Secret Thoughts of CEOS Ep. 141

Balancing Boardrooms and Bedrooms - When You and Your Spouse are in a Family Business Together With Gabriela Embon

In this powerful and practical episode, Chris Yonker is joined by transformational coach and author Gabriela Embon to explore what it really takes to sustain a legendary marriage—especially when love and business intertwine. Gabriela shares insights from her journey from engineer to relationship strategist and introduces the Four Pillars of Legendary Marriage from her book Becoming a Power Couple.

Together, they dive into boundaries, communication, conflict repair, intimacy, self-awareness, co-leadership, and how couples can integrate their personal and professional lives with more grace, connection, and fulfillment. Whether you and your partner work together or not, this episode is packed with real-life tools to deepen your bond while still pursuing ambitious goals.

• 02:14 – Why relationships fall apart when home gets the “leftovers”
• 07:00 – “Your spouse comes first” - navigating loyalty and family friction
• 13:00 – Creating new identities when becoming a spouse and parent
• 16:00 – When both partners are drained - how disconnection begins
• 18:30 – Presence over performance: love is not about taking
• 24:00 – Operational vs. connection rituals to run a marriage well
• 26:30 – The power of “communication on demand” and weekly planning
• 28:00 – Physical intimacy as a foundation for emotional intimacy
• 30:00 – Couples working together: blending romance with strategy
• 35:30 – How affairs and breakdowns begin: the warning signs
• 38:00 – The bedroom is the sanctuary: why sleeping apart is a red flag
• 41:00 – Resentment, indifference, and relationship repair
• 44:25 – About Gabriela’s book and where to learn more

Quotes

·       “Your spouse comes first—even before your children, your parents, your business partners. Nothing should come between you.”[07:32]

·       “When one partner feels like they’re getting the leftovers, it’s often because they’ve abandoned the co-creation of the relationship.”[16:07]

·       “Love is beautiful—but it’s not a strategy. Commitment is. Rituals are. Showing up even when you don’t feel like it is.”[28:30]

Websites:

·       fambizforum.com.

·       www.chrisyonker.com

• GabrielaEmbon.com
• Gabriela’s Book: Becoming a Power Couple
• Gabriela's LinkedIn
• Gabriela's Facebook
• Own Your Choices Own Your Life: The Four Pillars of a Power Couple with Gabriela Embon
• Own Your Creativity: Uncovering Truth in Conflict Gabriela Embon
• Forgive and Thrive: 179 | Essential Tools For Building A Lasting relationship with Gabriela Embon