He Just Told Me We're Tight on Cash...Now What?

You just heard the words no spouse ever wants to hear:

“Things are tight right now. The business is in a cash crunch.”

Your heart races and your throat closes. Your mind jumps ahead.
“Are we going to lose the house?”
“Do I need to go back to work?”
“How did this happen?”

It’s a gut punch.
And - It’s also a gift.

I’m not going to go as far as saying you’re lucky.  But his disclosure does point to you being trusted.

And sister, in this moment, YOU hold the key to helping him pull through- or continue flailing. 

Because every man, at any given moment, is either KING or JESTER.  And often, it’s the one we speak to that actually shows up.

So, if you respond to the JESTER with a series of “How could you?!” “Sell the house, you can’t pull this off” or “Another mess I have to fix”, he’s going to continue slogging through this.

But, if you speak to the KING with “Thank you for telling me. I totally trust you to figure this out, and I’m behind you all the way”, that guy is going to find a way to figure it out.

💥 Why So Many Entrepreneurs Don’t Tell Their Spouses

I’ve been coaching entrepreneurs for over twenty years and what I hear on repeat is: 

They’ve convinced themselves they’re protecting you.
But more than that… they’re afraid of how you might react.

Here’s what many entrepreneurs think:

“If I tell her cash is tight, she’ll panic. She’ll go to extremes and want to sell the house or cut everything back to zero. She’ll start spiraling. And I can’t handle her fear on top of mine.”

So they stay quiet. They isolate. They wear the stress like a heavy coat while pretending everything’s fine.
And the marriage starts to feel just like the business: lonely.

So again, I won’t go as far as telling you you’re lucky.  But you are trusted.

❤️ So What’s a Reasonable Reaction

Take a breath.

• Ask yourself, “Am I reacting to what’s actually happening? Or what I’m afraid might happen?”

Thank them for telling you.

• Literally say, “Thank you for trusting me with this. I know it wasn’t easy.”

Get clear, not chaotic.

• Ask for context. “What does ‘tight’ mean? Are we behind on anything? What’s the plan?”

Talk about thresholds, not threats.

• It’s okay to say, “I’d feel safer if we had six months of savings in the bank once we’re back in the black.”
• That’s very different from saying, “We’re never doing this again.”

🧭 You’re Allowed to Have Needs Too

Being supportive doesn’t mean being silent.
If this shook you, say so.
If you need more visibility into the finances, ask.
If you want to agree on a minimum savings buffer after this, make that part of the plan.

But do it with your partner, not against them.
And remember, it’s not your responsibility to save your spouse’s business. 

✨ Final Thought

This cash crunch will pass.
But the way you handle this moment will echo for years.

You can either prove the fear right — by panicking, punishing, and pulling away…

Or you can be the partner they hoped you’d be when they finally chose to tell the truth.

And that truth, as hard as it was to say, just might be the beginning of something more honest, more connected, and more powerful than either of you expected.