The Business Conversation Every Couple Needs to Have

APPLE PODCAST | SPOTIFY | YOUTUBE

Running a business with your spouse can be both a rewarding and challenging experience. When you bring together two very different mindsets—creative and analytical—the tension can build, especially when your business isn’t performing as expected. Today, we’re diving into how to bridge the gap between creative vision and analytical certainty in business, and how to avoid common pitfalls that can create division in your personal life.

The Business Conversation Every Couple Needs to Have

The Beginning: A Personal Story of Growth

For me, running a business with my husband, Eric, has been a journey of ups and downs. When we started this venture, we were barely scraping by. I was selling baby cribs to make ends meet while trying to grow a business from the ground up. At the time, Eric had a full-time job, and we didn’t have much in the way of finances. But over time, this business has become a family affair, so to speak. Today, Eric works alongside me as our CFO, managing the backend while I focus on marketing and the creative side of the business.

Though our roles are clearly defined now, there was a time when things weren’t so smooth. Eric, with his background in corporate America, needed numbers, projections, and certainty. Me? I was more of a “let’s try things and see what works” kind of person. It wasn’t until we started seeing the strain this caused that we had to come together and create a plan that worked for both of us.

Why It Can Get Hard: The Divide Between Creative and Analytical

In the small business world, I find that the dynamic between creative business owners—often women—and their more analytical spouses is extremely common. Creative business owners often thrive on big ideas, vision, and marketing, while their partners are deeply involved in the numbers, spreadsheets, and projections.

When the business isn’t performing as expected, it can lead to frustration on both sides. The creative person may feel like their vision and hard work isn’t being trusted, while the analytical person may be searching for clarity and a clear path forward.

In our case, Eric wanted certainty about the future of the business. He wanted a plan. He didn’t just need reassurance that things would work out; he needed to know that we had a tangible roadmap to bridge the gap between where we were and where we wanted to be.

Creating a Plan: How to Get on the Same Page

To move forward, I had to learn how to incorporate more structured planning into my creative process. Here’s how I did it:

Use the Retail Traffic Formula

The first tool that helped us was the Retail Traffic Formula. This formula helps you understand how many transactions you need to meet your sales goals by calculating how much traffic is necessary to generate those sales. By breaking down the numbers—such as sales goal, average order value, and conversion rate—you can build a clear plan for increasing traffic to your store or website. Knowing these numbers helps both the creative and analytical parties feel aligned.

Focus on Income-Generating Activities

Next, I had to assess how I was spending my time as the CEO. Was I focusing on tasks that directly contributed to income, or was I bogged down in busywork? Having a clear list of priorities and working on things that drive the business forward was key. If you’re just checking off tasks but not focusing on the bigger picture, it’s easy to get stuck.

Implement Scorecards and Metrics

Finally, tracking metrics and progress is essential. Each week, I started reviewing key metrics like average order value, sales by vendor, and markdowns. Knowing these numbers not only gave us the certainty Eric needed, but it also allowed me to adjust my strategy. The numbers became a way for me to inform my creative decisions, knowing I had concrete data to back up my choices.

The Takeaway: Bridging the Gap Between Creative and Analytical Minds

The balance between creativity and analytics is crucial to running a successful business, especially when you’re working with a spouse. For the creative person, having a plan can feel limiting at first, but it actually frees you to be more creative within the structure you’ve established. For the analytical person, understanding the vision and seeing the creativity unfold can offer reassurance that the business is moving in the right direction.

If you and your spouse find yourselves at odds over business decisions, try having an open conversation about the numbers, projections, and most importantly, the plan. By finding common ground, you can avoid unnecessary stress and build a stronger, more successful business—and relationship—together.

Stay tuned for more insights, and best of luck in your business journey!

Let’s Connect #AskAshley

Have a question or guest recommendation? Let us know your feedback directly here!
Do you love the Boutique Chat Podcast?! Subscribe to our podcast and after that, leave us a review on iTunes Apple Podcasts here!