5 Telltale Signs You Need A Couples In Business Coach

The one question me and my husband get when we tell people we work together is whether or not we fight while working together. Usually, we tend to stay away from the word ‘fight’ as I feel like it signifies us as a complete disaster - which we are not. In all honesty, arguments arise now and then, but it is never a reason for us to quit both our marriage and our careers. We have learned to be more straightforward with each other, resolve miscommunications, and move forward from there.

In the beginning, we encountered a lot of friction, but what helped us adapt to our new lifestyle was hiring a coach who helped us understand each other better, clarify our business matters and keep our personal lives outside the office as much as possible.

If you feel overwhelmed, tired, or unclear on how you and your partner can navigate through entrepreneurship harmoniously, take comfort in knowing that I am on this journey with you. Here are five telltale signs that show that your work-life friction with your partner may be more than just a battle you resolve in closed doors. I urge you to tick through the behaviors that resonate with your situation the most.

1. You bring the casual home-approach to the office

As a couple, you may have a very casual division of labor at home such as, who does the cooking, who walks the dog, or who takes out the bin. More often than not, these roles are not verbally defined and there is nothing wrong with that unless your household is in complete chaos.

When it comes to a business setting, it’s time to amp up your formalities and create structured and well-defined roles that you and your spouse will be splitting. Sit down and discuss your strengths and what values you can add to the business so far. Who is the prime decision-maker and why? How are you going to keep track of your productivity? If one does not meet their targets, how are you going to get back on track? Talk about everything from dividend payouts to disciplinary measures and it is best to write them down. If you have not asked those questions and put those into writing yet, then now is the time to do so.

2. You are unclear of your work-life boundaries

I understand that while it is nice to have a physical barrier to separate ‘work’ matters and ‘husband and wife’ matters, it may not be possible for everyone to achieve this, due to the current socio-economic crisis. However, what we can do, instead, is develop time-stamped boundaries. As a rule, we don't discuss work when we eat our meals at home, or late at night before we go to sleep. If you find yourselves having a hard time untangling work problems from home and vice versa, it might be a good idea to discuss these business and personal boundaries with each other.

3. You give each other the silent treatment

As mentioned before, arguments and miscommunication are a part of being in a relationship, as well as, in a business partnership. It becomes critical, however, if these arguments are not resolved as soon as possible or if one person tends to drag the case after it is ‘resolved’.

Studies show that we tend to use more emotion as a basis for making decisions around people we value the most. This includes exhibiting behavior that is less sensitive and less professional, even in the workplace. If you and your partner find yourselves crossing that line of, “but we are in a relationship so I can say it or do it as I want to,” then it is best to rethink your roles. Acting unprofessional destroys productivity, and in turn, affects the success of your business. It is also important to have a network of other friends- not for you to air out dirty laundry related to your business or partner, but to find different avenues to express yourself and come back with clarity on how to best portray yourself as an individual, partner, and colleague.

4. You don’t hold your marriage/relationship to a higher standard

Let’s say that the business is a long-term dream of both you and your partner, but found out that there are many conflicting parts within the business that you both struggle with. Deadlines are not met, your partner disagrees with a certain change of rule, etc. There are so many things that can and will go wrong and it can get overwhelming.

When this happens to me, I keep this in mind:

My husband is more important to me than the business as a whole. I have so much respect and admiration for him as a person and how far our business has come with his help. We both want this business to succeed but not at the expense of our relationship. If we had any problems in the business, we both give constructive criticism, set our expectations, and be clear on what procedures to follow in order to become better for each other.

5. Your business is not growing as much as you think it should

There are plenty of external reasons why your business is not growing, but ultimately as a key decision-maker, you should strive to look for ways to keep your business growing - whether that is in retaining clients or getting new ones. In most cases, a business becomes stagnant because you stopped adapting to new ways to amplify it. It takes careful strategy and forward planning to achieve this. The best way to do this is, by getting a coach to help you with your mindset and planning, ultimately keeping you and your spouse on track so you can reach your business goals.

If you would like to know more about my services, I offer a free discovery call for couples in businesses together. I will help you strategize and get off the rut so that you can both work as a power couple and dominate your industry.

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