Reminder for people who are running startups and are in serious relationships: nothing should be a secret from your spouse/partner. Especially money.
Maybe they're supporting you so you can recycle every dollar of revenue back into the business. Maybe you're gambling your shared savings on the success of your venture. Maybe you've got a good financial position and your family will be safe no matter what.
It doesn't matter. Tell your spouse. Get their advice. You don't have to take it, but they are a valuable resource to you, someone you can trust to listen to you, keep your secrets and have a different perspective.
It should not come as a surprise to him/her that the shutdown is likely; the shock of "no, it's definitely over" should only be a small bump.
Then you can both live through it, and go on to the next thing you have to do.
THIS! I can't get behind oscarthegrouch who thought it was important to articulate the worst case scenarios in a case like this, because regardless the next steps are the same, but this advice is gold.
Dont get to this point and surprise your partner. She is as much your partner financially as your co-founder, treat her like that from day one.
This point cannot be stressed enough. If you hide stuff from your spouse about money, you're going down a real bad road. If your life at home is shaky, there is no way you are going to be able to lift a business successfully. The two cannot be siloed off from one another.
If your spouse / partner _doesn't_ want to have these conversations, you have larger problems. One signpost that my marriage was doomed was my wife's shock at the possibility the business might fail, and her refusal to discuss the possibility.
Maybe they're supporting you so you can recycle every dollar of revenue back into the business. Maybe you're gambling your shared savings on the success of your venture. Maybe you've got a good financial position and your family will be safe no matter what.
It doesn't matter. Tell your spouse. Get their advice. You don't have to take it, but they are a valuable resource to you, someone you can trust to listen to you, keep your secrets and have a different perspective.
It should not come as a surprise to him/her that the shutdown is likely; the shock of "no, it's definitely over" should only be a small bump.
Then you can both live through it, and go on to the next thing you have to do.