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5 Reasons Spouses are not Supportive of the Entrepreneurial Adventure |
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Written by Mike Stuart
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Tuesday, November 11, 2008 |
An entrepreneur takes pride in statements like, “I work for myself”, “I’m my own boss”, “I love the freedom”, “I’m pursuing the American dream”. However, pride can quickly turn to frustration and disappointment if his/her “significant other” does not share the same vision or enthusiasm for the venture. While owning a business is part of the American dream, operating one can present challenges both in terms of the business and family.
Entrepreneurs find it difficult to carve out quality time for the important people in their lives. No one understands this more than the spouse of the entrepreneur.
These are the top 5 reasons spouses are not supportive of the entrepreneurial business:
1. Lack of Personal Time- Remember those days when you actually dated your spouse? There is something incredibly significant about quality time with the one you love. Many spouses of entrepreneurs feel slighted when a business joins the family because he/she now feels in competition with the business. When the spouse actually begins to resent or feel jealous of the time spent away working on the business, his/her love tank is running on low. Quality time together as a couple is crucial to a healthy relationship.
2. Lack of Family Time- Many spouses of entrepreneurs can feel like single parents when a business joins the family . There is no doubt that starting a business is hard work and takes an extreme amount of mental and emotional energy. Oftentimes, an entrepreneur is “spent” after a day of figuring out solutions to problems, trying to make payroll, or just trying to make things work. However, parenting is a full-time responsibility with full-time benefits! Taking time for your children is not only a blessing, but also a necessity.
3. Too Much Work- The typical entrepreneur has a hard time breaking away from the business . Even if he is not physically “running” the business 24/7, his mind is often ON the business. Technology has not helped this situation. With email and phone calls always at our fingertips, the difficulty comes in determining when work begins and ends. If reasonable boundaries are not put into place, work may actually never end. This “work-a-holic” mentality can lead the spouse to resent not only the business, but also the entrepreneur himself.
4. Lack of Financial Security- Entrepreneurs often thrive on the calculated financial risk they’ve made. They enjoy the challenge that their paycheck is 100% dependent upon the choices and decisions they have made while operating the business. Spouses, however, often have different opinions. Without the thought of a steady paycheck and long-term financial security, spouses of entrepreneurs can often develop frustration, fear, and even resentment towards the business. The entrepreneur would be wise to realize that the ease he feels in risk-taking is not a reciprocal feeling for his spouse. In fact, often the opposite is true.
5. Fear of the Unknown- Even the most successful business people and businesses have their ups and downs. Changes in the economy, consumer demand, and even changes in the business structure can substantially alter the financial outcome of a business. This uncertainty can cause the spouse to feel frustrated or unhappy with the business and even with the spouse. While this frustration often has little to do with the actual skill-set of their spouse or with the actual business, it often has everything to do with the fear of the unknown.
Take some time this week to talk to your HE (Husband Entrepreneur) or WE (Wife Entrepreneur) about what might be holding you back from supporting the entrepreneurial venture.
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Thanks for a great article!