Starting a business is a challenging endeavor, and it’s important for business owners to have the support of their spouses in order to maximize their success. However, if your spouse is wary about you starting a business or concerned about the financial involvement or time required, below are some ways to alleviate their concerns and enlist their support.
Show Them a Plan for Financial Success
Business can be expensive to start, and your spouse might be wary if your business in particular requires lengthy financial investments upfront. However, instead of just spending money to start a business, share your plan with your spouse.
You can create a separate business account and save up money for a few months ahead of your business launch and tell your spouse about your progress. You can show them your plan for investing in your business and getting a return on that investment. You can also discuss your plan for what happens if you don’t make as much revenue as you want to and how you will decide whether or not to close the business if things don’t work out.
Get Them Involved and Ask Their Opinion
Some spouses might be more willing to support your business idea if you get them involved and ask their opinion about the process. Sometimes, if your spouse can help you create your business name, make decisions about website design or do something else related to helping you get started, they will feel more involved in the process and more invested in its success.
I ask my husband for his advice all the time, and he’s usually very encouraging of me to progress in my business. Then, when things go well, he feels good that he helped make decisions that moved my business forward.
Show How You Will Allocate Time to the Business
Many spouses have a hard time supporting a business idea if it means their husband or wife will spend more time away from their family. After all, sometimes running a business requires a significant amount of time commitment outside of a normal 9-5 job.
So, in order to alleviate any concerns from your spouse, make a plan for your work hours and show them. The plan might include working after your kids go to bed or working every Saturday morning from 5-8AM before everyone wakes up. It might require an extra hour or two of your spouse’s time too.
By making this plan, you’re showing your spouse that you care about them and that you value your relationship with them and with your family, so much so that you’re willing to create a specific plan of time management so you can spend time with your family while still working on your dreams of starting a flourishing business.
Ultimately, it just takes time, communication, and effort to get your spouse on board with your business idea, but if you play your cards right and show them an organized plan, they’re more likely to get behind your business idea and help you succeed.
