6 Ways to Successfully Manage Business with Your Spouse

By Adeniyi Ogunfowoke

Your spouse being your business partner is not something some entrepreneurs look forward to. This is because managing a business is very demanding and requires sacrifice and compromise. But what happens if either spouse doesn’t budge? You have to fold up the business? No. You can still work with your spouse to run your business without it affecting your marriage or individual lives. Jumia Travel shares 6 ways to pull this off.

Know that both of you are business partners

In a country like Nigeria where the man is largely in control of the family, there is every tendency that he will coordinate everything about the business. Thus, the business partner (wife) has little or no opportunity for her to contribute to the growth of the business. She may simply feel more like a personal assistant rather than a partner. Sooner rather than later she will feel aggrieved and become resentful. This will no doubt affect the day-to-day running of your home and business. Spouses in business should spell out responsibilities without encroaching.

Trust each other

Your spouse’s phone can ring when both are in bed and of course it is a business call and he or she has to pick. In other circumstances, one of you has to work late. You don’t have to rant about this. After all, both of you are managing the business together. What you may do is to separate work and home life. You leave work in the office and focus on each other when you are at home. Ultimately, you have to trust each other.

Always stay in touch

Running a business is very time-consuming. Oftentimes, couples running a business together only talk about their business. So, try your best not to lose touch. Chat them up when necessary. But don’t become a pest.

Have mutual respect

Conflict is unavoidable in any relationship. What you do after the conflict is what is important. Maintain mutual respect for each other especially when you are having differences.

Divide marital responsibilities

The responsibilities of running a home are very humongous. Men have to be considerate because their wives have a home and business to manage. It is not a time to be chauvinistic. Spouses can voluntarily assign marital responsibilities to themselves. This will help both of you live a robust life without one of the partners feeling discouraged or upset.

Do not skip vacation

Do not skip the opportunity to take vacations. Entrepreneurs need to take breaks which can help them recharge and get motivated. It is even more important for couples as it can boost their love and business lives. So, do not hesitate to book one of the best hotels in Calabar for a weekend getaway at Obudu Ranch.

Adeniyi Ogunfowoke is a PR Associate at Jumia Travel.