Kati Seward: What a Supportive Spouse Actually Looks and Sounds Like in Real Life

In this episode of Burning the Ships, Jason sits down with the most important person in his life — his wife Kati — for an honest conversation recorded in honor of their wedding anniversary. Kati has been the quiet backbone behind everything Jason has built, and this is the first time listeners get to hear the story from her side.

They talk about how they met on a blind date that almost ended early, Kati's decade-long journey as a teacher from special education to second grade, and what it actually looked like for her when Jason decided to leave a stable career and go all in on entrepreneurship. Kati opens up about her lifelong battle with anxiety — what it felt like at its worst, how it affected their relationship in the early years, and the strategies she has used to get to a much healthier place. She also shares what she told Jason the night he needed to hear something real before turning in his resignation letter.

This episode is for anyone building something big while trying to be a great partner and parent at the same time. It is a reminder that burning the ships is rarely a solo decision — and that the person standing beside you makes all the difference.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:25 Introducing Kati Seward and why Jason had to beg her to come on for two years

01:10 JJ's joke of the week — fitting for a teacher

03:13 How Jason and Kati met on a blind date in 2006 and the escape plan that never got used

05:33 Kati's side of the blind date story and her own secret exit strategy

07:05 Growing up wanting to be a teacher and the elementary school teachers who never gave up on her

08:25 Going back to college as an adult to finish her degree and graduating in 2015

11:55 How her special ed experience made her a better mom to JJ and Emma

13:25 What she has taught Jason about meeting kids — and adults — where they are