4 ms·
Doing a startup with a spouse sounds like a dangerous situation on 2 levels, 1 you're crossing streams. A bad day at work can lead to a bad day home or vice-ve
by swalsh 10y ago
Doing a startup with a spouse sounds like a dangerous situation on 2 levels, 1 you're crossing streams. A bad day at work can lead to a bad day home or vice-versa. The second is you're no longer diversified. If you go bust, you don't just lose 1 income stream, you're down 2.
There's a third point related to the first. If your business expands, and you bring in another decision maker on any level it creates an unfair power dynamic. You have 2 motivations instead of only 1 professional. You may disagree with your wife on a critical decision, and you may be right, but it may behoove you not to dig in your fists to keep your home life happy.
- lettergram 10y agoI agree with all three in general, but disagree for this situation. How many small business owners run a family business? How many farms are family owned? Historically, almost all ventures were taken as a family. From 10,000 years ago until about 75 years ago. All that being said, there is a clear definition of who does what and those streams don't cross. As for the power dynamic, to be honest it has impacted our ability to get funding. Although, I think personally it should be the reverse. As you pointed out, we live and die by this. Which means our incentives are more aligned than ever.