🎧 Listen to this blog post as a Podcast instead: #29 - How My Husband REALLY Feels About My Handmade Business

💙 This is a very special episode of the 'How to be a Handmade Boss' podcast - my husband Ash is here with me and of course Phoebe our dog !!

💍 Join us for an open and truthful conversation about what having a handmade business is really like and how it impacts our life together.

✨ We discuss the personal and business dynamics of running a handmade business. Along with the benefits and challenges of self-employment, handling domestic tasks, managing finances, and the importance of communication in maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

🚀 Explore how partners can support each other in business endeavours and navigate the demands of entrepreneurship together.

Navigating the Handmade Business Journey: Insights from a Partner's Perspective

In this episode of the "How to Be a Handmade Boss" podcast, I sit down with my husband, Ash, to discuss his thoughts on the handmade business journey. We delve into the challenges, triumphs, and the importance of support in a relationship while building a creative venture.

The Good and the Bad of Being Self-Employed

What's Great About It?

 Ash shares his perspective on the positive aspects of my handmade business:

• Increased Happiness: Transitioning from a 9-to-5 job to running my own business has made me significantly happier. The stress of a rigid work schedule has been replaced by flexibility and fulfilment.

• Quality Time Together: Before, our weekends were often compromised by my work commitments. Now, we enjoy more quality time as a couple, which has strengthened our bond.

• Work-Life Balance: With my own office space, I can better separate work from home life. This separation allows me to disconnect from work at the end of the day, leading to a healthier work-life balance.

Challenges Faced

However, being self-employed does come with its challenges:

• Unexpected Issues: Some days run smoothly, but other times, technical glitches or unexpected problems arise, leading to late nights spent troubleshooting.

• Overwhelming Workload: Ash notes the complexity of managing every aspect of a business alone. While he wants to help, the intricacies of my work can sometimes leave him feeling powerless.

Learning About Business

Ash's Surprising Discoveries

Ash reflects on his learning journey about what it means to run a business:

• Behind-the-Scenes Chaos: He acknowledges that the chaos behind running a business is often invisible to outsiders. While he once thought business operations were straightforward, he now understands the multifaceted challenges involved.

• Changing Perceptions: Initially, Ash saw business owners as highly educated, powerful individuals. However, witnessing my journey has shown him that anyone can succeed with passion and hard work, regardless of their background.

The Importance of Communication in Relationships

Discussing Household Responsibilities

As we navigate the ups and downs of running a handmade business, communication is key. Here are some tips Ash provides for discussing household responsibilities with your partner:

• Be Honest: Openly express your needs and the time commitments required for your business. Transparency fosters understanding.

• Break It Down: Provide a clear outline of your schedule, so your partner knows when they can help and how they can support you.

• Foster Support: Encourage your partner to understand the value of your work. Share your passion and the impact it has on your life and the relationship.

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Involving Your Partner

Involving your partner in your business journey can help strengthen your relationship. Ash emphasizes:

• Open Communication: When discussing expenditures or financial decisions, be honest about your goals and the reasons behind your choices. This fosters trust and understanding.

• Explore Financial Options: Discuss various ways to manage finances, such as payment plans or cashback apps like Honey and TopCashback. This approach can ease financial stress while keeping your partner informed.

• Shared Decision-Making: Involve your partner in discussions about your business. Sharing challenges and successes creates a sense of teamwork and partnership.

Embracing Change and Growth

Changes Observed Over Time

Reflecting on the past eight years, Ash notes significant changes in both my life and our relationship:

• Increased Happiness: The shift from a traditional job to self-employment has resulted in a more positive outlook on life.

• Supportive Partnership: We've learned to support each other through the ebbs and flows of our respective workloads, creating a harmonious balance.

Finding Balance in Work and Life

Time Management Challenges

As Ash and I discussed, one of the main challenges we face is managing our time effectively. Here are some insights into how we approach this:

• Shared Calendars: We utilize tools like Asana to keep track of our schedules. By sharing our commitments, we can plan our weeks more effectively, ensuring that we both have time for work, personal commitments, and each other.

• Quality Time: We prioritise quality time together, scheduling breaks and short getaways after busy periods. This helps us reconnect and recharge.

Managing Household Responsibilities

To maintain a balanced home life, we divide household tasks based on our schedules:

• Equal Contribution: We strive for a 50/50 split in household responsibilities. This includes cooking, cleaning, and taking care of our dog, Phoebe.

• Communication: If either of us feels overwhelmed, we communicate openly about our feelings and needs. This ensures that we can support each other effectively.

My final thoughts

Building a handmade business is a journey filled with ups and downs, but having a supportive partner can make all the difference. By fostering open communication, understanding, and flexibility, couples can navigate this path together. Remember, the world needs what you create, and with the right support, you can turn your passion into profit.

Love Steph xox

🥳 Do you want to learn more? 🥳 

We’ve got loads of resources to help you scale your handmade business:

1️⃣ ✨Are you starting a new business? Here's my best resources:👉 Start here  🏃

2️⃣ ✨Want to be visible and get more traffic? Here's my recommendations: 👉Get seen👀

3️⃣ ✨Ready to grow your business? Here's your to-do list: 👉 Grow here 📈

👇🏻👇🏻 Choose your own adventure with these resources 👇🏻👇🏻

✨ My book “how to be a handmade boss” is like a super intensive course on getting your first sales (plus, it’s a book/workbook hybrid!) 👉  Find out more here

✨ The Shop Doctor - Shop not doing so great? Getting views but no sales? No views at all? Overwhelmed with it all? Check out the shop doctor: 👉 Join here

✨ My FREE masterclass on how to increase your Etsy conversion rate. It's the KEY thing most Etsy sellers miss when trying to make more money and get more sales in 7 days. 👉 Join here

✨ Chart-topping podcast it's an unfiltered and honest view about what it takes to grow a handmade business 🎧 Whether you’re a complete beginner on Etsy, or want to scale your handmade business to multi-6 figures, the “How To Be A Handmade Boss” podcast gives you actionable advice and workshop style episodes to grow your handmade business on Etsy, your own website and beyond  👉 Listen here

✨ Our Monday Momentum Lives You'll find me in my Facebook group most Mondays for coffee chats & mini workshops to help you make more money from your handmade business! You can see our upcoming events here: 👉 See future events here

✨Our YouTube channel is full of hundreds of super informative videos, with help and advice you can put into action straight away .📺

✨ More Blog Posts - Don't forget to check out more blog posts from Handmade Bosses 🖥️

✨  Instagram is where you need to be for top tips, and behind the scenes sneak peeks into how I run my 6 figure business 💙 Be sure to follow us for announcements of new videos, workshops, content and more.