correct, right, and so I lost the, I lost the house in the process and so. But through that I learned that I can rebuild, like I have the skill. I have the skill to rebuild. And so I think the first time through growing up, you don't realize that you're building and you don't realize that the skill is building. You're just essentially doing what the people told you to do, right, they told you.

Speaker 3:

You know, you got to graduate high school, you got to go to college, you got to get a job, and so you don't realize you're building, and that's a skill that not everybody has, until you lose everything. And then you're like, oh God, I got to rebuild, I got to start thinking, and so that has given me such. I'm going to say a peace. Now, when hardship comes, or like an unexpected financial bill or something like we'll get through it, I can rebuild. Like I have some skills around this. So if we lose everything, it's okay. Like I'll be okay, we'll put it back together and we'll rebuild again. Now I'm not trying to be rebuilding over and over again at 60 and then 70 and then 80. So like, enough with the rebuilding, but it's less stressful than I know that I've gained that skill.

Speaker 2:

That personal confidence for sure. So, natalie, tell us one thing you would like for us to remember about your Maritalpreneurs Weekend Intensive.

Speaker 3:

I think that is an excellent opportunity, but even before that, I want to give you guys a tool. So if you go to maritalbizquizcom, maritalbizquizcom, you will be able to take a 10 minute assessment which will tell you where you are in your marriage, cause it's kind of about seven pillars that I want people to think about and where you can improve, and then at the end of that, you will get an email report that will tell you the areas that you're going to improve on and some ways in which to improve, and so you don't have to wait for the next marital preneurs weekend. You can get started today. So it is 50 questions and my friend was like why?

Speaker 3:

is that 50 questions, why is that so long? And that's how we can get a good assessment. Like it's hard to. It's hard for me to assess how your marriage is doing in five questions, right, and we're talking about marital preneurs. The dynamics right, it's multiple dynamics, it's not just finances, it's not just leadership, it's not just communication, it's all of them smashed together. And so I hate that it's 50 plus questions. But they'll answer those 50 questions, bizquizcom, and you will get some good answers. That will help you. It will give you a path and forward so that you can start healing your marriage today.

Speaker 2:

Well, let everybody know how they can reach you, other than the marital biz quiz. Do that, and then how can they get in touch with?

Speaker 3:

you. You can follow me on all of the social media. So, natalie Elliott, I'm out there. My main website, if you need me for something else, is atlantasextherapycom. But find me, I'm most active on LinkedIn and so hit me up on LinkedIn and you'll get me really quickly. That's probably the quickest direct access, just because I'm on LinkedIn all day long, in between sessions and everything. Yeah.

Speaker 2:

Perfect. Thank you so much for being here. You have been a delight. I've learned so much and kudos to you for what you're doing for helping families come together and stay together.

Speaker 3:

Well, thank you so much. I appreciate you taking the time and having me today and, of course, thank you for what you guys are doing for Cobb County.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely Appreciate. You have a great one.

Speaker 3:

All right, you too.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpcobbcountycom. That's gnpcobbcountycom, or call 470-470-4506.