Appreciation for spouses and life partners in the startup life (I will not promote)

It’s Valentine’s Day. And yeah, I get the fact there’s polarized opinions on this day. My son and GF refuse to celebrate because of how commercial it is. It’s also my 23rd anniversary on Sunday. How the hell my marriage lasted this long through the ups and downs of being a founder I have no idea. We’ve been through the highs of exits and the lows of near bankruptcy. I think it takes a very special partner to participate in the “emotional cap table” with a startup founder and stick with it. My wife is not an investor but she’s as financially invested as me and keeps me going. I could go on about how she’s the unsung hero, but I’ll hold back. I know a lot of founders that are cynical about relationships. I get that too. It’s not easy out there. But I also know a lot of founders in “boring” and consistent relationships that are better for it. I’m not saying a relationship or marriage is necessary for success either. I know founders that succeeded because they were single. I’m saying I appreciate what I have and encourage other founders to do so as well. A small dose of positivity in the grind. If you are celebrating today, for any reason, enjoy!