In this article written by Dale Partridge, you will learn how to have a successful business with the person you love and what are the advantages.
If marriages were easy, then 50% of first marriages and 60% of second marriages would not end in divorce. And if starting a business was easy, then 50% of startups wouldn’t fail in the first 5 years.
Combine these two when you start a business with the person you love, and then it seems even more like the odds are against you.
Also read: The story of Japanese bamboo and its moral to achieve success.
As you can imagine, Veronica (my wife) and I get questions about this very frequently. Despite the fact that StartCamp is “our” business, Verónica has decided to get out of the routine operations of the company. However, she is very committed to the vision and mission of the company.
But true magic and what we believe has truly allowed “our dreams” to come true, It’s our fanatical dedication to being united.
Which means that Veronica and I have given up our independence in an effort to serve and support each other in fulfilling the purpose of our marriage.
We do not believe in marriage where two people live cordially. Yet they lead their lives with separate bank accounts, unconnected ambitions, and autonomous schedules.
What to do to have a company with your partner.
We believe in the common dream of a business supported by a married couple. But telling you that “it’s not easy” would be little.
A successful dream must be fueled by a successful marriage. It requires a rare level of emotional maturity and a covenant that shares the same moral code and belief system. In addition, it also demands an understanding of business, success, and money.
But in terms of pursuing a dream together, Veronica and I have made it. We have seen that others have done it, and sadly we have also seen that the same dream has separated others.
Interestingly, we believe that the business part of this equation is not that difficult. We believe that it is not related to weak marketing, but rather little maturity what breaks a marriage We believe that it is not low sales, but high levels of selfishness that send entrepreneurial couples down the road to failure.
In other words, the weak point is not the business…it is the marriage. So below, you’ll find what most people don’t do; what most people can’t; and what most people don’t understand about running a successful business with the person you love.
How to have a successful business with the person you love.
1. Arrange your marriage before starting your business.
A few months ago, a man asked me if he should develop a pre-ownership agreement for the new business he and his wife were preparing to launch. I’m sure you can imagine my answer.
If your marriage is filled with fear, fractured with selfishness, or filled with mistrust; then Starting a business with that person should be off your priority list.. As I mentioned earlier, a successful business is the extension of a successful marriage.
Also read: The 10 richest couples in the world.
We believe that it is absolutely vital to heal any problems in your relationship before starting a project as an entrepreneur. As you may know, a startup adds a layer of complexity and often extreme financial stress to a marriage.
If you are still in the stage of weekly fights with insults or just disagreements in your political views; a business will only amplify the tension within these unresolved issues.
2. An equal business partnership doesn’t work.
Many people struggle to separate the value of a person, with the role of a person. For example, in the eyes of God men and women have equal value, but we have different roles.
But we get into trouble when we believe that a certain role implies a certain value. In an attempt not to devalue each other, many couples avoid determining a leader, and instead bet on an egalitarian and ineffective structure.
For example, Veronica and I hear this from entrepreneurial couples all the time: “Whenever we have a problem in our business we always work towards a solution that we both agree on.”
It sounds smart, but in reality they are saying, “We are not mature enough to define a leader in our business.”
Assign the lead!
If we look back at every successful human institution there is a common factor. Each has a leader.
From Apple to Facebook, to ancient Rome and the United States Marines; each of them functions with a clear authority at the top of its structure. Even Fortune Magazine agrees that Co-CEOs just don’t work.
The same logic applies even to your small business supported by your marriage. And yes, there will be times when the two of you will be at odds. But if you are in a healthy marriage, the “second in command” will have no problem submitting to his spouse’s direction.
Also read: Making money traveling is the dream of many. Find out how this couple did it.
Now let me make a clarification. Just because a spouse can be considered the leader in a business, he doesn’t also make you the leader in his home.
In our home, it happens that I played both roles but based on a moral code. Your family beliefs should determine who will take on this role, before starting a business.
3. A career as an entrepreneur never means sacrificing everything.
Over the years, we have seen countless couples pursue their dreams regardless of the destruction of their own family.
We have seen mothers and fathers outsource their parental responsibilities to the nanny, while children form their values in the absence of their parents.
We have seen husbands and wives elevate commitment to their business over commitment to the love of their lives. But worst of all, we’ve seen couples ignore the slow fade of their marriage to the point of divorce.
Prioritize priorities.
Look, the true vocation never compromises the existing priorities in our lives. Your dreams, your adventures and your passions must be left behind in your relationship with your spouse and your children.
So don’t be naive. Don’t lose what you have in the search for what you want. But the most important, be proactive in protecting the relationships and responsibilities you have already achieved.
Conclusion.
Getting into the business of chasing dreams is exciting. But more than that, we believe it is necessary to create the life you want together with your partner. But it is moments like these where we have the opportunity to see how significant those words are, “through thick and thin, for richer and for poorer”, they truly are.
We hope these tips allow you to learn how to have a successful business with the person you love 🙂
And remember, if you are really interested in creating your own business, you can read our book “How to create a company while working: Discover how to manage your time, manage your money and motivate yourself while creating a company and working for another” , where you will find all the information you need to found your own company, without having to leave your job.
This article was originally published on startupcamp.com. Its translation and publication in ModoEmprendedor has been authorized directly by the author and cannot be reproduced by any other means.
