Woman of Influence with Julie Solomon

Episode: Money, Meaning, and Marriage: How We Navigate Partnership Through Change with Jonathon Schaech
Date: January 14, 2026

Episode Overview

In this heartfelt and deeply authentic conversation, Julie Solomon sits down with her husband, actor and creator Jonathon Schaech, to explore the intricate intersections of money, meaning, and marriage. Together, they dissect the challenges and growth that come with evolving careers, shifting identities, and creative partnership within a marriage. Aimed at high-level, ambitious women (and their partners), this episode offers rare, honest insights into navigating love, fear, trust, and ambition—especially as two creative, entrepreneurial individuals raising a family.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Money: What We’re Really Arguing About

• "If we fight, it's usually some fear is involved... usually I'm scared—of running out of money."
  — Jonathon Schaech [04:03]
• Both discuss how, while money sparks disagreements, the real issues are underlying fears and meaning.
• Jonathon grew up with financial insecurity as a working actor, never knowing when the next paycheck would arrive, and carries a deeply-rooted fear around financial stability as a provider.
• Julie acknowledges her own pattern of "aiming disturbingly too high," creating cycles of risk, stress, and repair—a legacy of not pausing and fully trusting.
• They highlight the importance of allowing each other to move at different speeds—Julie speeds up, Jonathon slows down—balancing each other in financial decisions.
• Memorable insight: Disagreements about money often reveal past wounds and anxieties, not just logistical issues—communication and space are vital.

2. Partnership Through Change: Evolving Identities & Roles

• "What has it been like to be married to someone whose identity and business have evolved so many times?" — Julie [11:27]
• Jonathon embraces Julie’s many reinventions (from PR to strategist to coach), crediting his own adaptability from the shifting landscape of Hollywood.
• "I've always wanted you to try what your dreams are... I'm part of it, but I'm not going to try to control your life." — Jonathon [12:13]
• They reflect on how mutual respect for each other’s autonomy is foundational—a conscious effort not to control or diminish the other's path.
• Vulnerability about finances early on (including a "maxed-out credit card moment") prompted more openness and trust, shifting the dynamic toward true partnership.

3. Collaboration, Not Competition

• "As two creative people, how have you learned to make room for both of your dreams, without it becoming a competition or a hierarchy?" — Julie [16:48]
• Jonathon’s take: "It’s not up to me, and it’s not up to you—it’s up to a much bigger equation. Some people call it fate." [16:56]
• Both intentionally structure their work lives to support flexibility (e.g., Julie making her business mobile to travel for Jonathon’s filming).
• "You've always been really sovereign in your own abilities... If you're not truly secure in what you're doing, the desire to push someone else’s down becomes more prevalent." — Julie [18:56]

4. Support and Belief in Each Other’s Business

• The dynamic shifted once Jonathon fully saw and believed in Julie’s potential (even while navigating skepticism or confusion about her evolving business models).
• "They need to work on their soul... Controlling a woman is a definitely control issue. Power, fear, and also morals and values. Some men just don’t see women as equal." — Jonathon [21:21]
• Trust, faith, and ethics (including shared spirituality) are named as crucial values supporting their marriage and business partnership.

5. Faith, Sobriety, and Personal Growth

• Jonathon credits his sobriety as a turning point for himself and their marriage:
  "Once I got on the other side of that hurdle, life’s been different. Our relationship’s been different." [23:15]
• Julie appreciates reaching a phase in their marriage where self-growth doesn’t require “fixing” the other anymore:
  "When I work on myself now, I’m not in there talking about my husband this and my husband that..." [15:48]
• They discuss the importance of coming together spiritually and committing to “something bigger than us”—which has been an anchor through challenge and change.

6. Location, Environment, and Nervous System Regulation

• Moving from LA to Nashville facilitated newfound peace for Jonathon.
• "Moving here...calmed your nervous system and recalibrated a sense of peace in you that I don’t even think we realized you needed." — Julie [26:25]
• Letting go of the “Hollywood grind” allowed for more creativity, clarity, and family connection.

7. Career Wisdom: Finding Your Unique Value

• Jonathon shares advice from renowned acting coach Roy London:
  "You have to figure out who you are as an actor—and that’s the product you have to put out there. The most successful people play the same role over and over again and go deep, not broad." [39:21-41:16]
• Julie draws a parallel to entrepreneurship: be the “only” at what you do, not just the best.
• Both urge listeners to own their creative expression, avoid spreading themselves thin, and find their unique value proposition.

