Richard and Sonia Galvan Share Insight About Running a Company as a Married Couple
Have you ever considered running a company with your spouse? Or perhaps you already do. Whether you’re starting to think about the idea of working alongside your partner or you already work with them, you might be wondering what the secret is. After all, even if you have a wonderful marriage, having a working relationship with your partner is completely different.
Richard and Sonia Galvan are the proud owners and founders of G5 Internet Services in Rio Grande Valley, Texas. They are both entrepreneurs who have been in business together for years, and through this time, they have learned how to successfully work together. Although running a business with your partner will inevitably have ups and downs, there are a few ways that you can ensure work doesn’t put a strain on your relationship, and instead actually makes it stronger. The Galvan’s share their top tips for running a company with your spouse.
Define Your Roles
For both your sakes and the sake of your employees, you need to carve out defined roles and stick to those roles. It’s only going to lead to frustration and anger if both parties are responsible for the same set of tasks. For example, one person could be in charge of the finances, while the other is in charge of marketing. Richard and Sonia Galvan shared that when they first started their business, G5 Internet Services, in Texas, they had a long discussion about where each of their strengths lied when it came to business. This helped them decide which roles within the company were right for them. Further, once you each have specific roles within the business, maintain boundaries. Trust that your partner will be able to execute the duties required of their role, just as you will yours.
Learn to Communicate Well
Communication is key in any relationship, whether personal or professional. But Richard and Sonia Galvan assert it’s even more important when you’re running a company alongside your spouse. Each morning, they check in with each other and go through a quick rundown of their top priorities for that day. Doing this allows each of them to agree on the most important tasks that need to get done. This ensures that even though each partner has their own role, as discussed above, they still have an overall idea of what’s going on in all areas of the business. No matter what time of day you prefer to have a meeting, whether first thing in the morning or later in the day, it’s important that you schedule team meetings regularly. Ideally, it’s a good idea to have a regular meeting between just the two of you, in addition to wider team meetings that include your staff.
Leave Arguments at Home and Work at the Office
Working together, on top of being a married couple, means that you’re going to be spending a lot of time with your spouse. The key to successfully navigating this tricky dynamic lies in separating work and home, shares Richard and Sonia Galvan of Rio Grande Valley, Texas. All couples have arguments about personal matters and all professionals feel frustrated with their colleagues from time to time. However, it is critical not to mix the two; leaving personal arguments at home, and leaving work at the office. For example, having arguments about the dishes or your kids while in the office is not only unprofessional, but it would get in the way of you being able to do your job. Similarly, constantly discussing (and/or fighting) about work once you’ve gotten home for the night is going to leave both of you frustrated and stressed out.
In recent months, separating work and home life has become far more difficult for Richard and Sonia, and many couples like them. Due to the pandemic, a number of people have been forced to work from home, while trying to manage a peaceful household during off hours. Though the challenges are different in the era of Covid-19, as time is split between working at home, managing the household and helping children cope with the realities of online school courses, couples like Richard and Sonia Galvan still find ways to strike a manageable balance. This balance has taken on a whole new meaning amidst the pandemic.
