The husband-and-wife team always knew they’d start a business together, but they didn’t know it would improve their marriage.

Husband-and-wife team Jason and Lisa Hake said they knew that they would eventually leave the corporate world behind to start a business together, but that didn’t make it any easier to take the leap of faith.

“We had to jump off a cliff and hope the parachute would open,” Jason said of opening their own gourmet store, Sociale Make & Take Gourmet, in 2003. But, “this was always something that we wanted to do,” he said.

The couple, who met in college and have been married for 11 years, had to tap into their personal savings, 401(k)s and home equity. And as they tried to get their business off the ground, Jason left his job as an equity analyst with Piper Jaffray while, for the first year and a half, Lisa continued to work as a marketing manager in 3M’s (Charts) dental division.

In 2004, the Hakes opened two more Sociale stores and by 2006 they had turned their Minneapolis-based business idea into a franchise. Now there are 11 locations open or under development.

Even though the couple still log long hours at work, they say they have achieved a better balance between their careers and time with their children.

“We never spent this much time together before,” Jason said.

And Lisa appreciates the ability to work Tuesday through Thursday and spend Friday through Monday at home, but admits she misses her husband when he’s at the office and she’s not.

“We are together a lot and it’s really natural for us,” she said.

Lisa credits their strong professional partnership with defining, early on, what their individual roles would be in the business. “I know he’s better at the finance part than I am, and I’m better at the marketing,” Lisa said.

And the fact that they each have their own office helps too, she added.

But at the end of the day, “we absolutely love raising a family and growing a business together,” Lisa said.

CNN Money