Would you go in business with your spouse?

11 years 8 months ago #240709 by Soccer Mom
My husband wants to leave his management position with electronics company and start managing my photography business. This is a surprise as my business is doing just fine, however he is getting tired of his boss. I love my husband to death, but also know how he works (very straight line). I guess my concern here is that we will now be together all the time, where as before the space was nice. Perhaps its just fear of change that is getting me.

Do any of you work with your husband or wife in a business together? Did doing so change anything? Challenges you faced?

Canon 7D, 18-55mm, 55-250mm, 70-200mm L f/2.8, 100mm and 17-55mm f/2.8
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11 years 8 months ago #240739 by Joves
Though never married because I did the trial marriage(living together) thing, my one ex decided that she want to be a part of my side building business. It was not pretty after a couple of months. First she had zero experience and was telling me how to do things in her thinking that were more efficient, well in her mind. Then it came to money and or the division thereof, she thought that when I got paid that money was our pay, I had to explain costs and reinvestment for equipment, and that we only got a small portion of the actual money. She had the mistaken idea that doing remodels and repairs meant lots of money when like any other business it does not, it usually means being comfortable.
There are certain people I will never go into business with. And that is family,friends, or lovers, because it always gets ugly.


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11 years 8 months ago #240743 by icepics
I think you figured it out yourself if you go back and read what you wrote. It sounds like he's frustrated or fed up with his job; maybe he needs to start looking for other opportunities in his field.

Is your photography business big enough to even need a full time manager? And will your photography business alone provide the necessary income for your family? Maybe it would help to brainstorm other job or career possibilites with your husband. This idea might be more of a quick fix and it may take some time to find a real solution to him getting out of a job he's unhappy with and move on to something better.

Sharon
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11 years 8 months ago #240755 by geoffellis
While i would work with a spouse/partner... I would definitely not do it for the reason you provided (doesnt like his old job)

And i have to agree with icepics... does he have any "management" experience? do you currently have room to grow the business? because the funds to "pay" him wont magically appear... and dropping a source of income could cause more issues than it solves. might not be happy now, but next month when he doesnt get his paycheques... depending on how financially stable you... or your business... is, may find yourself worse off...
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11 years 8 months ago #240833 by effron
I've been married to the same girl for almost thirty years, still love her to the max, and there is NO WAY we would have lasted that long working together. I can't even go shopping at the grocery store with her....:P
Some of the above comments are correct, if he doesn't like his boss he should make a move, but probably not to your successful business. Just too many red lights on that road......:angry:

Why so serious?
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11 years 8 months ago #240845 by Jim Photo

effron wrote: I've been married to the same girl for almost thirty years, still love her to the max, and there is NO WAY we would have lasted that long working together. I can't even go shopping at the grocery store with her....:P
Some of the above comments are correct, if he doesn't like his boss he should make a move, but probably not to your successful business. Just too many red lights on that road......:angry:


I'm thinking just about the same, although she does help me with my taxes at the end of the end of the year


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11 years 8 months ago #240913 by Paris Gal
I love my husband to death, but the answer is absolutely NOT! :rofl:

5D mark II gripped | Canon 100L | Canon 85 1.8 | Sigma 50 1.4 | Tamron 28-75 2.8 | 580ex II | 430ex II x 2 |
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11 years 8 months ago #240972 by crystal
Yes, I would go into business with my husband. For many reasons, we enjoy spending time together. We do many things together already as it is. He is good with management. And he is also a good photographer and so much better with people skills then I am.

However, if I was you, from the sounds of the reasons you posted about your husband...no, do not let him join your business. It's for all the wrong reasons.
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11 years 8 months ago #240999 by John37
I would think that if it was purely a business proposition, then maybe with a capital "M". But if one is purely about the art, the other is all about the business, NO! It can work for some people.... but not many. At least not with the marriage as their foundation. I could be wrong though.

"The most endangered species? The honest man!"
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11 years 8 months ago #241023 by Crazyguy
We enjoy our time apart from one another. So the answer is 'no' for me too

An Irishman is not drunk as long as he can hold on to one blade of grass to keep from falling off the world.
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11 years 8 months ago #241056 by prophotodeals
The first question you have to ask is 'can your husband add more value to your business and more to the bottom line than what he could working for someone else'. If that answer is 'no' then he shouldn't be working for your business anyways because it comes down to a simple question of economics.

If he CAN add more value then you start to look at all those other questions about if you want to work with your spouse all the time, etc. etc.

For me, if I had a spouse that had the perfect skill set for my business model and she was able to add more value than working for someone else, then yes, absolutely I would hire her.

I know some incredibly successful husband/wife teams out there, but I also know many that have tried and failed.


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11 years 8 months ago #241094 by Frost Photography
She does the books for me, and that works out pretty good. Well that is assuming everything is all good with the books! :whistle:

"The quickest way to make money at photography is to sell your camera."
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11 years 8 months ago #241121 by Vahrenkamp
You clearly haven't met my wife :rofl: :rofl:


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