When a couple gets married, they agree to stay by one another’s side for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health. And those beautiful vows are meant to last for decades. But what if one partner decides that they’re no longer going to contribute financially to their household?

One woman recently reached out to Reddit to express her frustration about her husband’s current employment status. After closing his business of 20 years, he hasn’t been in any hurry to get another job. So below, you’ll find the full story, as well as some of the replies invested readers shared. 

This woman’s husband was devastated when he realized that he was going to have to shut down his business

Image credits: varyapigu / envato (not the actual photo)

But now, he’s refusing to find any other source of income

Image credits: klavdiyav / envato (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Difficult-Impact-69

The vast majority of small businesses fail

After getting married, you have a lot of obligations towards your partner. But it’s assumed that you’re happy to take on those responsibilities, as you’re choosing to be with the person you love. Helping out around the house, contributing financially to the household, taking care of your partner when they’re ill and staying by their side while they cry shouldn’t ever feel like a burden.

It sounds like the husband in this story has given up on the idea of helping his wife fund their lifestyle. But the harsh reality is that his business failing shouldn’t have been an earth-shattering surprise. After all, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that over 20% of businesses fail during their first year.

Even if they manage to make it to their first anniversary, 40% of businesses fail within three years, and half have to close their doors within five years. Nearly two thirds fail within a decade, almost three quarters fail within 15 years, and nearly 80% fail within 20 years. No matter how profitable this man’s company was at one point, he should have known that that success wasn’t guaranteed to last forever.

When it comes to why so many small businesses fail, FreshBooks published a list of the most common reasons. First, lack of planning and poor choice of location can set companies up for failure. Not doing enough research is another huge mistake, as well as not having a solid business plan.

Having a poor pricing strategy, insufficient funds, cash flow problems or poor debt management can also sink a small business. It’s never a good idea to rely too heavily on one customer, and inadequate profits are a big issue. Of course, competition can also be a problem. And if there’s not enough demand in the market, a business is doomed. 

It’s not fair for one partner to be responsible for taking care of their entire family

It’s heartbreaking to have to close the doors of a business you’ve dedicated decades of your life to. But unfortunately, that’s not a valid reason to shift all of your family’s financial burden onto your partner. Having a conversation with your spouse about the fact that they need to find a job certainly won’t be easy. But Dr. Natalie Jones, PsyD, says it’s necessary when one partner refuses to work.

If your spouse or partner won’t get a job to contribute to the household, Dr. Jones says it’s crucial to put your own and your family’s needs first. Make sure that you have an emergency fund set aside for yourself, and ensure that your family won’t ever be without food or unable to pay the bills.

It’s also possible that your spouse may be taking advantage of you financially. If they refuse to put in any effort to resolve the issue, it might be time to consider whether or not this relationship is actually worth it. And if you’re feeling unhappy, overworked and overextended, make sure that you have a safe space where you can talk about that. You deserve to have support, especially if you’re not getting it from your partner.

We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. How would you respond if you were in the author’s shoes? Then, you can find another Bored Panda article discussing similar family drama right here.    

Readers assured the woman that her feelings were valid, and many noted that her husband needs to find a job ASAP

They say timing is everything — and that’s a lesson I’ve learned the hard way.

Today, I’m building a startup I truly believe in. But the truth is, this journey didn’t start last year. It began more than 20 years ago — with a big idea, the wrong timing and some painful but necessary lessons that would shape everything I’m doing now.

How it started

In 2007, inspired by platforms like Craigslist and LinkedIn, I set out to bring a new kind of online platform to life. I had a strong concept, but not the technical skills to build it alone. So I partnered with a close friend who could fill that gap.

At first, we were excited. But over time, cracks formed — our visions didn’t align, our strategies drifted, and financial pressure mounted. Eventually, we had to walk away.

It was disappointing, even devastating. But I never stopped believing in the core idea. Instead, I paused to reflect on what went wrong, what I’d learned, and what I needed to do differently next time.

That reflection helped shape both who I am and how I operate today.

Related: When My Startup Failed, I Was Hopeless and Left in Tears. Here Are the Lessons That Helped Me Restart and Launch Three Successful Companies.

What I learned (the first time around)

• Learning never stops: Your best insights often come from others. Lean into your network — mentors, peers, even critics. Learning from others and sharing your own experience creates a powerful loop of growth.
• Be willing to adapt: Even with a great idea, you have to stay flexible. Whether you’re launching or scaling, being able to pivot when needed isn’t a weakness — it’s a survival skill.

Getting it right the second time

• Start with clarity: A shared vision is critical. Before launching, make sure you and your co-founder(s) are aligned on goals, roles, and long-term expectations. Misalignment early on will cost you later.
• Be honest with yourself and your team: Ask the hard questions up front: Why are we doing this? What problem are we solving? Who are we solving it for? If your answers don’t match, it’s time to regroup.
• Culture matters as much as code: Yes, you need technical talent. But you also need people who share your values, collaborate well, and grow with the company. Don’t underestimate cultural fit — it makes or breaks teams.

If you build it, will they come?

This time around, I approached things differently. I didn’t just assume the idea was good — I tested it. I asked:

Are we solving a real problem?
Does the market need this now?
What’s our unique value proposition (UVP)?
Why would anyone choose us?

Customer-first thinking became the foundation. Instead of building what we thought was valuable, we built what the market actually needed — and made sure our solution stayed relevant.

Getting tactical: what every founder needs to consider

• Do your homework: Understand your industry, track trends, study user behavior and know your competition.
• Create a strategy: Write a business plan. Forecast your finances. Know your funding options.
• Formalize the business: Register your company, get your EIN, licenses, permits, and build your legal foundation properly.
• Build the right team: Use your network to find people who align with your mission and culture.
• Sell the vision: Know your customer, refine your message and create a product or service they actually want.

Related: 10 Lessons I Learned From Failing My First Acquisition

Final thoughts

Be both sales-driven and market-aware. Know your audience — where they get information, what problems they face, what resonates with them. Your customer acquisition strategy should be informed by real data, not just instinct.

And most importantly, keep an open mind. Inspiration can come from anywhere — a conversation, a failure, a new connection. The more you listen, the more likely you are to spot those game-changing ideas.

Building something meaningful takes time. For me, it took over 20 years. But every setback, misstep and restart has made this journey — and this version of the startup — infinitely more grounded and more real.

Ready to break through your revenue ceiling? Join us at Level Up, a conference for ambitious business leaders to unlock new growth opportunities.