Aston Simmonds is a relationship coach who has seen countless small-business owners struggle with their personal relationships. In this article, she breaks down the most common relationship issues that business owners face and suggests ways to overcome them.
Running a business can be exciting and rewarding, but for many business owners, it takes a toll on personal relationships.
The constant pressure to succeed and the demands of daily operations can lead to partners feeling neglected, disconnected, and resentful. These struggles are common, but with the right approach, you can succeed in both business and personal life.
As a relationship coach working with high-achieving couples, I’ve identified three key struggles business owners face in their relationships and how to practically solve them.
Struggle #1: No work-life balance
Many business owners prioritise work above all else, thinking, “Once I achieve enough, my partner will be happy.” However, this mindset can lead to neglected relationships and resentment. The finish line for success is always moving, so work often continues to dominate, leaving little room for connection.
The solution: Adjust your priorities. What you prioritise is what you get in life. Take a moment to reflect on your priorities. Consider these questions; what order do I prioritise myself, my relationship, my children, my business, and other relationships? Ask yourself what this priority system is costing you and what changes you could make to align with the life and relationship you truly want.
Just like business, life is always giving you feedback, it’s not personal, but it does require you to make adjustments if you want to succeed in your relationship as well as in business.
Start by prioritising yourself, self-care is essential. You can’t perform at your best if your battery is running low, the same way if your phone or laptop is dying you can’t get work done. When you take care of your emotional, physical, and mental well-being, you’re better equipped to support your relationship, family, and work. Remember, prioritising yourself isn’t selfish; it’s necessary for succeeding in every area of your life.
Struggle #2: Expectations and competition
With modern challenges, including changing societal roles and technology’s influence, many couples struggle with outdated expectations.
Both partners may work full-time, leading to confusion around roles and responsibilities. Unspoken expectations and comparison can result in resentment and distance, especially when one partner feels they’re carrying the mental load alone.
The solution: Create a shared relationship vision that defines your goals, values, and success as a couple. This vision works similar to a “business plan”. Every business has a plan for their business which defines the direction, provides clarity on the goals, sets clear values and communicates the vision to the team. Just like a business can’t succeed without a plan, a relationship without a vision often falls into the trap of just existing on autopilot like roommates instead of a couple.
Set aside time each year to revisit this vision. Just like your business evolves over time, so does your relationship. If you don’t keep up to date with business, you get left behind; the same is true in your relationship if you leave it to chance.
Struggle #3: Communication and connection breakdown
Running a business leaves little mental and emotional capacity for meaningful connection and conversations, leading to miscommunication, misunderstandings, and disconnection in relationships.
The solution: Rebuild connection and communication with intentional time. A simple 10-minute weekly check-in can help couples stay aligned, support each other, and nurture their relationship. Pick a consistent time each week – Sundays work well for most couples – to sit down, plan for the week ahead and ask these six powerful questions:
- What went well for us last week, or what are you excited about this week?
- What’s a priority for you this week?
- What do you need support with?
- Do we need to adjust anything to make time for self-care?
- What’s one thing we can do together this week to feel connected?
- What actions do we need to take after this check-in?
This weekly check-in allows you to reconnect, align priorities, and move forward as a team, no matter how busy life gets.
Running a business doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your relationship. True fulfillment comes from balancing external achievements with meaningful relationships – because what’s the point of business success if you have no one to share it with?
