3 Secrets of Couples Who Run A Business Together While Still Keeping An Intimate Relationship
Think about it, couples in business together are inseparable. You spend large amounts of hours working on business projects together, then you go home and also sleep in the same bed, only to repeat the routine the next day. You may work with a team, or work separately on some days, but ultimately your professional and personal lives are intertwined. On the upside, many couples are not afforded the luxury of spending much time together. Factors like high-demand careers, working in different locations, and having different aspirations, affect the quality of time spent by couples. Working together may just be the solution to this.
Here are three key aspects that I believe make for a happy and intimate relationship with your spouse despite the hours spent working together professionally:
1. Open and honest communication
We all know that the root cause of most fights and misunderstandings is the lack of communication. Conversations, where issues and concerns are brought up, are hard to have, especially in a complex setting where your personal and professional lives clash so much. The likely scenario is that you will go on a tangent, and that is okay, as long as you address your main concerns and figure out a strategy that moves you forward.
Now, you may ask yourself, ‘But where do we begin?’
If you are not sure how to start this conversation or how to properly incorporate the right strategy into your business plan, consider letting a third-party professional, such as a couple’s business coach, help identify these with you.
Certain topics that you should consider bringing up are:
- How both of you worked as professionals in your previous roles
- What your motivations are
- What you expect of each other in a work and personal setting
2. Personal vs. Professional
The secret to having a happy and intimate relationship with your partner outside of work is, how you set boundaries together. Couples in business together is not a desirable title for everyone, but if you set boundaries with your partner, you get to establish a clear line of communication between the do’s and don’ts. This will get you going in the right direction. Talk to your spouse to determine what behavior you will accept and what you will not. What behavior or action makes you or your spouse feel discomfort, resentment, stress, anxiety, or guilt? As husband and wife, avoid making each other feel taken advantage of or underappreciated. This will look different to every married couple. Some are more laid back, while some have preexisting triggers that could make them feel and act negatively about the partnership.
The rules are simple: couples in business together should treat work as work, and marriage as marriage. If a problem arises at home, you and your spouse should be able to maintain the same level of respect when working together. Show up on time, do what is agreed in the contract, and meet KPIs. Do not be passive-aggressive. In a scenario where your spouse is your boss or vice versa, tensions may arise, but don’t let this get to the both of you. If targets are not met, address it like how you would to a colleague from your previous workplaces. If anything, working with your spouse makes you more accountable for your work, as both your futures are on the line.
After the work is done, it is time for you and your spouse to switch off ‘work-mode’ and leave the business problems aside. The beauty of working together is that your days off and vacations are highly likely to be aligned. This means that you have more time to enjoy the things you wanted to tick off your bucket list with your spouse. A hike? A weekend getaway? All these are now more feasible, as there are little to no time or location constraints to your marriage!
3. A better understanding of each other
Personally, seeing the person you are married to working at the desk next to you does not seem like a bad sight. I get to see firsthand how dedicated my husband is to his work, and this motivates me to work hard too.
Being in business with your spouse is an opportunity to improve your communication skills, learn about each other’s strengths, weaknesses, and even the little perks that you may not see at home. In the long run, you and your partner may begin to develop a stronger sense of mutual respect, which ultimately unifies and strengthens your marriage. Yes, you will share losses and problems that will clog your seemingly perfect ‘power couple’ title. However, once you get through the hurdles properly, by complying with the boundaries you talked about in the beginning, you will come out as strong business partners. Truly, the relationship will become more intimate and stronger if both sides pull the right strings, help each other out, and set the right boundaries. As someone who is in a business partnership with my husband, I can guarantee that the battle will only be won if both of you work on it together.
About the author, Sheles Wallace
Sheles is an award-winning business coach who gets results for her clients.
For over 15 years, she has helped business owners achieve their goals and
take their businesses to the next level. If you're ready to take the next
step in your business evolution and go from an owner who wears all hats to
creating a commercial, profitable enterprise that runs without you, find out
more here: https://calendly.com/sheles/introduction?month=2021-06
