Help! I Married an Entrepreneur (Part 2)

He's Not Crazy. He's Gifted!
(Part 1)

Women who are married to self-employed business people face some special challenges. I know, because I've been there. For the longest time, I didn't understand that my husband's ways of thinking were normal—normal for him, and normal for entrepreneurs.

When it comes to home remodeling for instance, we're totally at odds. My preferred mode is to tackle the upgrades to our house with the least amount of mess and disruption as possible, going room-by-room. My husband on the other hand, schedules all the tasks according to a broader set of criteria: our budget, the time he has to spend on any given weekend, and the help available. In reality, he's a far better project manager—and multi-tasker—than me. Needless to say, I've learned to live with unfinished projects in every corner of the house!

My husband's strategic, global mindset is essential when he's working on long-term business opportunities.

My husband's strategic, global mindset is essential when he's working on long-term business opportunities. And the financial rewards of pushing for those "big sales" are wonderful. However, earlier in our marriage when I was a full-time SAHM, short-term needs like weekly grocery money were sometimes overlooked. Eventually, we learned to manage our cash flow to satisfy my desire for a regular steady income, while simultaneously satisfying his interest in focusing on "making a killing" way off in the future.

How to Spot an Entrepreneur

Are you married to an entrepreneur? Chances are he’s full of marvelous “can do” optimism. Here's a checklist of traits common to those gifted in business. In Romans 12:6-8 the Bible identifies this gift as Giver or Contributor. (These points apply to women entrepreneurs too, by the way.)

Entrepreneurs are . . .

Careful about money.
They drive a practical car, dine in as much as out, and live in a medium-sized house in a good part of town (with lots of fixer-upper projects needing completion). They keep a close eye on the bottom line.

Careful about time.
They tend to get up early and stay up late, catch short naps, squeezes emails, calls, and deals in between bites of dinner and trips to the bathroom.

Competitive risk takers.
Entrepreneurs are comfortable with ambiguity, carefully calculating the risks of an enterprise ahead of time. They are extremely competitive. They’re resilient and overcome failure by changing direction easily. They strongly rely on intuition or "gut-instinct" in decision-making.

Creative thinkers.
Entrepreneurs do not follow the pack. While the rest of the world thinks one way, entrepreneurs often think exactly the opposite, reading between the lines, or off into the future to see some eventual possibility most people would never imagine. They prefer to learn from their life experiences and mistakes instead of books.

Problem solvers in the extreme.
They are constantly thinking about business and applications, and they have a difficult time listening to someone "vent" without offering solutions. Entrepreneurs are strongly goal-oriented.

Honest and direct.
Entrepreneurs prefer handshake deals. They attract and collect people who are open and trustworthy like them.

Passionate and purposeful.
They need to feel like their product, service or activity is meaningful and benefits humanity. Entrepreneurs are able to instill their enthusiasm in the people around him.

Optimistic, upbeat, and extremely positive.
Entrepreneurs are not prone to worrying, and are flexible with their time, expectations, and plans. The lines between work, weekends, and vacations are blurred.

Full of charisma and natural charm.
Many entrepreneurs are personable, have a good sense of humor, and possess natural sales ability.


Related

1. The Entrepreneurial Eight: Qualities That Lead To Success

2. 5 Reasons Spouses are not Supportive of the Entrepreneurial Adventure

3. The Top 10 Great Qualities of the Entrepreneur that Cause the Most Problems


Up Next—Word-Filled-Wednesday

What do you admire about the entrepreneurs in your life?



Photos: rubbercat, domi-san, AllenHsu (Flickr)

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