Staying Fit
Launching your own business is scary. Watching a spouse launch a business is scarier still, because you’re not in control. You want to support your spouse, but you’re also nervous: How will it affect your finances? The household mood? Is it worth the risk?
Boston’s Meg Bride wondered about these things when her husband, Jim, started an energy consulting company, after years at a large corporation.
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Several years later, they’ve fallen into a successful rhythm as his business grows. Here are her hard-won tips. Also, try Life Reimagined’s program, Building a Better Together, to become a master of marriage communication.
1. Consider this a long-haul joint venture
“My father once said to me, ‘When you jump, you jump together.’ I think of Jim’s business as something we’re doing together, even though I’m not an employee. It will impact both of our lives in ways both positive and negative. Having a united approach is really important,” Bride says. “Expect that growing the business will take longer than you initially planned, and recognize that this will mean sacrifice on the part of both spouses.” Realizing that the business will benefit both of you will make sacrificing that much easier.
2. Speak up
Ask the questions that are on your mind.What are next steps? When might you hire an employee? Some questions have a concrete answer while others might not; don’t expect a response right away, regardless. Instead, think of the conversation as a way to help your partner innovate. “Your questions help your business-owner spouse to formulate ideas and plans, and they help you to feel like part of the team,” Bride says.
