Running a small business is stressful, so couples working together in business must
Randy Rubin and Craig Rubin source: Crypton
be doubly stressful, or maybe 4 times. And yet there are well over a million couples working together in business in the USA. So how do they make it work? Here are some great tips from Randy and Craig Rubin, owners of Crypton a textile company, on business and work balance for couples.
Tips for Couples Working Together in Business
HE SAYS: Split your roles. Make sure you and your wife have specific duties. For example, Randy focuses more on the legal, marketing and retail sales, while I am more focused on research and development, running the plant and accounting. By splitting up responsibilities, we’re able to take ownership for certain areas of the business in areas we’re interested in and make our own decisions.
SHE SAYS: Share an office. I completely agree with Craig, having our own specific duties is key to making our business work. But, while we are responsible for different departments of the business, we share an office. No one else besides Craig could ever understand how hard it has been to make our small business successful. By sharing our working space, it allows us both to know what’s going on with the other sides of the business, bounce ideas off each other, and provide advice when dealing with a more challenging situation. We know the same people and their personalities—many times we can just make a simple suggestion and a conversation can totally flip
HE SAYS: Take ownership when things don’t go as planned. One of my least favorite parts about working with my spouse is that if something goes wrong at work, I can’t dodge it at home. The issue can linger over us for a while and cause friction that bleeds into our marriage. If you work with your spouse, my advice is to take ownership immediately and admit when something is your fault – as an individual, not as business owners. By owning up to your mistakes, it makes your life, both professionally and personally, run much smoother.
SHE SAYS: Have other friends and interests. Make sure that you have other friends and interests with youo spouse outside of work so your company doesn’t become your entire life. For example, I make it a point to exercise daily and have time for myself. I also started a monthly club with four other couples; each month we tackle one item on our bucket list – like visiting Niagara Falls or trying a new restaurant. With other active people around, it allows us to take the focus off work and instead, let’s us focus on being the fun, crazy individuals that we are.
HE SAYS: Ask her to marry you as often as you can. It’s easy to start to see your wife as your business partner, but even easier to start to see her only as your business partner. Try to keep the romance alive, whether it’s turning a business trip into a romantic long-weekend trip, renewing your vows, or just a simple “I love you.”
SHE SAYS: Use your husband and wife status to your advantage. Be proud of the fact you are partners – both in love and in business. Many of our prospective clients found it charming that we were married at their initial meeting. Sharing something so personal made it easier to make follow up calls, as these prospects definitely remembered us .
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These are great no nonsense tips that we can learn from. In fact I would go so far as to say that couples working together in business is a strength. However, will be many times when the stresses will be too much, in which case help may be required.
It takes a real dedication I think to work with your spouse and run a business together as well. I love the point about asking them to marry you as much as possible to keep things alive romantically.
Lol yes, I think it’s all in the balance between work & life