Woggle Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 My wife and I have been talking and we are 90% sure we want to open up a business on the boardwalk. With how busy it is down here I bet these guys make a killing. We are both hard workers, plus I have good business savvy so we think it can work. Is it a good idea to start a business with your spouse? Link to post Share on other sites
Lucky_One Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Working with my XH had a direct correlation to our divorce. As time went on, he wanted to behave more like my "boss" instead of my partner, and I became frustrated and resentful. As well, when there was a bad day or a bad situation, we couldn't leave it at work and go home to a "safe place" where we could escape from it. You tend to have nothing else to talk about except work until you are absolutely sick to death of it. Sometimes people aren't as polite or thoughtful to family members as they would be to other employees. My H consistently would not say "please" when he told me what he needed prepared for a client - notice that he told me, he didn't ask me. Like in life, we tend to take the people closest to us for granted, and that spills over to work environments, too. YMMV. I know a few people who work together and like it, and last night I also saw a sno-cone vendor husband at the ballpark storm out of the little trailer, leaving his wife to make all the sno-cones herself. Link to post Share on other sites
sm1tten Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 My experience was more like Lucky_One's, except we were not married. It strained the relationship, but the relationship was already strained anyway. Link to post Share on other sites
ilikesunita Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Could you have alternate days in which you worked? I think issues over what to sell, whom to sell to, any potential expansions, and other general strategic and operational duties may cause strain on the relationship, as others have said. Working alternate days could mean that you don't have constant involvement in the business, and could cause less strain. Link to post Share on other sites
dreamingoftigers Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 I found that opening the cleaning business with my spouse brought us closer together for a time. As long as you are able to problem-solve and not have it as a reflection of the relationship as well as not having the success or failure of the business affect your marital happiness. (pretty much "We tried our best and we learned a lot together even though xyz business didn't work out.") You just have to remember to keep the marriage as the bigger picture and not the business as many couples do. Unfortunately in my marriage there were just too many other stupid issues, but running the business certainly didn't make things worse. Link to post Share on other sites
threebyfate Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 As a test, buy a BBQ that's unassembled. Then try to assemble it together without instructions. If by the end of the assembly, you're both happy and communicating freely, having great sex (not angry or make up sex) that same night, it's possible a business together might not be a bad idea. But if you end up fighting, one leaves in a huff or no sex that night, it's probably not a good idea. Link to post Share on other sites
johan Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Before tackling the barbeque idea, handcuff yourselves together for a month. If you can get through that, then I'd say you have a good chance. My personal rule is to never go into business with a friend or family member. Link to post Share on other sites
denise_xo Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Love the BBQ idea I've never run a business with a partner, but I have on two occassions worked in the same company/unit as my partner. I'm not a great fan of it personally, IME it's better for me to keep family and work separate. However, I think it's a very personal issue so it's really for the two of you to figure out where you stand. Do some 'trial projects' (the essence of the BBQ suggestion) first and then re-evaluate. Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 I would not. And we have assembled manual stuff together, lots, with no problems - that was easier than a lot of other things we've gone through together. Part of it is not wanting to mix business with romance. Another large part of it is believing that couples need time apart. If you are working together and living together, that will be very limited. You could technically prevent that by spending most of your free time apart and only being together for work, but that is also a surefire recipe for disaster. Link to post Share on other sites
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