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Jul.17
8:13 PM ET
Thursday, 17 Jul 2008
Cricket & Brian Allen: What's it like to work together with your spouse?
What's it like to work together with your spouse?
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Well, it's basically like this. It's not easy, so we have tricks. And our bag of tricks continues to get bigger as we learn how to better manage our business relationship and personal relationship as husband and wife.
For now, these are the big ones we use...
1) Keep your sense of Humor
2) Know you don't ALWAYS have to be right (or WIN the point or fight). We are both competitive and passionate so we have to remember this point when we're in the "thick" of it.
3) Admit your mistakes OPENLY otherwise they might be used against you (this one sounds funny, but believe me it's good and only human to say, first, "I know my weaknesses or I know when I've made a mistake").
4) Men and women are truly different species - appreciate and respect the different ways your spouse approaches things. Brian and I could not be more different with our approach to almost everything, but ultimately that benefits our decision making and overall business.
5) Keep your sense of SELF. It's so easy to get lost in your business, family needs, etc. But it's important to support and encourage the other person to have down time of their own. Brian plays ice hockey and I play tennis.... we do this independent of the other and with our respective friends.
6) Keep in Mind the big picture - if the marriage fails while trying to win at business - no one wins.
It's fun to own a business with your spouse. It's a big responsibility, beyond just your "selves", yet very rewarding. You get to share the highest of the highs with one another, and conversely, the inevitable obstacles. And this, is an incredibly powerful bond for your and your spouse.
Cheers,
Cricket Allen
bot co-founder
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