Welcome to the Modern Husbands podcast, where any combination of Dr. Bruce Ross, Christian Sherrill, and Brian Page host national experts who share winning ideas to manage money and the home as a team.

I’m Brian Page, founder of Modern Husbands. Sometimes our listeners want more support than a podcast can give, individual or couple support, which I now provide. Details can be found at modernhusbands.com.

Today’s podcast is the first of a three part series: Empowering Men to Partner or Lead at Home: When She Earns More.

Today’s guests are Dr. Gary Barker, Ed Coambs, and Melissa Hogenboom.

Dr. Barker is the President and CEO of Equimundo. He is an internationally recognized expert on engaging men and boys in gender equality work.

Ed Coambs is a licensed marriage and family therapist, financial planner, and founder of Healthy Love and Money. He helps couples uncover the emotional roots of money stress, especially in relationships where earning dynamics are unequal.

Melissa Hogenboom is a BBC journalist and author of the book Breadwinners: The Next Chapter of the Fight for Equality, which examines the social and relational impact of female breadwinning.

Our conversation will focus on overcoming the unique challenges and dynamics in female breadwinning relationships.

Enjoy the show.

Questions

00:00 Introduction
01:25 You've worked with families across 40+ countries. What are some universal patterns you see when women become the primary earners?
06:09 In researching your book Breadwinners, what surprised you most about how female earners experience their relationships?
09:00 What are the emotional undercurrents behind money tension when she earns more?
16:22 What advice would you give couples trying to “rewrite the script” when roles flip?
21:15 How can couples begin uncovering and addressing money shame or resentment?
29:26 What cultural shifts do you think are needed—and possible?
32:01 Are the algorithms of social media adding to the belief that it’s “men vs. women” facing today’s challenges?
36:33 What types of men generally embrace relationships that include a female breadwinner, and what can we learn from them?
39:27 What does financial intimacy really look like in these relationships?
41:58 How can female breadwinners make their partners feel valued and loved for who they are?

Subscribe or follow Modern Husbands on social media!

Newsletter
Facebook
YouTube
LinkedIn
Instagram
Twitter
TikTok
Substack

A conversation with Emily Bouchard, coauthor of Estate Planning for the Blended Family

Welcome to the Modern Husbands podcast, where any combination of Dr. Bruce Ross, Christian Sherrill, and Brian Page host national experts who share winning ideas to manage money and the home as a team.

I’m Brian Page, founder of Modern Husbands. Sometimes our listeners want more support than a podcast can give, individual or couple support, which I now provide. Details can be found at modernhusbands.com or you can email me at brian@modernhusbands.com.

For today’s podcast we welcome Emily Bouchard. Emily is a Leadership and Legacy Consultant at a US Bank own firm who specializes in supporting blended families. She also co-authored Estate Planning for the Blended Family and Beginners Guide to Purposeful Prenups.

Today’s discussion centers around estate planning and considerations in blended families. Enjoy the show.

00:00 Introduction
01:05 Can you explain what a blended family is and the different forms of blended families?
02:33 Where does your passion to support blended families come from?
06:00 Why is estate planning particularly important for blended families?
8:46 What are some of the most common financial challenges that blended families face when it comes to estate planning?
13:38 Can you discuss any specific tax considerations that blended families should be aware of when setting up their estate plans?
16:45 How should blended families approach the issue of guardianship to ensure that there are no conflicts among family members?
19:13 Could you explain the benefits of using trusts in estate planning for blended families?
22:53 Could you share any real-life examples that highlight unique solutions or common pitfalls in estate planning for blended families?
24:20: About Emily’s book
26:32 What is the single most important piece of advice you would give to couples in a blended family to ensure their estate planning is successful?

Subscribe or follow Modern Husbands on social media!

Newsletter
Facebook
YouTube
LinkedIn
Instagram
Twitter
TikTok
Substack

Welcome to the Modern Husbands podcast, where any combination of Dr. Bruce Ross, Christian Sherrill, and Brian Page host national experts who share winning ideas to manage money and the home as a team.

I’m Brian Page, founder of Modern Husbands. Sometimes our listeners want more support than a podcast can give, individual or couple support, which I provide as an Accredited Financial Counselor and Fair Play Facilitator. Details can be found at modernhusbands.com.

For today’s episode we welcome Laura Danger, a licensed educator, facilitator, and domestic-equity advocate who has collaborated with the Fair Play team and is known on social media as @ThatDarnChat. Her book, No More Mediocre: A Call to Reimagine Our Relationships and Demand More, combines candid interviews, personal stories, and research to expose how unpaid domestic labor — and dynamics like “weaponized incompetence” — shape inequity in relationships.

In today’s conversation we explore the complexities of emotional labor in relationships, the importance of communication, and strategies for creating equitable home systems. Laura also shares insights from her book, emphasizing the need for curiosity and intentionality in relationships, and offers actionable advice for couples seeking to enhance their connection and reduce resentment.

Enjoy the show.

Show Questions

00:00 Introduction

01:53 Let’s start with sharing with the audience a little bit about you and your family.

03:36 In the book, you describe the moment you and Jack realized you were stuck in a loop: you carried the mental load, and he felt unsure how to jump in. What helped you both break that pattern?

06:31 You write about the “Nag Paradox” and how women become narrators of their partner’s tasks. What is the first step for couples stuck in that dynamic?

09:50 Can you define emotional labor and explain why it is so difficult to shoulder?

12:30 You say conflict isn’t something to avoid, but an opportunity for connection and clarity. How can couples begin treating conflict as collaboration?

15:28 You talk about good faith a lot. How can couples distinguish “won’t do” from “doesn’t know how yet?”

20:04 What is weaponized incompetence and can you provide gender stereotypical examples of men and women doing it?

29:55 You and Jack implemented meetings, shared task reviews, and even safe words for stressful conversations. What changes were most transformative?

33:17 Many couples think they need “more help,” when what they actually need is systems.
What does a functional, equitable home system look like in practice?

37:12 Where do you see the most immediate wins for couples who want to reduce resentment and increase connection?

41:08 What would you say to a man who genuinely wants to “do more” but feels overwhelmed or afraid of getting it wrong?

44:08 If every listener could adopt one habit this week to make their relationship less mediocre and more connected, what would it be?

45:00 Where can listeners purchase your book and learn more about you?

Purchase the book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/737921/no-more-mediocre-by-laura-dang

Subscribe or follow Modern Husbands on social media!

Newsletter
Facebook
YouTube
LinkedIn
Instagram
Twitter
TikTok
Substack