I used to have a very different picture of what my life would look like and who I'd be sharing it with. If I'm being totally honest, I always imagined that I'd marry another creative or designer like myself. I had this grandiose plan that we'd join forces and spend our days making incredible things together, with no discernible line between work and play.

Then I found Sam—a hard-working, strong-willed, volleyball-playing, IT guy with the absolute best heart. He wasn't what I'd always considered my “type” to be, but life's funny that way. Sam wasn't what I expected, but he's exactly what I needed.

When Form Marries Function

When it comes to how we operate, Sam and I are polar opposites. IT versus design. Function versus form. Logic versus emotion. I want to make everything beautiful, and he wants it to be as efficient and inexpensive as possible.

Our differences come up constantly, from decorating our home to planning getaways and even making quesadillas (mastering that 1st flip was quite the ordeal). Of course it can be a bit of a struggle, but our differences have also taught us both so much.

As we celebrate our first wedding anniversary and my first 6 months of owning a small business, I can't tell you how much I've grown. I've discovered so many parallels between my marriage and business, and my relationship with Sam has taught me so many priceless lessons I use constantly in my business. So without further ado, I'd love to share a few of my favorites.