Working with your spouse can definitely be a beautiful thing. While some may shy away from the idea, teaming
with that special person in your life can play out wonderfully! I speak from experience when I say that after creating a business and working with my hubs Brandon, our relationship has improved greatly and our company has been able to excel due to our collaboration.  Interested in starting a new venture with your babe but need a few tips before taking the plunge? Then keep on reading!

1. Establish Clear Roles and Responsibilities

As cliche as this tip sounds it is very crucial to the success of your business. When Brandon and I first created OURS by Blackjoy we knew many things had to get done and we worked on them simultaneously. As our company started to grow, the lines began to blur and our responsibilities got confusing because our tasks began to overlap. After having a very important meeting (which I recommend that you have early on), we established exactly what we excelled at and organized our roles within OURS. We decided that I would be in charge of communicating with companies, branding, and social media. Brandon focuses on logistics, technology, and website expansion. After laying the foundation be sure to trust each other to complete their roles and provide support if needed.

2. Know When to Separate Work and Your Relationship

To work or to enjoy each other? That is the question! When it comes to starting a business together it is extremely important to know when to separate the company from your marriage. Your relationship isn’t solely a business partnership and if it begins to be only be viewed as such then conflict can arise. A start up is pretty stressful in itself so be sure to designate times were you enjoy each other – minus the company. Whether its date night or making breakfast toghether, always remember that your marriage is before everything else. Vise versa, avoid bringing certain aspects from your personal life into business. If you’re mad at your hubs for leaving his socks on the floor, don’t bring that (including your frustrations) into your business meetings.

3. Know Each Others Strengths and Weaknesses

This tip is as important in your relationship as it is in business. Understanding each others strengths and weaknesses not only helps with various business functions but helps life run smoothly. Brandon is definitely a go-getter and because of this, he has to balance multiple tasks at once. At times it gets pretty overwhelming for him so that’s where I come in. I ensure that he remains focused on a the main task at hand and I help organize everything else. For example, if you’re more analytical and your significant other has a creative mindset this can be used to your companies advantage.

4. Remember that Team Work Makes the Dream Work 

Lets face it, starting a business is tough. There are typically many different moving parts and it can get challenging within your relationship as well. If you have the drive to start a company together then you’ll have to put the work in together to watch your dream flourish. Keep clear and open communication, learn from your mistakes, and motivate each other through the highs and lows.

Cheers to the ultimate collaboration! If you’re ready to take the leap of faith and start a new company with your significant other I encourage you to take these tips into consideration. Let me know your thoughts on starting a business!