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For many entrepreneurs, the support of a spouse is invaluable and for most, the only reason their business made it in the first place. To achieve success by starting up a new venture and leaving your previous employment while you are married means you have responsibilities and that means you can’t just drop everything and follow a dream without discussing it with the person whose future you will affect.

Without open and honest communication, not only will the venture fail but so will the marriage. Dylan Ross and his wife, Helen, worked on their plan for about a year before they were satisfied. They didn’t expect to make money and achieve success immediately when he started Swan Financial Planning, a financial advisory firm, in December 2005. With no money coming in initially Mr. Ross, 32 believed having a business plan that showed concrete success milestones was critical. And it was imperative Helen sign off on it because, as an operations vice president at Merrill Lynch & Co., she would be the family’s primary breadwinner.

To complicate matters further, the couple was expecting twins when Mr. Ross started his business. The babies were due six months later, and he wanted to be available to help. So, the plan for the business was based on his working no more than 40 hours weekly.

Mr. Ross says they have continued to modify their plan to meet continuing and developing needs and are happy with the progress of the business so far.

When the Levinson’s were struggling to make ends meet, they sometimes turned to family members for short-term loans. Even their dentist allowed them to delay payments.  The couple repaid every loan, and now Mr. Levinson, 45, earns more from his company, Brand Blueprint, than he did as an executive.

If you are married and considering embarking on an entrepreneurial journey, set limits on financial and time investments. The spending limit sometimes is coupled with a timetable showing how long the entrepreneur has to devote to the new venture. That way the budding entrepreneur has a goal in their sights and the spouse has a framework in which to work and manage their expectations and limitation. That way, when things get tough, the entrepreneur can say, we agreed I would have this much more time to achieve success. And perhaps that will give you the breathing room to reach your goals.

Shane Krider – Polaris Media Group