After surging during the 1980s and into the 1990s, the number of married business partners appears to have leveled off, according to a just-released study from the Small Business Administration. The study says the number of married business proprietors peaked at a little more than 13.1 million in 1997, up from 10.1 million in 1985. After that, the number stabilized, dropping just under 13.1 million in 2000.Experts in the field say there is a scarcity of current research and data on married business partners. But while the data suggest that the practice of running a business as a married couple remains popular, there are specific challenges in combining the two enterprises. Indeed, family-business experts warn that couples can discover there is a little too much togetherness.
“Often the passion that people bring to it has a double edge,” says Amy Schuman, a consultant from the Atlanta-based Family Business Consulting Group. “There’s no question that working together puts an added strain on your relationship.” But with the right ingredients, those who do succeed often learn to set boundaries and even improve the communication in their marriages, she says.
Mike on November 15th, 2007 at 9:56 am
What recent SBA study are you referring to?
I’ve never found such a study.
Thanks,Mike