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Money is one of the most common sources of stress in relationships, especially when income is uneven, unpredictable, or tied to big goals. During Valentine’s week, we’re zooming out from flowers and date nights to talk about something just as important to long-term love: financial wellness as a couple.
In a recent episode of Business & Brews, Immediate Founder & CEO Matt Pierce sat down with his wife, Kaitlin Pierce, to share what they’ve learned about budgeting, communication, and partnership while navigating career risk, family life, and long-term financial goals together.
While Matt’s path included entrepreneurship, the lessons they share apply to any couple managing changing income, career transitions, or financial pressure.
Every financial partnership starts with expectations, spoken or unspoken. When Matt and Kaitlin first got together, Matt had a stable job, but he was transparent about his long-term ambition to start a business. Kaitlin admits she didn’t expect it to last.
Kaitlin: “I thought this was just a phase. I thought you’d try it for a few months and go back to a regular job.”
Instead, Matt eventually stopped consulting and took no salary for nearly two years. That shift created a new financial reality at home, one that required trust, flexibility, and constant recalibration.
For many couples, this moment doesn’t come from entrepreneurship. It might be a career change, a return to school, a layoff, or one partner earning significantly more than the other.
The key lesson: misaligned expectations can quietly turn into stress if they aren’t revisited openly.
During those early years, Kaitlin carried more financial stability while managing a demanding corporate role. Matt carried the uncertainty and responsibility of building something new. Both felt pressure in different ways.
Kaitlin: “Honestly, I was absorbing a lot of that stress so that you didn’t have it on top of everything else.”
That dynamic can create resentment if left unspoken. Matt acknowledges how isolating it felt.
Matt: “Entrepreneurship comes with immense responsibility, and it can be lonely. There are times I couldn’t talk to anyone but Kaitlin about the challenges we were facing.”
The takeaway for couples: money stress doesn’t live on a spreadsheet. It shows up emotionally, mentally, and in how partners communicate or don’t. Talk. Listen.
Like many couples, Matt and Kaitlin didn’t start with a perfect budgeting system. Early on, they focused more on awareness than precision.
Over time, they built simple systems that reduced friction instead of adding rules:
Kaitlin: “Setting up these systems isn’t about restriction. It’s about protecting ourselves from unnecessary stress and staying aligned on financial goals.”
This approach reframes budgeting as a support tool, not a punishment. The goal isn’t perfection but fewer surprises and arguments.
As their system evolved, so did how they talked about money. They learned when to problem-solve and when to simply listen.
Kaitlin: “Learning when to listen and when to give advice is huge. Sometimes all I needed was for Matt to share what was on his mind…”
Matt: “For entrepreneurs, it’s critical to have someone in your corner who can handle the emotional weight with you. The highs and lows are extreme, sometimes happening on the same day.”
For any couple, the lesson holds: a budget can’t fix poor communication but good communication can fix most budget issues.
Financial wellness doesn’t stop with adults. Matt and Kaitlin are intentional about modeling budgeting, gratitude, and generosity for their kids.
One simple practice stands out.
Matt: “One night a month, we eat rice or pasta to show the kids what it’s like to live on a small budget and to think about kids around the world who don’t have enough food.”
It’s not about scarcity, but perspective. Empathy is part of financial health and a main driver for why Matt started Immediate.
Matt puts it simply:
Matt: “Don’t start a business unless you believe in it, and unless you have a spouse who’s in it with you. It’s hard. Really hard.”
Whether you’re navigating income changes, planning for the future, or just trying to reduce everyday stress, the Pierce family’s story is a reminder that financial wellness is built together.
Tune in to hear more of Matt and Kaitlin’s story here.
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