Do you work with your spouse? If not, would you? I have run into only a dozen or so safety consulting couples and they have been as varied as all of the other individual consultants I have met. Sometimes one half of the team is really a "front" (unfortunately, usually the wife) so that the consulting firm can be certified as a Women's Business Enterprise (WBE). I have met some of these business owners and they know about as much about safety as my 7 year old - okay - I'll get off of my soapbox and get back to the topic - Other safety consulting partners are truly partners and both the husband and the wife are true professionals.
In either event, working together can be tricky. First, have you determined if one of you is "boss"? (and does the other know it?) Have you determined specific responsibilities for each partner? For instance, who is responsible for paying the bills or hiring and firing? If you can't agree on something, who has the final say? (this could be a sticky one). You should also establish guidelines for professional behavior. Although this might seem like a no-brainer because both partners want the business to be successful, what's appropriate at home may not be appropriate at work and this should be discussed. Finally, try to keep some division between work and home. While one partner may be ready to jump out of bed and start discussing work before they even brush their teeth, the other partner may not. Try to keep your personal and business lives separate - at least for part of the day. With some pre-planning, you can work successfully with your partner - and still have time to tango.
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