Is it possible to balance business and love?
In a world that wants us to think we can’t have it all, I refuse to believe we have to choose between having money and having a honey. Judging from social media and reality TV, you wouldn’t believe it was possible to be happily married at all. Add running a business to the mix and it sounds like a recipe for disaster.
In this four-part series, we took to the streets to find women who have it all to find out how they manage to achieve success. They were eager to share the secrets that help them balance business and love.
Meet Mrs. CEO: Alicia Fitch, Event Planner and CEO of Brighter Affairs
Do you believe there is such a thing as “balance” when it comes to your role as wife (possibly mother) and entrepreneur? My life’s mantra is “You can have it all,” but it is up to each individual to determine what “all” means to them. For me, “all” means love, success, and family. But in order to maintain each of these items you have to have balance. As much as I would love to work 24/7 to grow Brighter Affairs, I know that my marriage deserves the same, if not more, attention and devotion as my brand. In order to maintain balance, I keep specific work hours and I don’t take any work calls or emails during dinner with my husband. We also have a dedicated date night each week. I can’t say that I get it right every time, but I know my husband appreciates my intentions and supports my efforts to preserve our happy home.
Do you involve your spouse in your business? If so, how?
What started off as a little help here and there has grown into full partnership. I have been so blessed to have a spouse who not only understands my passion, but also wants to be a part of it. As a wedding and event planner, my creativity drives me, but my husband is naturally savvier financially. He partners with me to make the best economic decisions for Brighter Affairs. His financial expertise is the perfect complement to my creativity, which helps make it easier to balance business and love.
Do you believe you have to take off the boss hat when you come home or is there a place for it in your household? When it comes to my business, I wear my boss hat proudly! I take pride in making the final decisions for my company and I love owning the fierceness that comes with being in charge. But that all changes when I transition from the “office” to the “home”. As a wife, I can be gentle, submissive, and vulnerable. Those traits do not take away from the confidence, toughness, or sass that I exhibit as a business owner. I 100% support my husband as the head of our household. Our relationship has always been built on trust and friendship, so I know that when he makes a decision (whether I agree or not) it is the best decision for our family.
Is your spouse a business owner ,as well? If so, does it help or hurt to have two entrepreneurs in the home?
I am so excited that my husband is pursuing entrepreneurship. While he continues to work within his corporate role, he has taken strides to start his own entertainment company. I couldn’t be happier. We are both very intentional about creating a legacy for our family. I can’t think of a better example than business ownership.
There are pros and cons of having two entrepreneurs in the household but the key to making the partnership work is understanding and compromise. As a business owner, your schedule changes daily and your list of responsibilities is never-ending; having someone who understands that lifestyle is essential.
Share one piece of advice for any woman who wants to follow her dreams and her heart.
If you have a passion and your career is not pushing you towards it then you have the wrong job. We only get one shot at life. Why not live it? In 2013, I was fired from my dead-end job. This was the best day of my life. I wasn’t brave enough to start Brighter Affairs on my own, so God put me in a position where I had no choice.
It truly is possible to balance business and love. Don’t wait on your dreams. Don’t wait until you have no choice. You can start right now.
https://rollingout.com/2016/09/24/mrs-ceo-how-to-balance-business-and-love-part-1/
https://rollingout.com/2016/09/24/mrs-ceo-balance-business-love-part-2/
https://rollingout.com/2016/09/24/mrs-ceo-women-balancing-business-and-love-meet-ardre-orie/
