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Tag: Working with a Spouse

  • I Work With My Spouse — Here’s How We Do It Successfully | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Working with your spouse might sound like a dream come true — or a complete nightmare — depending on who you ask. For my husband Derek and me, it’s been an incredible adventure. Over the years, we’ve teamed up to build multiple businesses, and while it’s had its challenges, it’s also brought us closer together in ways I never imagined. Along the way, we’ve learned a ton about navigating entrepreneurship as spouses, and today, I’m sharing what’s worked for us to make it not just functional but rewarding.

    Whether you’re thinking about starting a business with your spouse or trying to fine-tune your existing setup, here’s why working with your partner can be amazing and how to make it work and make it fun.

    1. Shared goals strengthen your bond

    When Derek and I first started working together, we quickly realized how powerful it is to share a vision. We’re not just working toward financial success; we’re creating something that reflects both of us, giving us a shared sense of purpose.

    For example, our first business hit a snag early on, and instead of panicking, we leaned on our collective goal: creating a strong foundation for our family. That shared mindset gave us the focus to come up with solutions together. It’s like building a house brick by brick — you’re both invested in the outcome, which strengthens your partnership in and out of the office.

    Related: The Truth About Being in Business With Your Spouse — How to Navigate Work and Life Together

    2. Built-in trust and understanding

    Running businesses requires trust, and who better to trust than your spouse? We know each other’s strengths and quirks inside and out, which makes decision-making more efficient. If I’m uncertain about something, I know I can count on his perspective and vice versa.

    For example, we once had to negotiate a risky deal to renovate and take over a nightclub. Because we trust each other’s judgment implicitly, we were able to approach it with confidence. Knowing someone has your back makes all the difference when you’re taking big risks.

    3. Complementary strengths double your capabilities

    One of the best parts of our partnership is playing to each other’s strengths. I’m all about seeing the big picture and creative strategies, while Derek excels at managing details and logistics.

    We divide tasks accordingly. For example, in one of our retail ventures, I focus on marketing and brand development while Derek crushes it with inventory management and finances. This synergy means we cover more ground and we’re not stepping on each other’s toes.

    4. Celebrating wins feels even sweeter

    There’s something extra special about celebrating achievements when you’ve worked together to make them happen. Whether it’s launching something new, hitting a sales milestone or tackling a big challenge, every victory feels more meaningful.

    I’ll never forget the time we opened a second location for one of our businesses. It was an amazing feeling. These shared moments make all the hard work worth it.

    Related: The Pros and Cons of Working With Your Spouse

    5 tips for making it work

    While the benefits of working with your spouse are plenty, it’s not always smooth sailing. Here are the strategies Derek and I use to keep our personal and professional worlds in sync.

    1. Define roles clearly

    One of the easiest ways to run into trouble is by not being clear on who does what. To avoid overlap and conflicts, Derek and I divide responsibilities based on our strengths and agree on who takes the lead in specific areas.

    For example, I oversee branding and customer engagement while Derek handles operations and finance. This ensures we both have ownership in different areas, which eliminates unnecessary debates and increases efficiency.

    2. Create boundaries between work and personal life

    When your business partner is also your spouse, it’s easy for work to take over every conversation — even dinner. To protect our personal time, we set boundaries.

    Sundays (sometimes) are strictly no-work zones. These boundaries give us the freedom to reconnect as a couple, separate from our business lives.

    3. Communicate openly and often

    Communication is key for any business partnership and when you’re working with your spouse, it becomes even more important. We schedule regular discussions about work projects, goals and challenges to stay aligned.

    That said, we’ve learned to tackle the tough conversations, too. At one point, I felt overwhelmed by juggling business demands and home responsibilities. By sharing how I felt, we were able to redistribute our workload and bring in extra help where needed. Being open about issues early prevents misunderstandings from brewing.

    4. Celebrate milestones — big and small

    It’s important to pause and recognize your achievements, even the small ones. Try to find ways to celebrate, whether it’s a dinner date after closing a big deal or a simple toast at home when you hit a new monthly goal.

    These little moments of joy make all the hard work feel worthwhile and they will keep you motivated for the road ahead.

    5. Don’t shoulder everything alone

    Just because we’re a team doesn’t mean we don’t rely on outside help. From hiring employees to outsourcing specialized tasks, we’ve learned the value of delegating.

    For example, after bringing on a great bookkeeper, Derek was able to free up time for strategic planning — a mutually beneficial move. Knowing when and where to ask for help keeps us focused on what we do best.

    Related: I Run a Business With My Husband. Here’s How We Make It Work (and How You Can, Too).

    Final thoughts

    Working with your spouse brings its fair share of challenges, but when done right, it can strengthen your relationship and create opportunities you never imagined. Derek and I have grown not just as entrepreneurs but as partners, learning to lean on each other’s strengths, celebrate victories and tackle challenges head-on.

