Could you run a business....with your significant other?

[humandraydel]

The thread about opening a bar with friends got me thinking...could you open a business with your significant other? My (soon to be) wife and I have talked about opening a business together (10 years from now). I'm hoping that at least with a significant other your goals are more aligned which should help the chance of success. But starting a business may add a significant amount of stress to the relationship.

[disneysteve]

I love my wife dearly. We've known each other for over 30 years and have been married for over 20 but absolutely not. In fact, I have some experience to back that up. I used to sell collectibles and we worked toy and collectibles shows in the mid-Atlantic region. That was a little different because it was essentially my business and she helped, but still, there were enough times when she thought I should do something differently than I was doing it that I know we couldn't be in business together.

A more recent example concerns our synagogue. I started our gift card fundraising program a couple of years ago. This past spring, in preparation for me becoming President of the congregation, I had to have someone replace me as the program coordinator. I passed it on to my wife, figuring I'd be able to help her and train her and be there to answer questions.

It has basically worked out fine but it was clear from the start that she thinks and plans and organizes completely differently than I do. Neither way is wrong. Both ways work just fine and arrive at the same result, but they're different. My way doesn't work for her. Her way wouldn't work for me. It isn't an issue since she is working on her own but if we had to do it together, it just wouldn't work.

[phantom]

Assuming my husband and I actually have the skills needed to run a business, I think we could probably run one together. We're pretty good at working together and dividing up responsibilities, and we don't tire of each other easily.

The biggest problem I can see us having in running a business together is our difference in risk tolerance levels, by which I mean my risk tolerance level might be too low to start a business. My husband has come up with several business ideas in the time I've known him, and I've shot every single one of them down for being too unlikely to succeed. So, we would have to come up with a very low risk way to start a business if we were going to start one.

[AccountantSalary]

I'm going to say "no" because our business skill set is pretty similar with the same disadvantages, so we would not be complementing each other, which is what business partners are supposed to do.

[sblatner]

Yes, my husband and I have a bookkeeping business together. We've known each other for 25 years, been married for 21 and have worked together for over 7. There have been a few moments of angst on both sides but otherwise, it has worked really well. I think it helps that we have divided the work so he has his responsibilities and I have mine.

[rossmel]

I think you and your significant other will make a good partners in business as you have been a good partners. I have known many who have succeed in the business industry as they work hand in hand with their wife/husband, besides the complete thought of the business is risk taking - you will never know where areas are you to excel and improve if you will not give it a try.

[Tree0164]

No-my husband and I have two different work styles. I tend to like to get things done yesterday Type A personality and he is more mellow.

[I-78 Commute]

We do. We've been working together running a business with her brother for over a decade now. I think it would've been harder though to start a business with her rather than just run the business (her father started it in the 1950's...we've kept it going.) It wasn't an easy decision for me to leave my previous job to come work with them either but it's worked out for us in the long run. We get to have lunch every day together which is nice.

[graceful]

No never. Not in a million years. We would drive each other crazy and it would cause a ton of arguments. Lol.

Not to mention the fact that both of our parents are/were business owners. Each pair of parents spent 24/7 together. In fact, I still work for the family business. Too many eggs in one basket freak me out. Family members that work together, argue often and LOUDLY! I don't need that additional stress in my immediate family. I like my marriage the way it is!

[Mjenn]

No. I run a small business. And if I worked with my husband we would kill each other. Our working styles are polar opposites, and while that might create an interesting and successful business, it is way too complex to deal with on a daily basis.