Working with your partner - the basics (Working together, sleeping together)

by Startacus Admin
Krisi Smith, one half of the dynamic partnership that established Bluebird Tea Co., explores the pros and cons, and offers some top tips to successfully working alongside someone you love.
Most days I wake up thinking I am incredibly lucky to not only be working for myself, doing something I love and creating a worthwhile business, but I also get to do it with my partner Mike. Although, I do get told a lot that this is most people’s idea of their worst nightmare!
I would be lying if I said it isn’t hard at times, sometimes infuriating, but I must admit we are lucky that we make such a good team. While I play to my strengths in the creative design areas he looks after the financial planning and strategy.
One of the massive bonuses, and thing I like most, about working with someone you love is that when you have to face something new it is exciting rather than frightening. When we try something new with Bluebird I know that Mike is there by my side trying it with me. We are in it together, making it twice as likely to succeed. And if something goes wrong there are two of us to face it.
It is also interesting and invigorating to find out that some of the things that can be challenging in our personal relationship, for example our completely different outlook on absolutely everything is actually a massive positive for our business. The classic cliché of two heads being better than one is definitely true if you can work constructively together.
I have heard people say not to get into business with friends or loved ones and although I can see how these types of business relationships can become emotionally weighed, it is undoubtedly useful having someone like minded and on your side to sound out your thoughts to.
Something you have to be careful about is getting so far into the woods that you can’t see the trees. When there are two of you investing so much into your business idea, it can become difficult to gain perspective and you can end up fuelling each others, potentially bad, ideas and decisions because of it. You must take a step back and figure out if you do honestly make a good team and be brave enough to call it a day if you don’t.I think one of the biggest problems can be that you end up spending all of your time together. Especially with a new start up, you end up pulling long hours and spending all day every day with your partner. It’s important for your relationship (and your sanity) that you make time to do your own thing. Go for dinner with your mum, go to yoga, go on girl’s weekends away, whatever you like doing, make sure you make time to do it without your partner! Absence makes the heart grow fonder after all. (That was the last clichés I promise!)
The other biggy is being able to keep a clear head about what is business and what is personal. You must try really hard not to let these overlap. Making time to have a social and personal relationship where you put twitter down for the evening and talk about anything but your business is essential! As is putting down whatever is going on in your personal life when it’s time to sit down to business.
The most important lesson we are quickly learning is that although there are two of us invested in Bluebird, two people halving the work load and doubling the efforts, there are also two of us that Bluebird has to support. Bluebird has to be able to fund both of our rent and put food on the table. So we are now working to our advantages by splitting up as much as possible so we can go to two events rather than both being at one and training others to serve our teas so that we can utilise our strengths and be where we need to be for Bluebird to grow.
Overall, working with your partner, family member or friend can be a fulfilling and successful adventure at its best but at its worse it can be damaging for your business if you don’t work well together and leave personal matters at home. You must create the right balance of work and play to be both successful partners and business partners.
You can read more about Krisi’s business tales on her blog, ThatBluebirdGirl. To find out more about Bluebird Tea Co. visit their website
Join the Self Start society! If you like what you see here on Startacus and want to get involved yourself, why not become a member of our growing community by joining for free here!
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you would like to receive our startup themed newsletter, full of the latest startup opportunities, events, news, stories, tips and advice, then sign up here.
Carbon marketplace experts JustCarbon urge businesses to consider carbon credits to offset carbon emissions now or to bank them while market prices are low.

The UK’s fastest-growing plant-based meat brand, THIS™ set to launch Seedrs campaign to support further innovation, bold marketing and international expansion.

New mentorship programme aims to enable Hootsuite employees to shed light on their lived and sector experience and support BYP Network members’ career development.

CropSafe, a platform revolutionizing the future of farming, announce that they have raised over $3M in seed funding and have opened U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles.

Voicy, the online content platform for discovering, creating and sharing sound-clips and sound-effects secures investment to support team expansion and global growth.

Career Masterclass has launched a new website to showcase its offerings, as a strategic partner for businesses wanting to bolster D&I policies.

NI Startup? Fancy showcasing your startup at this year's Digital DNA event? We've got up to 10 spaces for NI startups to do just that. Here's the details!

Germany's leading digital solar platform, Zolar secures major investment to support roll out of new digital energy products.

Metro Bank seeks startups and scaleups with a focus on customer experience, community banking, optimisation of systems & data and sustainability for its second innovation lab.

Need a little extra motivation to get your daily step count up? Treekly will help you do your bit for the climate crisis with every step you take...
Published on: 18th December 2012
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.







- Voicy lands €1.2 million pre-Seed from Global Founders Capital to build the GIPHY for sound 20th May 2022 Voicy, the online content platform for discovering, creating and sharing sound-clips and sound-effects secures investment to support team expansion and global growth.
- Zolar Lands €100 Million Series C On The Back Of Surging Demand For Affordable Green Energy 19th May 2022 Germany's leading digital solar platform, Zolar secures major investment to support roll out of new digital energy products.
- Metro Bank opens call for participants for second Magic Makers programme 17th May 2022 Metro Bank seeks startups and scaleups with a focus on customer experience, community banking, optimisation of systems & data and sustainability for its second innovation lab.
- Storyblok Raises $47M Series B to Make Headless Content Management the New Standard 17th May 2022 Storyblok secures major investment to further accelerate product innovation and growth into the US and Europe.