EP357: How Entrepreneurship Almost Killed Our Marriage - Part I

***Listen to EP355 CJ's POV and EP356 Erin's POV before this episode*** Erin & Cj discuss how emotional maturity, shared self-discovery, and a week together in Houston revealed new sides of each other and deepened compatibility. The conversation explores how marriage is a lifelong commitment that requires working through discomfort rather than quitting at early conflict, including early bickering after moving in together. They dive into the hardest strain on their relationship: CJ leaving a stable engineering career for entrepreneurship, the uncertainty and pivots that raised concerns about stability, and how bringing Erin into his journey and community rebuilt trust. They close by connecting these lessons to parenting and the realities of day-to-day family life.   00:00 Intro 01:09 From Friends To Romance 03:36 The Houston Texas Turning Point 05:02 Dealing with Loss And The Maturity That Comes From It 07:03 Discovering Purpose And Defining Meaning 09:00 CJ's Perspective Shift 12:07 What If No History 14:25 Their "Houston Week" Highlights 18:48 Butterfly Effect In Dating 19:48 Marriage Is A Choice 21:37 Early Living Together Conflicts 22:29 Entrepreneurship Uncertainty Stress 25:59 Perspective Through Hard Times 27:14 Learning To Ask For Help 29:37 Why Quit The Safe Job 33:45 Bringing Your Partner Along 38:50 Discomfort Reveals Strengths 40:03 Parenting Reality Check   Connect with Erin Instagram TikTok   Connect with CJ Finley: CJ's Instagram CJ's YouTube CJ's Twitter cjfinley.com   ThriveOnLife Podcast Instagram USE CJ'S PRODUCT DISCOUNT CODES HERE