How Do You Build a Business With Your Romantic Partner?
Entrepreneur Ari Krzyzek gives her five tips for keeping your professional and romantic lives healthy — and without resentment — when you work with your significant other.
Building a business is challenging; building a business with your life partner requires double the effort.
Not only do you need to grow the company, but you also need to maintain the spark in your relationship. If communication erodes, it could lead to the downfall of the business and your relationship (be right back, knocking on wood).
Many people would say mixing romantic and professional relationships is a recipe for failure. After all, you could end up telling each other what to do, feeling like you know how to do the work better or smarter, or allowing the work tension to seep into your personal life and vice versa. Net net, you both end up on edge at work and at home, potentially with your children or colleagues sensing the tension between you.
To mitigate these scenarios and succeed in building a business with your partner, consider drawing a metaphorical line between romance and work. Easier said than done, sure, but it’s not an impossible task. So, without further ado, here are my five tips to try to help your your romantic relationship flourish and scale your business together in harmony:
1. Communicate Better 📣 ☎️
A relationship without healthy communication will wither, and the stakes are even higher when you’re building a business together. In your company, you’ve both invested skills and money. Good communication is non-negotiable, but what concrete steps can you take starting now? Here are some of them:
Communicate with awareness of your tone and facial expressions.
Try not to place blame on your partner. Instead of starting with “You…”, try “We…” to emphasize collaboration.
Discuss your work processes, your strengths and weaknesses, your networking plan, your vision for the company, and ensure you have daily mini check-ins of five minutes, and weekly ones where goals are aligned.
Decide how you will discuss challenging topics ahead of time. Are there professional rules of engagement you agree to adhere to, no matter how high your tensions run?
If you’re in the early stage of establishing your joint business, it can be the perfect time to have a “serious business talk.” A clear, shared vision is vital for your business growth. If your business is up and running, and you don’t have a clear vision yet, ensure you set aside time to speak soon.
Meanwhile, don’t forget your romantic relationship. Make dinner or anniversary plans, take an interest in your partner’s personal growth, find ways to support each other — and most importantly, discuss the next series to binge-watch–if that’s your thing. If you have kids, are trying, or want none, and whether and how you’ll support your parents as they age, are ideally topics that you agree on in principle, and can support each other as challenges arise.
2. Set Personal and Professional Boundaries 🤲
Boundaries are essential to balance your personal and professional lives.
Having separate roles and responsibilities based on your respective strengths and weaknesses is ideal. For example, if your strength is in business development and your partner is a gifted UX designer, by all means, create two separate roles and start segmenting and delegating tasks accordingly.
Understanding your personality and your style of communication is also important. This can be verbal or nonverbal cues. For example, when it comes to networking or being the face of the company, you might choose the more extroverted person, who is energized by meeting new people.
3. Manage Your Time ⏳⌛️
Set your working hours, as if you were employed at another company, and stick to them. Your partner may prefer to work different hours. If you set deadlines, meet them. If you aren’t going to for whatever reason, let others know as soon as possible.
Second, if you can afford it, hire people who specialize in areas you don’t know, or want to avoid. Perhaps you agree to hire an accountant or a bookkeeper, or maybe there are tasks a virtual assistant can do for you. This way, you make sure you do what you do best, plus you have time for yourself and your loved ones.
Having ‘me’ time is essential if you want to maintain your mental and physical health. Go enjoy whatever you like during this time, be it a pampering session at a spa, working out at the gym, window shopping, or simply staying home, reading a steamy novel in the nook by the window.
Your ‘me’ time should involve recreational activities with your partner as your schedules allow. Some people like the practicality of a date night, while other couples feel it lacks spontaneity. What do you both enjoy? Consider long walks, bird-watching, sports, or planning a weekend getaway, for instance — to cherish time together that is not work related. Some weekends can be for just the two of you; others can be for the whole family. Take your kids to the park or zoo. You might even let your fur baby tag along on some occasions. And if you find that shop talk creeps into your couple or family time, acknowledge it and address it.
4. Create a Positive Work Culture 🎈🪜
While you shouldn’t let your business be the center of your lives, admittedly it’s a big chunk. Creating a positive culture can impact work and help you grow both personally and professionally. Try these tips to create a positive work culture:
Listen Continuously 👂👂🏼👂🏾
You and your partner may know how to communicate. If you have team members, however, ensure they feel accepted, included, and heard. You can have one-on-one meetings or anonymous surveys to assess employees’ sentiment toward their work, your company, and you. Also, remember not to take personal baggage into the office. If you and your spouse have a riff, it’s essential to respect your coworkers' work environment. They may work for you, but they don’t need to hear your drama, as tempting as it can be to rant at the moment.
Celebrate Small and Big Wins 🕺🏽 💃🏾
Show recognition for your partner’s and team members’ accomplishments. Compliment each other’s wins. And when challenges arise, openly discuss how to tackle them and improve the situation.
Be Collaborative and Respectful 👩🏻🤝👩🏿
Support each other. When someone makes a mistake, be forgiving and work together to find a solution. Lift each other up, and don’t forget to laugh.
5. Conduct Monthly, Quarterly, or Annual Reviews 🔥💯
A relationship, be it romantic or professional, is always dynamic — meaning events and emotions are constantly in flux. That’s why it’s important to check in on each other.
Set aside structured time — with a trusted colleague present if needed — to discuss and review expectations, how to improve collaboration, and agree on the next goals you want to achieve.
While building a business together can add a spicy challenge to your relationship, ask yourself and your partner if this is the path you choose. If the answer is yes, then embrace the journey and the opportunity to share it.
Some days will be tough. Have each other’s backs. And if you start to struggle, you are normal. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from a mentor, coach, or professional partner.
This expert produced this original thought leadership piece free of charge to SheVentures. This expert values educating female entrepreneurs and the SheVentures community. SheVentures is not receiving affiliate compensation from the author/expert. Questions? Contact social@sheventurespodcast.com.