8. Advice for Listeners: Navigating Unsupportive Partners

• Jonathon encourages men to address underlying control or fear, recommending self-work and soul-searching:
  "They need to work on their control issues. Controlling a woman is definitely a control issue… some men just don’t see women as equal." [21:21]
• Both stress the need for openness and trusting each other’s process.

9. Hollywood, Purpose, and Hopes for the Industry

• Jonathon’s hope:
  "I hope Hollywood can come home—meaning, to my heart, not just my house. I want to stay in the good, to work rooted in what’s real and creative." [46:45]
• Expresses desire for less industry “grind,” more collaboration, more authenticity, and greater alignment with values.
• Julie: “If it can get back to the home, then it gets back to the root of what artistic and creative expression really is.” [47:35]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On money and meaning:
  "When we fight about money, we’re not fighting about the money, we’re fighting about the meaning." — Julie [03:55]
• On fear as an undercurrent:
  "If we fight, we’re fighting because usually I’m scared." — Jonathon [03:59]
• On roots of support:
  "I just need to show her everything... so there's no mystery, she knows where we're at. And I gave everything to you." — Jonathon [13:52]
• On supporting evolving dreams:
  "I've always wanted you to, you know, try what your dreams are, what you really want, and to try and back that the best that I can." — Jonathon [12:13]
• On creative careers and self-discovery:
  "You have to figure out who you are, and that’s the product you put out there. Go deep, not wide." — Jonathon [39:21]
• On partnership hierarchy avoidance:
  "It’s just—it's not up to me and it's not up to you." — Jonathon [16:56]
• On spiritual anchoring:
  "There's always something greater than me that's taking care of the both of us." — Jonathon [15:08]
• On control and equality in partnership:
  "Controlling a woman is definitely a control issue... some men just don’t see women as equal." — Jonathon [21:21]
• On the post-sobriety marriage:
  "Once I got on the other side of that hurdle, life's been different. Our relationship's been different." — Jonathon [23:15]
• On creative identity:
  "Don't be the best, be the only." — Julie (attrib. to Derek Warburton) [41:42]

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 03:00 Money & fear dynamics in marriage
• 06:28 Julie on personal patterns around “aiming high” and trust
• 11:27 Navigating marriage as one or both evolve in identity/career
• 16:48 Making space for both partners' creative dreams
• 21:21 On male partners struggling to support women’s business
• 23:15 Sobriety’s impact on marriage and self-growth
• 26:25 The effect of moving to Nashville, nervous system healing
• 39:21 Roy London & finding your unique “role”—career wisdom
• 41:42 Differentiation/expertise: “Don’t be the best, be the only”
• 46:45 Jonathon’s hope for Hollywood and creative work

Tone and Flow

This episode is intimate, candid, and refreshingly real—full of gentle humor, lived wisdom, and plenty of moments where both hosts model vulnerability and mutual respect. Both Julie and Jonathon show how trust, faith, and intentional partnership can support personal and professional growth, even through missteps and evolving dreams. There’s an undercurrent of hope, spiritual anchoring, and belief in the power of creative self-knowledge.

For Listeners: Key Takeaways

• Money fights aren't about money—they reveal deeper fears and values. Honesty and patience are crucial.
• Support your partner’s evolution, even if it’s unfamiliar or messy; control only leads to resentment.
• Stability and security in a relationship release both partners to pursue their dreams fiercely.
• True partnership is not competitive: flexibility, open communication, and a secure sense of self make both partners’ creative fulfillment possible.
• Spirituality, mutual respect, and vulnerability foster longevity and resilience within marriage and entrepreneurship.
• To flourish creatively and in business, figure out your unique essence—and don’t be afraid to go “narrow and deep.”
• If your partner struggles to support you, encourage them to address their own fears and control issues.
• Success comes down to stewardship (not ownership), letting go of unhealthy grind culture, and leading from your authentic self.

For more candid insight into marriage, evolving identities, and creative leadership, listen to the full episode or follow Julie (@julssolomon) and Jonathon (@jonathonschaech) on social media. Blue Ridge Season 1 is streaming on Amazon Prime; Season 2 is in the works!