EPISODE #089
Working With Your Spouse
Guest: Ivan Jones
Production Manager | ATJ Photo
Gilbert, Arizona
atjphoto.com
DATE: April 27, 2023
This episode features the most special guest we’ve ever had on the show, my husband, Ivan Jones. Beyond being the kindest man you’ll ever meet, he is also extremely smart and he brings so much to our business that I never would have been able to achieve on my own.
Ten years ago, Ivan left his career in manufacturing and came into our portrait studio full time. Over the last decade, we’ve learned how to work with each other and still stay married. We’ve learned how to play to our own strengths and get out of each other’s way (the key is separate offices).
Even if you never intend on working with a spouse or partner, listen closely, because the tips and tricks to making a relationship work in a business applies to hiring and working with employees as well.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- How to play to each person’s strengths
- What changes to make if something isn’t working
- The benefits of working with your spouse
Here’s a glance at this episode:
- [02:47] – Before coming into the studio, Ivan worked in manufacturing.
- [04:27] – When blending their families together, it was almost impossible to schedule time together working in two different industries.
- [06:19] – You’re going to want each person to contribute with their strengths to the business and not have redundancy.
- [08:30] – Ivan shares the tasks he works on in the business that play to his strengths.
- [10:01] – In the beginning, Allison didn’t value Ivan’s strengths because he didn’t do things like her. But having someone who sees things differently is important.
- [11:40] – As a solopreneur, you don’t usually see your flaws.
- [13:43] – Whoever is going to be using a program the most between business owners, needs to be the one to make a decision.
- [14:56] – What is The Pumpkin Plan?
- [17:44] – Another one of Ivan’s strengths is seeing the big picture.
- [19:59] – Separate offices are better for Ivan and Allison.
- [21:12] – One thing to consider before working with your spouse is to have time that is separate.
- [22:26] – Make sure you are cross training other employees. Don’t let it just be one person that does specific things.
- [25:17] – Ivan uses the skill of backwards scheduling learned in the manufacturing industry in the studio.
- [27:58] – Taking the time and going through every process in the business to understand the time each task takes changed the way they work.
- [30:18] – Ivan shares the strengths Allison has that makes the business unique.
- [33:01] – Working with your spouse can be amazing, but take the time to learn ways to support each other and what your strengths are.
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