Working with your spouse

So many people say to me that they don’t know how I can work with my spouse. We always joke around that we haven’t killed each other yet but there hasn’t been a time where I have been really upset with him since we started our business almost 8 years ago.

Maybe some of the key things that makes working with my spouse as easy as it is are we have different jobs that we are both strong at doing. I am not a very technical person when it comes to servers and such so that is one of the things that I let my husband do for the business. Yes, he is the server/email/network guy that solves all of those problems. Sure, I understand some of the stuff and can do some of the other level technical stuff. I have found that over the last few years that I do enjoy some of the technical stuff so have been learning it and am now able to assist in some of the more junior level stuff. Now when I am dealing with some of the stuff that I deal with for clients at my level I always know that he is there is I run into trouble.

Now my role in the business is the technical writer/accountant/sales and a bunch of the other jobs that come our way. There are times that I joke around that he is the tech and I am everything else when it comes to the business but I’m not really. I have my key areas of focus and I enjoy them and I also know that he is there to help me out when I need someone to discuss something with.

One of the biggest things we found is that for both of us to be productive is we need our own space to work. Yes, we like being together at times during the day but we need the space where we do our work without the other one being in the way. We did share an executive office for a while and found those days were the days that we planned on doing the things that either needed both of us all the time or at least both of us most of the day. We now figure out when we need to work together and plan that time and it is amazing how well it works.

Sure there are times when we both get frustrated with the other like any couple does but when we are out at business events a lot of people don’t realize that we are husband and wife until they see our names. So yes, we are business partners and there are times when we get upset with the other but normally we can figure out our roles and we try and stick to them. I won’t tell him how to fix a technical problem and he won’t tell me how to fix up the accounting. Yes, we are the shoulder that is there to talk something through and of course we don’t always understand everything that is being said by the other but we help solve the problems just by listening and asking questions.

We know a lot of couples that couldn’t work together and that we understand. We are lucky that we have found a business that works for the two of us and we can use our strengths in the business but also be there to assist the other when needed. Working with your spouse can mean that work is around most of the time but I see that with couples that don’t work together, they talk shop over dinner and in the evenings so I guess really we aren’t that much different.

Working with your spouse for work can be a challenge but as long as you are willing to give and take it can work out.