    If you’re thinking about starting a venture with your spouse, go for it! With clear communication, defined roles and a shared sense of purpose, you can build something incredible together and have a lot of fun along the way.

    Working with your spouse might sound like a dream come true — or a complete nightmare — depending on who you ask. For my husband Derek and me, it’s been an incredible adventure. Over the years, we’ve teamed up to build multiple businesses, and while it’s had its challenges, it’s also brought us closer together in ways I never imagined. Along the way, we’ve learned a ton about navigating entrepreneurship as spouses, and today, I’m sharing what’s worked for us to make it not just functional but rewarding.

    Whether you’re thinking about starting a business with your spouse or trying to fine-tune your existing setup, here’s why working with your partner can be amazing and how to make it work and make it fun.

    1. Shared goals strengthen your bond

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    Tonia Ryan

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  • How Counseling Can Help Entrepreneurs Working With a Spouse | Entrepreneur

    How Counseling Can Help Entrepreneurs Working With a Spouse | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    My husband and I have run businesses together since we were in law school. We sold our first business to Intuit in 2005. Still feeling the entrepreneurial bug, we built a second business we’re still running today. Together, we’ve raised four kids and a multimillion-dollar business — a success story, yes, but not without its challenges at home and in the office.

    While not everyone welcomes the idea of getting professional counseling, from my viewpoint — and personal experience — counseling can help in ways you didn’t think possible. For example, in a recent American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) study, almost 90% of marriage therapy clients reported an improvement in their emotional health, and most noted an improvement at work and in the couple’s relationship.

    Related: The Science Behind Working With Your Spouse

    Here are a few takeaways from my experience with professional counseling:

    Build strength: Counseling not only strengthened our marriage but also made our business relationship stronger by showing us how to communicate more effectively and focus on each other’s feelings rather than the facts. If you’re not sure you’re communicating enough, over-communicate just to be sure.

    Learn the owner’s manual: Just as you need an owner’s manual to operate a washing machine, you must learn your partner’s personal “owner’s manual” (i.e. what makes them tick, what makes them happy or sad, what causes frustration, etc.).

    Don’t assume you know your partner better than anyone else because you’re married or in a relationship. Instead, do some homework and have each partner create a personal user manual. Write an outline of how you like to work, share responsibilities, collaborate, communicate and receive feedback. It may sound like a trigger for a fight, but getting to know yourself and your partner better can be a fun exercise. (A personal user’s manual is also an excellent way to learn about new employees in your business!)

    Learn to listen: Most people listen to what’s being said while preparing an answer in their heads, which means they’re not really listening. Counseling taught us to use “mirroring techniques,” which means putting yourself in the other person’s shoes to try and understand what they’re feeling and how they communicate their feelings. Everyone wants to feel acknowledged and validated; empathy is the best way to show you are listening.

    The three Fs: Another effective technique we learned in counseling, the “three Fs,” comes in handy especially when you need to bring up a touchy subject. Although most know we should tread carefully when approaching a sensitive topic, emotions often get out of hand and a constructive discussion becomes a huge argument. The tendency to place blame can wreak havoc in work and personal relationships.

    Related: The Simple Magic to Working With Your Spouse

    You can be assertive, make sure you’re heard and produce a healthy confrontation using the three Fs: 1) fact, 2) feeling and 3) fair request.

    1. Fact: Start by considering what can be agreed on. Point out the issue objectively and without judgment. Whether a report deadline was missed or a kid was left unpicked up from a soccer game, state the fact of the problem without using the words “you forgot” or “you didn’t do this.”
    2. Feeling: Next, assertively state the mistake’s impact. Because this part expresses a feeling, you should use the word “I” but without placing blame. For example, “Now, I need to work late to file the document,” or “I need to go pick up Jane from soccer.”
    3. Fair request: Finally, it’s time to communicate the need — a specific, reasonable, fair request. “Can we set up a system to remind us of deadlines?” or “Can we have set days to pick up kids from games?”

    Find the right counselor

    All counselors are not created equal, and you may not immediately mesh with the first one you meet. To find a good fit, approach finding a counselor as you would hiring a new employee.

    First, make sure the counselor holds the same values as you and your partner — the same basic belief system. Also, look for a counselor with experience helping couples with marital issues and running a business. After meeting with the counselor, talk to your spouse about how they feel about the person. You may feel the person is a good match, but counseling will most likely fail if your spouse doesn’t.

    Related: What You Need to Make Business Work With Your Spouse

    The biggest mistake many couples make is to view counseling as a way to show your partner you’re right and that the counselor will convince your partner to agree with you. Instead, counseling aims to help couples understand and resolve conflicts to improve their business and home relationships. And it offers couples the right tools to communicate and deal with conflict healthily.

    Working couples need to agree that their relationship comes first and learn to value and prioritize their marriage. Being in business with a spouse should be a unifying experience, where a strong understanding of each other’s work allows both to provide valuable advice and support. And when — inevitably — reunification tactics are needed, counseling can get you back on track.

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    Nellie Akalp

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