
Susie Miller on Being Married and in Business
Being Married and in Business
SUMMARY
I sit down to a fascinating conversation with Susie Miller on the relationship challenges of married entrepreneurs. A few minutes into our chat, she talks about personality styles and their impact on relationships, and what an eye-opener it is! We end our conversation with tips from Susie for having better conversations with your spouse.
Susie Miller is known internationally as The Better Relationship Coach. She helps people create better personal and professional relationships. Susie is the author of Listen, Learn, Love: How to Dramatically Improve Your Relationships in 30 Days or Less! She is also a contributing writer at Huffington Post.
MAIN QUESTIONS ASKED
- What does your term “EntreSpouses (Married with Business)” mean?
- Having better relationships through understanding yourself
- How success in marriage can translate to business success
- How to switch from work mode to family mode
- How to have better conversations with your spouse
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM SUSIE MILLER
A Business Can Be All-Consuming
- Entrepreneurs who are married have a unique relationship challenge that regular nine-to-fivers don’t have.
- Many entrespouses* complain that their spouse’s business is like the mistress they said yes to. (*spouses of entrepreneurs, as Susie calls them)
- A business can take up all of your mind, time, and energy.
- Entrepreneurs experience a tension between two loves: the love for a spouse or family, and the love for their business.
- It is complicated when both spouses are in the same business. They need to separate the business from the personal.
- Marriage tends to be a casualty in the pursuit of business success.
Different Personality Styles, Different Behaviors
- Know your personality style. It drives how you interact with others.
- DISC Personality Profile (D-Dominance, I-Influence, S-Steadiness, C-Compliance). Four personality styles, each one with specific behavior and communication styles.
Understanding Yourself
- All relationships start with the relationship you have with yourself.
- Embrace your personality style and work on its particular challenges.
Invest in Your Marriage
- People who have successful marriages are 11-25% times more successful in their business and at work.
- The relationship skills you’ve learned in your marriage can be transferred to your business relationships.
Switching from Work Mode to Family Mode
- Face it, this is hard to do. You have to know your priorities and commit to it.
- Say, you’re on family mode, and your mind starts to wander, thinking up a great business idea. Apologize! Then ask for a minute to record your great business idea on your smartphone. And then come right back to your spouse or family.
Better Conversations with Your EntreSpouse
- When your entrespouse is talking, are you giving them your full attention? Or are you already forming your response in your mind?
- Go beyond the usual conversations (business, kids, problems). Talk about fun stuff that allows you to connect with each other, such as: if you could have any superpower, what would it be?
- Look up Susie’s free eBook Fast Fun Conversations with EntreSpouses for more fun conversation starters.
Thanks for tuning in for this episode of the podcast with Susie Miller!
RESOURCES
Also on Susie Miller’s website:
- DISC Personality Profile
- Fast Fun Conversations with EntreSpouses (free eBook)
- 13 Outrageously Effective Communication Tips for Couples (free eBook)
Listen, Learn, Love: How to Dramatically Improve Your Relationships in 30 Days or Less! (Susie Miller’s book)