You live together, and work together. For some couples the thought alone would spell trouble. But for others, working together is the the complete opposite and can mean using each other’s skills to make a great business.
Norwich-based K Baker Builder is a small building company, specialising in domestic extensions, maintenance and insurance work and it has now been running for five years.
Kevin Baker had been employed ever since school, and five years ago he decided he wanted to set up his own company. However, it would have been very difficult to do this without the help and ongoing support of his wife, Louise, who looks after the administration, accounts, health and safety and training needs for the business.
“When Kevin decided to set up the business, we knew it would need to be a team effort,? says Louise. ?We talked a lot about how we would run it, but it was clear that it would be best for me to handle all the accounts and the administration related to staff, and I was more than happy to do it.
“Everyone thought we were mad at the start, as I was just about to give birth to our son, Adam, when Kevin left his job as a site manager at another firm to start up the company. But we weren’t worried – Kevin had built up some really good contacts, so we were confident that there would be enough business.”
Louise’s role has grown over the past five years as the business has become more successful, and they’ve now taken on apprentices to grow the budding company’s staff base.
“At the beginning my tasks were quite simple, and didn?t take up too much time, but now Kevin is taking on more and more projects, I?m becoming busier.
“Luckily, my youngest, Adam, now goes to school full-time, so I get far more done during the day, and spend the rest of the time organising our family.”
Husband Kevin says it would not have been possible to set up the company without the help of his wife. “This business would not have got off the ground if it wasn’t for the support of Louise – together we maintain an efficient and successful family business.
“Louise’s typical week’s work includes dealing with invoices, employees’ wages, sub-contractors’ payments, monthly returns and processing Inland Revenue information.
“She also keeps us up to date with health and safety legislation and policy along with ensuring me, my apprentices and employees all have up-to-date CSCS cards, which we need legally in order to work on a site for health and safety reasons.
“On top of this she is a super mum to our three children, Holly 10, Emily 10 and Adam four. Her commitments also have to fit around school runs, after-school activities and the usual daily chores of shopping, cleaning, cooking, ironing etc!
Tips on making it work
1. Divide your responsibilities so that you are both clear about where your skills lie, and more importantly, what your roles are. Writing up a job description for both of you could help in agreeing what your individual responsibilities are.
2. Space – even the strongest couples need some space from each other – even if it’s just mental space to think outside of the business. So, you’ll need to agree some boundaries like, bringing work into your ‘home’ life, and whether you will talk about the business at all.
3. Fire-fighting – what will you do if things don’t work out with you working out? Imaging spending a few years growing your business only to find that working together is wrecking your relationship? Will you sell up for the sack of your relationship? Will one of you become a silent partner?
4. More important than anything else, keep talking to each other! If you feel that things are not working out, or you are not happy, let your partner know – don’t let it fester.