Should You Start a Cleaning Business With Your Spouse?

Running a home based business with your spouse can be a good way to combine business and family activities under one roof.  But are you and your spouse the right match to work together as well as live together?  Before you invest time and money into starting up a cleaning business with your spouse there are several key questions you should ask.

1. Will your financial situation allow both of you to quit your present jobs and go into business together?  It may be necessary for one person to continue working on either a part-time or full-time basis until the business is profitable enough to provide the income you need. 
   
   
2. What is your mission statement?  Before taking out any loans or buying supplies and equipment, decide on a mission statement and write a business plan.  This will help you get the "big picture".  While writing your business plan, remember to address how the business will affect your marriage.  Make sure you separate work and family conflicts by setting boundaries - such as "No business discussions during dinnertime". 
   
   
3. Have you developed job descriptions?  Running a cleaning business involves more than just cleaning.  There is also marketing, bookkeeping, ordering supplies, and depending on the size of your business, hiring and supervising employees.  Clearly state the responsibilities for each job description, and then divide the jobs fairly to make sure that one person is not doing most of the work. 
   
   
4. Are you each doing what you love to do and do best? If you and your spouse have the same strengths and weaknesses, then you might have a problem. The best case scenario for working with your spouse is when you both have different strengths and weaknesses. For example, if you love working in the office and taking care of the behind-the-scenes tasks, and your spouse truly loves to clean, loves being out in the field and marketing the business, then you're in a great situation. There's less chance of getting into disagreements and butting-heads when you can each take control of your portion of the business.
   
   
5. How will you solve disputes?  Between business owners there will always be a "difference of opinion" on the best way to get things done.  Before you and your spouse make the financial commitment in a business, make sure you have a system in place for discussing and resolving business conflicts.
   
   There will be business issues that come up daily - everything from scheduling to what supplies to buy to where to get your business cards printed.  As a couple, you must be able to work together and make compromises when necessary.  Having a management meeting once a week is a good way to review how the business is doing, discuss issues, and make plans for improvement.
   
   
6. Do you have a system in place to guide you through tough financial and legal decisions?  A business can become paralyzed if you run into legal or financial difficulties and you have no experts to guide you.  Before starting your cleaning business, create a support team that can help you if (and when) problems arise. 
   
   
7. Have you set time aside for your private lives?  Starting a business is a time-consuming endeavor.  If you're not careful, the business can take over your lives.  You and your spouse need time to reconnect as a couple and not as just business partners.  This may be as simple as a quiet lunch or a walk where there is no "business talk". 
   
   
8. If you have children, what child care do you have in place?  As small business owners you will have business responsibilities pulling at you from all directions.  Make sure that you have child care in place so the children are taken care of and you can devote the time you need to the business. 

Before starting a home cleaning business with your spouse, it's important that you sit down and discuss these issues.  If you have a good relationship with your spouse, put a good business plan in place, and know where your business is going, you can start a successful cleaning business.  Putting in time before-hand to plan properly will help to ensure that your cleaning business is on the right track to success!

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Jean Hanson helps owners of small cleaning companies build a more profitable and successful cleaning business through her online community at TheJanitorialStore.com. Read inspirational cleaning success stories at http://www.cleaning-success.com, and sign up for weekly cleaning tips at //www.thejanitorialstore.com.