This post may contain affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can find my full disclosure page here.
Wondering how your husband can help you grow your business? In this post I share five practical ideas for working as a team.
If you’re married, the support of your spouse is crucial in all aspects of your life, including your business.
I couldn’t do nearly as much with my writing business if it weren’t for my husband, Bryan. My husband helps me grow my business!
But, this wasn’t always the case. I had to learn the hard way that communication was an essential ingredient to a successful side hustle.
My husband isn’t a mind reader, but I used to treat him like he was. I’d expect him just to KNOW when I needed help and magically jump in and assist me without me ever showing a sign that I was struggling or telling him what I needed him to do.
I’ve learned I’m pretty good at faking it, until I’m ready to explode. That’s never good!
It’s taken time, but I’ve discovered it’s much better to ask for help before I reach the point of angry no return.
And now with increased communication and less mind-reading expectations, we are thriving as a team.
Big takeaway?
You must be proactive when asking your husband for help with your business. He may see you doing all the things and just assume that you’ve got it.
So, make it a point to sit down together and discuss things on a regular basis. And brainstorm some practices ways your husband can help you.
To help you get your list going, here are five of the ways my husband helps me.
1. Using His Talents for My Business
Photography extraordinaire. Excel power user. Number crunching smarties pants.
Those are not words I use to describe myself.
But my husband? He’s got those skills down!
So I make a list of pictures I need for client blog posts, or posts of my own. On the weekends when there’s a bit more time, my husband gets out his photography equipment and makes it happen.
When I was struggling to track my income, he created an amazing Excel spreadsheet for me. Then he turned it into a table to make it super user-friendly.
Whenever I need tweaks made (like to account for affiliate income instead of just my typical income streams), he happily adjusts things for me.
You see, I could do these things. But it’d take me a lot longer than it takes him. I’d probably have to use Google to remember how to add another option to an Excel spreadsheet with Data Validation.
I much prefer to just have my husband tackle it for me. 😀
By pooling our talents, we’re able to do more, efficiently.
What talents does your spouse have? Write down two or three that could really help your business grow!
Need a business of your own to get started with? I highly recommend freelance writing! It’s such a perfect side hustle for busy moms.
2. Tackling Household Stuff
Even though the kids and I try to stay on top of things like laundry and dishes while my husband is at work, there are days when everything is crazy and the house looks like a tornado came through! I love it when my husband comes home, sees something that needs done, and takes care of it for me.
Having something checked off my massive to-do list without actually doing it myself is a huge relief! I especially love it when he handles dishes after dinner, and cooks on the weekends.
When I was busy finishing my book last May, I couldn’t have done it as quickly without his help. There just weren’t enough hours in the day to handle everything.
This is where regular communication is essential! Talk through what your week holds, and name specific tasks your spouse can do to help you keep your head above water. What needs done next week may be completely different from what you needed yesterday!
3. Engaging the Kids
We love spending time together as a family in the evening! But, since I’ve been pushing myself writing for a client lately, I really needed some of that time to work.
So sometimes I take my laptop and retreat upstairs, and my husband plays with the kids. They race on the Wii, build puzzles, rough house, have epic Nerf gun battles, or whatever.
When the kids are engaged, I don’t like feeling like I’m ignoring them. When I’m trying to work in the evenings, mompreneur guilt usually accompanies. But, knowing they’re having a blast with Daddy helps.
I can focus on my work during this time, and my productivity soars!
Is there a set time that would be most helpful for your husband to actively engage the kids so you can work? Be specific when talking together. That’s a lot more effective than vague requests.
Do your kids resent your business? Read this post!
4. Listening to Me
Since launching my business, I’ve had all sorts of crazy ideas! My husband is always willing to listen to me talk and bounce ideas off of him. He also offers a different perspective, which helps keep me from floating away with all my ideas, and instead focus on the ones that are practical for today.
He listens when I whine about a client changing the scope of a project, or a payment not coming when I expected. I try not to whine too often, but it’s so nice to have someone listen to me when I do!
Remind your husband that you don’t need him to fix all the problems, you just need him to listen. That takes some stress off, especially if your husband doesn’t have the background knowledge about all these things you are talking about.
5. Encouraging Me
This whole freelancing thing has pushed me outside of my comfort zone. It truly has changed my life! My husband has been so encouraging to me throughout this process.
Whenever I feel like a failure, or am experiencing a freelance famine, he’s there for me.
He encourages me to do more video (I’m slowly coming around on this one…), and reminds me of all the progress I’ve made. He’s good at reminding me to invest in myself and my business.
Encouragement is essential for any business to grow!
How Does Your Husband Help You Grow Your Business?
Think of something specific your spouse does that helps you do more on your business. Tell him thank you for it!
And remember to ask if you need something.
Don’t have a business yet? Give virtual assistance a try! You can get started in 30 Days or Less!
This post was originally published in September 2017. It’s been updated and refreshed.
Lisa Tanner is a former teacher turned homeschooling mom with 11 kids. She's also a successful freelance writer. Lisa enjoys helping other busy moms find time to start and grow a side hustle of their own.
