Let’s Make It For Better Than Worse

Today…let’s talk partner, spouse, significant other.  You know the person that you most lean on for encouragement and support.  The one you believe will see what you see.  The one that will be excited to jump on board this new and exciting journey called…ENTREPRENEURISM!

No matter if you are looking to start a Network Marketing biz, Freelance service or a more traditional business…that special cheerleader in your life might not be as excited as you are.

No…it isn’t that they doubt your capabilities.  They are scared.  They are scared of what lies ahead.  You and They know you will be challenged.  And sometimes those challenges will be down-right hard.  They wonder if you will quit and then feel regret.  They wonder if they have what it takes to be a support when the going gets tough for you.  Can they look at you and tell you to keep going…even though the majority of the hard work and sacrifice will be yours.  

Remember, your loved one LOVES you.  They never want to see you struggle.

Sometimes when we start sharing with that person that we want to try…we want to stretch…we want to see what we can do…it isn’t that they don’t believe in you.  They just don’t want to see you hurt.  And no matter what…there will be times you will think about quitting.  You will think you can’t learn or do something.  You will doubt yourself.  Your loved one knows this too.  That is usually their most pressing concern.

There will also be changes to your relationship and life as a result of developing your biz or “side hustle.”  You need to have real conversations with your partner.  You may not have a partner yet….but be aware, these things will affect any relationship you build.  The cool thing is…as you build a business, your loved one benefits in lifestyle too!  So, they are the sometimes silent partners (and sometimes we need them to be vocal too!)….but they are important to us and our business development.

Here are some topics you need to discuss:

Time

Use of time…planning time….creating time for your new business will need to happen.  I know from my experience…it is hard for me to ignore the TV (unless something sports related is on.).  My husband and I had to really agree on when the TV would even be on.  And that sometimes, if I needed extra time to finish a project…the TV stayed off.   Coming to an agreement before really helps when date nights are scheduled, kid watching duties, personal time, business time and any other time needs to be scheduled or shared.

Household Management

I don’t care who you are…we still see more women manage the day-to-day duties of the household.  We make most of the buying decisions…clothes, kids stuff, groceries.  We still plan and do most of the meal prep.  And there is laundry and cleaning.  Some of these duties will need to be shared.  OR if you do truly share these duties there may be additional duties that need to be handed off to create some business development time.  So, let me say this to the ladies….LET HIM HELP!  And even though he doesn’t do it your way….LET HIM HELP!  If you are a couple working a business together….these duties still have to be negotiated.  If you are a guy working a biz, you need to realize how time freeing this help can be….make sure you appreciate your partner.

Money

Here is the key…what can you really invest to get started?  What will be some things you might need to update (technology) or hire out (graphic design, website, etc)?  Will there be training/education/personal development that you need to invest in?  Will you need to host coffees, lunches or meetings to help get the word out?  What other marketing expenses might you see at the beginning! Like any business, your business will have some overhead.  You need to have a working budget for the business and a plan to “pay back” your initial investment.  Then you need to have a plan on how much to contribute to the household and how much to keep re-investing to build your business.  These aren’t just your decisions…you have a partner that needs to be a part of these discussions.

The key to getting the support of your partner is realizing that their hesitancy at first is most likely not because of YOU! 

Don’t let it be personal.  They will be along for the ride but not really in control of it.  Respect their concerns.  But have REAL conversations…not emotional ones.  Be prepared and be willing to research and answer their questions.   You will need them….make them an important part of this process.  And help them understand what you see and why you want to start a business.  Remember, they can’t read your mind!