I remember back in December, 2008 when my husband came home and told me that he was laid off from his engineering job. He felt deflated. Earlier that same week, I had also been downsized from a mortgage company. Coping with two job losses, was more than we could handle. With Christmas right around the corner, we thought we were doomed. Our kids were young and we were afraid that we would not survive financially because we had never been without a paycheck throughout our entire working lives.

But that adversity made us reevaluate where we were headed with our lives. Shortly thereafter, we began searching for a business and discovered an opportunity that allowed us to use our previous skill set. Since our work experiences were not similar, but we had strong work ethics, we thought, “why not embark on the entrepreneurial path together?” We never heard of what a Franchise Consultant did, but after we attended a Franchise Expo, we explored this profession in greater detail and never looked back. Within a few months, we started our business and placed numerous candidates in a franchise by year-end. We felt reassured we made the right decision. Working together brought about some challenges but not in comparison to the benefits we’ve enjoyed together.

Here are 3 ideas that we’ve incorporated, which have strengthened our married relationship, while growing our company.

We Genuinely Care About Others

Since we are in a helping profession, we truly care that each candidate succeeds in their business endeavors. We will go to great extremes to provide that “Ritz Carlton” experience with everyone we meet. When we see others succeed, we find that our relationship flourishes, while our business continues to grow. I am confident that by putting other people’s needs above ours, has helped strengthen our marriage and business bonds.

We Work in Our Strengths

Since we have different skill sets, we divide and conquer the numerous duties in our business. I am the, “what needs to get done,” and my husband is, the “how we get it done.” We know our strengths and we don’t intrude in each other’s space, nor do we micromanage one another. We’ve had the pleasure of hearing many clients compliment how well we work together. Positive comments help us stay motivated, while serving others in the very best possible way.

We Have Fun

Sometimes our driven nature will push us to labor continuously until everything is finished. However, we’ve learned that it is necessary to shut off our work lives and enjoy the fruits of our labor. Simple activities such as going out to lunch or enjoying short rides can make such a difference in our married life. Taking time away from our work also energizes us to “hit it hard” the next day.

In May of 2014, we celebrated our 6th year in business. Looking back, I wasn’t sure how our business would affect our marriage. Granted, not all couples may not have this “ying and yang” synergy, but we’ve found a way to make this situation work. I’ve developed a new-found respect for my spouse that I would not have recognized if we had gone back into our previous professions. Not only has working together improved our relationship, but we’ve experienced the tremendous success of countless clients we’ve helped get into their own businesses. It’s been such a privilege and rewarding adventure for everyone involved.