Let's take it to an infamous line in Jay-z and Beyonce classic '03 Bonnie & Clyde:

"Cause mami's a rider and I'm a roller

Put us together – how they gon' stop both us?

Whatever she lacks, I'm right over her shoulder

When I'm off track, mami is keepin' me focused"

What does it take to put the power in the term "power couple"? How do you build an empire with the one you love?

We chatted with eight couples to learn the secrets to successfully running a business with a partner. While there may be technical logistics that should be considered before entering a relationship with your significant other, not every arrangement is a recipe for disaster. These couples share how they manage their business while working together, strategies for overcoming common challenges, and the best (and often underappreciated) aspects of working with the one you love.

Note: responses have been condensed for brevity and clarity.

Give Each Other Space To Be Great

Courtesy of Dana & Keith Cutler

Dana & Keith Cutler, Judges on Couples Court with the Cutlers, Married 29 years

"Over our 30-year careers — we have always supported the other's opportunities to be great. (Judge Keith stood in the gap while Judge Dana went through the process and leadership track to be President of The Missouri Bar. Judge Dana held down the home while Judge Keith served in leadership in the Young Lawyers Section of The Missouri Bar and as President of the Young Lawyers Section of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association (KCMBA).) We each recognized that it was important to support each other's leadership opportunities. We recognized that what helped one helped us both.

"If you work together, live together, eat together and sleep together, you need to give yourself and your partner space at times. Have separate hobbies, interests, and (platonic) friends that you can enjoy without the other. Otherwise, you will get on each other's nerves and you will run out of things to share with one another besides work. Private time is not meant to exclude the other, but to make your partner more well-rounded and personally satisfied.

"Financial stress is huge for any couple, but is magnified when you work together. Being self-employed for our entire career and having clients that have not always paid us timely (or at all) made budgeting a challenge. The hard part is not taking that stress out on the other partner, and not blaming them for the lean times. We agreed that we would not blame the other for whatever we were managing or not managing financially at home due to the lean times in our business. If you can survive the financial difficulty that comes with self-employment, your marriage/relationship will be stronger than steel and more resilient that you could ever imagine.

"For us, an unexpected pleasure [of working together] is the sense of legacy involved in the process, especially now that one of our sons is interested in being a lawyer. The thought that he might be able build on the foundation that has been laid by his grandfather and parents and carry it to a third generation is really invigorating."

Recommended Reading:Becoming by Michelle Obama, Dynamic Duos by Richman Julie, You & Your Partner, Inc. by Miriam Hawley

Featured image courtesy of Kevin & Melissa Fredericks

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Give Each Other Space To Be Great

Dana & Keith Cutler, Judges on Couples Court with the Cutlers, Married 29 years

"There's no balance. I'm dropping sh*t everywhere! However, my secret sauce is pursuing interests and hobbies outside of what's required of me and finding time to workout. Stronger body equals = stronger mind."

Lauren Grove, Chief Experience Architect, The Grant Access, LLC

"You have the answers within you. Don’t compare yourself to others. Curate your life to work for you. Ask for help."

"Learning your rhythm as a mom takes time and can be uncomfortable when you’re in a season of overwhelm. Constantly check in with yourself and assess what’s working and what’s not. Get the help you need without feeling guilty or ashamed of needing it."

"I want to be the best for myself, my husband, children and company. However, the reality is you can have it all but not at the same time. My secret sauce is outsourcing and realizing that it’s okay to have help in order for me to perform at the highest level."

"What helps me push through each day is the motivation to continue by thinking about my son. All my efforts, though exhausting, are to create a wonderful life for him."

"The advice I received that I’ll pass on is, you will continue to figure it out and find your rhythm as your child grows into new stages. Trust your nurturing intuition, parent on your terms, and listen to your child."

"I live by the personal mantra: 'You can’t be your best self by yourself.' My life feels more balanced when I offer the help I can give and ask for the help I need. This might mean outsourcing housecleaning for my home, or hiring additional project management support for my business."

"Each season of motherhood (depending on age, grade, workload) requires a different rhythm. With that said, be open to learning, to change, and understand that what worked for one season may not work the other...and that's okay."

"My daughter's smile and sweet spirit help me to feel gratitude when I'm overwhelmed. I want her to see a woman who doesn't quit when things get hard."

"Get comfortable with the word ‘no’. Be very clear about your non-negotiables and communicate them to those around you."

"Ask for help and always prioritize making time for you."

​"Understand you can’t do it alone — and that’s ok. Relinquish the need to control everything. Create a village and lean on them."

Salwa Benyaich, Director Of Pricing and Planning at Premion

My calendar, prayer, pilates class at Forma, a good playlist, and oatmilk lattes all help get me through any day.

Courtney Beauzile, Global Director of Client and Business Development at Shearman & Sterling

My husband is a partner who steps in when I just can’t. My mom and my MIL come through whenever and however I need. My kids have many uncles and aunts and they will lend an ear, go over homework, teach life lessons, be a presence or a prayer warrior depending on the day.

Robin Snipes, Chief of Staff at Meta

"Enjoy the time you have to yourself because once kids come those times will be few and far between."

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"Understand you can’t do it alone — and that’s ok. Relinquish the need to control everything. Create a village and lean on them."