Wedding vows. The short-but-meaningful phrases we promise to our loved one the day we tie the knot. Be it in sickness and in health or for richer or for poorer, we make a pact to stick together through it all.

But what about the trials and tribulations of 40-hour work weeks with sick kids at home, and late-night board meetings while dinner’s expected on the table by six? Making it work through those times could be the ultimate test.

Married couples across the country constantly struggle to balance the responsibilities of working long hours, trying to spend time with each other and possibly caring for their children, too. What if one partner constantly travels? Or the couples’ schedules are completely opposite?

And how do you keep the romance alive when all you feel like doing is coming home from work and calling it a night? Eager to find a solution, more couples are turning to franchise ownership as a way to gain control of their work/home life - and still bring home the bacon. Franchising gives husband-and-wife teams the opportunity to capitalize on a turnkey business model, recognized branding, training and more, all the while allowing couples to be their own bosses.

Such opportunities provide greater flexibility than a traditional corporate job, freeing up more time to spend with the family - and each other. It’s also a great way for former stay-at-home moms to reenter the workforce in an industry about which they feel passionately.

Case in point: Debbie Rubin, former full-time mom and avid pet lover from Coral Springs, FL, wanted to go back to work and invest in a business where she and her husband Mike could have fun.

After hours of researching franchise concepts, the couple discovered a mobile pet grooming franchise that turned out to be the fastest-growing franchise of its type in the United States. It proved to be right up their alley.

But franchising isn’t always a way to "get back into" working. It can also be a nice change of pace - a promotion, if you will - from working at one business to owning the next.

For example, Jeff Stockton of Hermitage, TN, began his career in technology and pharmaceutical sales, but he always pictured himself owning his own business. After working with an advisor from the FranChoice Network, Stockton decided that a franchise with a business-to-business focus would be an ideal fit for his background in sales.

Jeff and his wife, Maggie, opened their Nashville-area franchise, an emergency restoration service business providing services to insurance companies and property owners for water damage, mold, smoke, fire clean-up, and trauma events, in April 2006

Although he had never envisioned being in the mitigation and restoration industry, Jeff said his entrepreneurial spirit drove his decision to invest in a franchise (both his father and grandfather owned their own businesses), and the one he chose met his criteria for strong market potential.

Jeff couldn’t have done it without Maggie’s support and efforts in launching the business and making it a success; because when it comes down to partnering in franchising, first thing’s first - find someone you can trust, and someone who has your back through it all!

That seems to be a common denominator with husband and wife franchisee teams. Working together can bring a sense of security; they are each others’ most trusted advisors.

But don’t be mistaken; similar to marriage, owning a business has its growing pains and challenges. Knowing when to work together is just as important as knowing when to stay out of each other’s way!

Frank and Libet Callahan, franchisees of Right At Home, a company that offers in-home supportive care and personal care assistance to seniors and disabled adults, seem to have found the perfect solution to "minding their own business."

They’ve made a pact to stop talking about business the moment they step into the car after work. Though the couple acknowledges that this isn’t the easiest task to complete, they know their two teenage daughters at home appreciate it. And dinner-table talk can be a lot more exciting!

Another benefit to owning a franchise together with your spouse is the ability to split tasks. Since two heads are better than one, time-consuming and detail-oriented projects can be tackled together, and responsibilities can be divided among the two co-owners based on their background and talents for greater efficiency and organization. That was the case for information technology industry franchisees Phil and Debi Bush.

As Debi describes, Phil was the driving force in purchasing their IT industry franchise, a company that offers information technology (IT) professional services and products to small and mid-sized businesses.

Confident in his wife’s professional background in sales and client relationships, Phil asked Debi to participate and turn their franchise opportunity into a family business. Though it was challenging in the beginning, the couple made sure to allocate exactly which roles each would take on and helped each other stick to them. The balance they reached worked perfectly, and they’ve achieved great success.

Home decorating franchisees Dan and Connie Kerth share a similar story as the Bushes. The couple wanted to have control over their futures and constantly asked themselves where do we go from here?

Being a handy-man, Dan was drawn to a specific company, a franchise specializing in custom window treatments. Through research about the company and speaking with the franchisor, Connie and Dan were confident it was the right choice for them.

Dan often jokes that a pro and con of owning a business with his wife is one in the same: they share the same goals. They both felt strongly that the more time they invested in the business, the more successful it would become.

In the beginning, they had a hard time escaping work - and rarely wanted to! But two years later, Dan reveals that they are becoming experts at allocating their time.

Direct marketing franchisee team Chris and Carolyn Wilson understand this in more ways than one. Prior to purchasing their franchise, the couple held management positions at separate Walgreens drugstore locations. At times, Carolyn had to work late hours, while Chris’s Walgreens was in a neighboring town, too far to run home to catch one of their two daughters’ gymnastic classes. Although the Wilsons now work more hours, they have the freedom of creating their own schedules - and they can work from the comfort of their own home. Key point here? Many franchise businesses can be run just as successfully from home as from a storefront location.

Mobile kitchen and bath remodeling franchises are a great example. Franchisees can work from home and bring samples and blueprints directly to the client. That proved to be a major selling point for Steve and Karen Mulligan. The franchise concept they selected jumped out at them. Steve could own a business doing exactly what he loved, and Karen had more flexibility to stay home with the family. She was also excited to own a business which required little travel, unlike her former career.

The couple can now coordinate who will pick up their son from school, attend his sports activities and help with homework.

The opportunities for husband and wife business teams are endless, whether it’s a solution to finding ways to spend more quality time with loved ones, a partnership made in heaven or a perfect fit to your professional background.

My best advice? Take the time to talk with your spouse about your business dreams and goals, understand how these aspirations fit into your family life and map out a plan with your preferences.