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BUSINESS Thursday 14 February 2019
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Couples learn how to be romantic and business partners

By JOYCE M. ROSENBERG Services with his husband,
NEW YORK (AP) — Debbie Galen Bargerstock.
and Gary Douglas some- The couple founded the
times need to remind each business in 2010, five years
other, this is your business into their relationship. At
partner talking. first, it was rocky. Smith re-
In business together for 16 members the fights they
years, the Douglases have had over who should be
found that being co-own- doing what. But the com-
ers of a public relations firm pany, based in Indiana,
requires them to be more Pennsylvania, thrived, and
direct with each other than "this was when we knew
they once were as spouses. no matter what, we had to
Like the time Debbie Doug- keep working hard," Smith
las was on a ladder in their says.
Newport Beach, California, They learned how to divide
home and her husband responsibilities according
told her to come down be- to each partner's strengths;
cause she might break an Bargerstock handles sales
ankle. and Smith manages mar-
"I said, 'don't worry about keting.
it.' He said, "this is your part- "We have grown both as a
ner speaking, you have business, but also as a cou-
a trade show to do next In this Feb. 6, 2019, photo Debbie Douglas works on her computer as her husband and business ple," Smith says.
week and you can't do it partner, Gary, watches in their home office in Newport Beach, Calif. Some couples go for help
with a broken ankle!'" says Associated Press — not to a therapist, but a
Debbie Douglas, co-owner business coach. That's how
of Douglas Strategic Com- how to take a hard line he'd never really thought "My wife would far rather Wendy and Scott Schultz
munications. with one another, they also it through. Like many en- be free to do work for her reconciled their differing
Romantic partners who are know when to budge. trepreneurs, he also found clients — essentially work- styles that, as Wendy Schul-
also business partners can "You yield to the other per- it hard to relinquish some ing in the business while I'm tz put it, turned decision-
find there's a lot of tough son if they are more quali- tasks. working on the business," making into a battlefield.
talk, listening, learning and fied to make a decision," "I know I'm a bit of a control Ben Taylor says. "I would see an opportunity
compromising needed Gary Douglas says. "You freak. It just didn't jell — we Spouses who co-own com- to expand our business in
as they run a company, a can't have your own way just got irritated with each panies say friction, while the form of a new invest-
personal relationship and every day, every time." other," says Ben Taylor, who unpleasant in the moment, ment and would want to
often a family. Couples Ben Taylor and his wife Lou- also owns Homeworking- ultimately helps them act quickly. He would see
may have unique struggles ise learned that lesson the club.com, an advice web- strengthen their relation- all of the reasons the invest-
depending on their person- hard way. site for freelance workers ships. ment could go wrong and
alities and the type of busi- "At the end of the first work based in Kent, England. "We have learned to get wanted to take time to as-
ness they own. But there are day, my wife burst into tears The business partnership through disagreements sess all the pros and cons,"
common hotspots: Roles and said, 'I want to tell my started in 2006 and failed in the old-fashioned way — says Wendy Schultz, CEO of
and responsibilities that husband how horrible my just a year. But the couple through arguing and even- The Simple Life Hospitality.
aren't well defined, vastly new boss is!'" Ben Taylor re- tried it again in 2013, this tually coming to a compro- The Green Bay, Wisconsin-
different styles of communi- calls. The problem was that time with each of them mise that one or both of us based company invests in
cation or decision-making the husband, who owned handling specific respon- are happy with," says Clin- and manages vacation
and sometimes a clash of a technology consultancy, sibilities. She is a writer. He ton Smith, who owns the re- rental properties; Schultz
egos. needed his wife's help but does the consulting and tirement planning firm Gov- founded it in 2013 and her
While the Douglases know wasn't spelling out her role; administrative tasks. ernment & Civil Employee husband joined her in 2016.