By Alyssa Ficcaglia
In July of 2018, Anthony and I vowed to be partners for life. One thing we were not expecting when we said "I do" was that we would end up starting our own business together. So how do you balance being both a life partner and a business partner? It isn't easy, in fact we are still learning how to separate the two.
Our journey, much like many of yours, is filled with ups and down. As we grow over the years, our mindsets develop, our goals change, and new ambitions surface. You will never be the same person you were yesterday because you are constantly growing and evolving. Anthony and I moved in with each other one year after dating and have lived together ever since. We have learned so much about each other in that time.
Before I get into the business side of our relationship, here is a little insight into our personal relationship. Anthony is a social butterfly. He has no issues making new friends. As for me, I am very much an anti-social butterfly. Social settings are mentally exhausting for me and in turn become physically exhausting. The reason I was drawn to Anthony is because he made me feel comfortable enough to be my true wacky self.
When we started this business we each had to take a step back and learn a whole new side to each other and figure out who we are as business professionals. Our reason for success comes down to one point: We began to put an intentional effort into knowing and loving the business side of each other. Understanding how your partner operates while in a business mindset is the most important thing to creating a healthy work environment.
Anthony is someone that CANNOT work peacefully in a messy work space. A messy work space will send Anthony into a spiral. He will completely shut down and that will reflect in his work. My solution is to help maintain an organized shop.
Much like how a messy garage impacts Anthony's ability to work, my fear of failing in the minds of others over time becomes so draining that I lose all motivation to get things done. His solution is to remind me that i'm doing a great job when I am feeling burnt out. He constantly helps me myself that I AM ENOUGH.
Learning each others strengths and weaknesses early on will help push you past the point that many will quit. It takes an extra layer of trust to go into business with your significant other, especially when there is so much riding on it's success. It's basically like marrying the person all over again. You both are making a strong commitment to each other that you won't give up on your business or let it fail. Before going to business together make sure you sit down and talk about every aspect of it. Make sure it is something both of you want, because as your business grows so will each of your responsibilities. If someone in the partnership isn't 100% on board from the beginning, it will be hard to keep them motivated as time goes on.
If you are in business with your significant other, let us know in the comments below how you navigate through your personal life and business life with them.