There is a saying that starting a business ends a marriage. This is not surprising. Giving your full attention to your business is essential for success. Although you may tell yourself that the end result may be worth it and that you are doing it to support your family, it can be a difficult journey that your partner may view differently along the way.
The Purpose Driven Life
by Rick Warren
⏱ 14 minutes reading time
🎧 Audio version available
Starting a business takes up all your time. In order to be successful, you have to give it your passion, commitment, and money, so it is not surprising that many marriages fail. If your partner does not share your vision or understand what you are doing, your frequent absences, money worries, and lack of support in the home will take a toll on your relationship.
Many entrepreneurs take extreme financial risks in order to launch their businesses. If you are a young single person, gambling your home and sleeping in a friend’s house on the floor is not the end of the world. However, it is a very different scenario if you have a family to support and you lose your home.
The problem is that entrepreneurship and a relationship are diametrically opposed. A start-up business requires solo risk-taking, whereas a marriage or relationship requires stability and togetherness.
In many cases, this gulf widens over the years until one of these factors wins. Relationship difficulties will have a negative impact on your business. Your business can ruin your relationship. To your partner, your business can feel like a love rival because many entrepreneurs are far more committed to their business than they are to their families.
The secret to maintaining a relationship and a business is to make sure that you and your partner are equally committed to the business and share common goals. If struggles are shared, it can bring couples closer together.
So how do you have a happy relationship without impacting your business? Here are some tips which may help.
Involve your partner in your business
Ask them to help with some of your tasks, and the more he or she does, the more they will be invested. As your company grows and you take on staff, give him or her a role in your company and always consult them on key decisions.
Be upfront and honest about how much your business means to you
Sell them your vision as you would with any investor, and they will be more understanding and interested in what you are trying to achieve. If you feel like a partnership, your partner will be more understanding when you get stuck at the office rather than angry at you for missing yet another family event.
Be realistic when it comes to planning holidays or time off
If your business needs your full involvement, a two-week holiday is probably out of the question, but this doesn’t mean you have to go without quality family time together. Short breaks of around 4 days usually work better, so scheduling these in frequently will help you recharge your batteries without having a negative impact on your work.
Share your calendar with your partner
With all those absences from the family, even the most trusting partner may suspect you are using your business as a cover for some other illicit activities such as an affair or going out drinking. If your partner can see your calendar, he or she will be able to see where you are and what you are doing. In addition, it will help them see when you are available for family events.
Don’t assume your partner is constantly checking your calendar, and never use your business as an excuse for getting out of events you don’t fancy.
Communication is key to any successful relationship
So although you may want to protect your partner from worries, it is always better to tell him or her what is on your mind. Being an entrepreneur can be a lonely path, so sharing some of your anxieties, triumphs, hopes, and fears will help both of you remain solid and committed to each other.
Focus on your partner as your number one priority
This person has invested love and time in you, you have sold them your vision, and they want it to work as much as you. So never take this special person for granted; instead, invest as much time and effort to make them happy.
Your partner will not jeopardize your business success, so repay the favor by making them the focus of your life with the respect and love they deserve. At least if your business does not work this time, you will still have love to get you through bad times. But, on the other hand, if it all goes right, you can both share in the success and feel that you did it together.
What Is Snapreads?
With the Snapreads app, you get the key insights from the best nonfiction books in minutes, not hours or days. Our experts transform these books into quick, memorable, easy-to-understand insights you can read when you have the time or listen to them on the go.
