If you are a person who believes marriage looks like some perfect fairy tale ending from a childhood story, spontaneous romantic rendezvous in faraway places, and a union filled with a life partner who supports your every dream, goal and aspiration, I suggest you not read any further—you will not be happy with what I have to say. If, on the other hand, you are interested in sustaining a long-term union with a person with shared priorities and values, I suggest you learn to view marriage as a successful business partnership. I do not share this advice lightly.

In addition to being an Applied Positive Psychologist, I am a business owner and a business-owner coach, with a long-term marriage with someone who has been my partner in life and business. All of those life experiences have caused me to observe that the keys of a successful marriage are the same keys of success for any great business. Not very romantic you say. I say, read on.

5 Business Tips to a Successful Marriage

1. Money matters. In business, and in marriage, money matters. How you manage money, whether there is enough cash flow, whether you like debt or despise it, all matters. Actually, compatible money management matters more than compatible sexual appetite. Sexual appetite vacillates with age and duration of a union. How you handle money can actually get better as you work together on the business of your marriage.

2. There is no "I" in "team." Marriage is not a sole proprietorship, it’s a partnership. You got married to have a partner. Remember to consult your partner when making major decisions. Business partners each do their job to make the business work. Marriage partners who do their job and more, are rewarded with a successful marriage.

3. Plan for success. Businesses have strategic plans, quarterly reviews, and annual budgets. Successful marriages do too. If you do not regularly review the status of your marriage partnership, your financial hopes and dreams, and plan together to achieve them, you stand the chance of never achieving them individually or with your life partner.

4. Mediate, never lawyer-up. Whether in business or marriage, mediation attempts to preserve the integrity of a relationship and potentially continue the relationship with better understanding. In the world of lawyers and lawsuits, there are only winners and losers. In business, if you lose a lawsuit you usually only lose money. In marriage, if you lose, you lose your money and the dreams you had for your life. Mediate, never lawyer up.

5. Be a dedicated service provider. Customer service is said to make or break a business. Customer service providers focus on satisfying the needs of those they serve and helping you have the best experience every time you encounter them. Just imagine if you set the same goal toward your life partner. Imagine what married life would look like living with a happy customer (and being one too!).

Now do you see why a successful marriage looks more like a successful business than anything you ever read about in some fairy tale with a happy ending? Some say that we teach people how to treat us, but in business and marriage, too many times we don’t have enough time together to make the best decisions. The best part about looking at marriage as a successful business is that you view the relationship knowing you want to build a foundation that will last generations. You are actually focused on building something together instead of being swept off your feet in the moment. Businesses that are built to last have shared priorities and values. Marriages that pass the test of time are built on the same foundation.

Andrea Goeglein is an academically trained Applied Positive Psychologist. Andrea is a counselor, catalyst and personal mentor to CEOs of privately held companies and C-suite executives globally. Over her extensive career, she was a hotel owner and fast food franchisee, event organizer, CEO advisor, community activist, and author and media spokesperson. She is a recognized media expert in the application of positive psychology to daily life, business strategy and goal attainment. Andrea is an accredited Authentic Happiness Coach and authorized to administer Inscape Publishing’s DiSC Profile and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. If you would like to learn more about Andrea and her work go to www.ServingSuccess.com.