Workplace

Partners in life and business

“For many, the notion of working with a spouse sounds, at best, dangerous, and, at worst, like a direct path to marital collapse,” said Jason Del Rey in Inc. But a growing number of American couples has become enamored of the idea. To make such an arrangement work, couples should “establish distinct responsibilities that don’t overlap.” Jennifer Davidson owns Texas-based organic ice-cream maker PJ Madison with her husband, Patrick. “I’ve never tried to mess with his arena, and he completely stays out of mine,” Davidson says.

Physical separation is also important, said Fortune Small Business. Kerrie Paige and her husband, Jaret Hauge, together run NovaSim, a small software company in Bellingham, Wash. They quickly became stressed by working together in a spare room in their home, so “a new office with soundproof walls has been a godsend” for them. Robert and Deborah LePera of Philadelphia, who launched Acorn Food Services in 1990, stress the importance of boundaries between life and work. Their workday ends the minute dinner is served, and “no discussion about business is allowed at the table.” They’ve also accepted a cut in sales so that Deborah can spend more time with their two infant sons. Their one unbreakable rule: “Weekends are sacred.”

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