Ever wonder what it might be like to work with your partner or spouse? Today we spill the tea (Mollie’s favorite) on what it is like to work together. We cover what was hard about learning to work together, parts that we really love, and share a few tips on how you can approach working with your partner, and make it last!!

Hard Parts

As you can probably guess, learning to work together was pretty difficult. We had a hard time respecting each other’s work styles. It was hard to not share our opinions on the other’s work style without it being rude and not helpful. This treatment of each other got worse when work got stressful. It was rough! When things were smoother, we had a hard time turning work off and focusing on our actual relationship! It was not going well. We actually had a conversation about me going back to a real job not too long after I started at Between the Pine…

Good Parts

After reading the above hard parts of working together, I would understand if you asked me “Why would I work with my partner again?” I get it! BUT let me dive into the good parts of working with your partner! First of all, we get to be on the same schedule. Being on the same schedule with your partner day in and day out is underrated! You understand their stress on a deeper level and celebrate their success with more joy, because you get it! Creating your own schedule with your partner gives you flexibility in planning time off and when emergencies arise. Another great part about working together is that the team is stronger than the individual. What I mean by that is that I have strengths that are Mollie’s weaknesses. Mollie has strengths that are my weaknesses. Working as a team, we can actually accomplish more than just one person

A Few Tips

If you are looking to start working with your partner in some capacity, check out the below tips that we have put together for you:

1. Talk about Ownership.
   1. As life partners, you are equals. I’m sure you have heard the phrase “What’s mine is yours”. In a relationship, this makes sense. It can be assumed when you go into business together, that you will be 50/50 partners. I challenge you to think about that. There are actually many situations where 50/50 partnership doesn’t make sense. Think about the work that you will be doing, the work your partner will be doing, and where the idea / company started. 
2. Talk about how you will work through feedback
   1. Before you start working together, talk with your partner about how to give and receive feedback in a professional setting. How we do this feedback loop in a relationship is different from how we would interact with our boss or our co-worker. Ensure that you know your partner’s feedback preferences and that you actually respect them while working together, even when you are still mad at them for leaving the dishes dirty the night before.
3. Make Training Docs
   1. This tip is more for the entrepreneur who has been in business solo for a while, and their partner is joining them in some capacity. We found that making a training plan and having documents for the joining person to use while getting up to speed is very helpful. You are able to give them tangible things to learn without having to hover over them the entire time as they on-board. 

We hope that you enjoyed the podcast today! If you are looking for more resources for your small business, check out our freebies and products that can help your business take flight!