How to Thrive as Partners in Business and Life

You chose something courageous: to build your business alongside your life partner. Your romantic relationship works cohesively. You get each other and are enthusiastic about making each other's life dreams come true, so you took it to another next level. You fused your business and relationship.

While the initial sentiment was encouraging and exciting (and it still is), some days it would be so nice to not have to be on opposing sides or have to deal with another negotiation with your partner. Good news: There are so many mindset tricks to make everything keep flowing with ease and maintain your powerful bond - at work and at home.

Teamwork makes the dream work.

You are FAR too familiar with this one; in fact, maybe sometimes there is too much together time. But it’s what also makes what you're doing together so special.

You’ve been forced to become an exceptional team that knows each other’s nuances in your personal and working relationships. On days where it’s harder to remember this, hold on to this one concept: Always be on the same team.

You may have differing opinions (and thank goodness, otherwise stagnancy in business and your life goals would happen!), but you should always be a unit. Ready to take on the world - as long as you stay committed to each other getting the best out of life - continuing to grow, and rooting each other on in all things.

[Related: The Way We Work]

Your foundation is everything.

At the core of what you’re doing, you are building a better life for yourselves, as individuals and as a unit. Setting this foundation or watching it move through new milestones can be a challenge. But this is a great moment to remember that you have the best person beside you, as they understand your vision.

As you are developing your life together, talk about where you hope to go, the life you want, how you give to those around you, and how you want your legacy to continue. Your partner should understand deeply what this looks like for you, as well as truly get why those wants are so meaningful to you.

Having your partner also be your business partner can be the best win for alignment with vision and company goals, because they understand what it means for your personal and professional ambitions to go hand-in-hand.

[Related: Back to Basics: Do You Know Your Mission and Vision?]

Keep the relationship alive.

One of the quickest things that I see working with couples that share work is that love starts to drip away. As business partners, it’s easy to make things pragmatic and efficient. The desire, the allure, the endless days of sitting in eye-batting and cooing starts to fade, until maybe the periodic non-work vacation.

Remember the oil to your business machine is actually keeping the love alive, since you have fused business and work together. Dedicating time and energy into getting what you need from your partner - in nurture, admiration, affection, and excitement - and making sure your partner is getting the same is what will keep you both satisfied and showing as your best self at home and at work. Remember that you are friends and partners, and this now needs to be officially part of the company business plan.

Building a business and a life together is a huge undertaking, but holding onto these key principles can actually bring you closer together and help you build a more successful partnership. Watch your work and partnership thrive as you keep nurturing the pros of being a team.

[Related: How to Achieve the Elusive Work-Life Balance as a Businesswoman]

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Mollie Eliasof is executive coach and couples therapist to New York and California's most high powered professionals. Learn more free weekly tips from her podcast.