One of the things that I love most about Justin is his entrepreneurial spirit. He, like my self, doesn’t want to be confined to a cubicle the rest of his working days. That’s why I knew the day that he told me he was quitting his job was inevitable. The decision to finally do so came after months of 50-60 hour work weeks, the resignation of a close colleague, working weekends, and an episode where a common cold lasted for almost a month simply because he was unable to take time off from work to recuperate. By the way, the list goes on…

I will admit that my first thoughts were about how this would affect us financially. Personally, I want to complete my Masters and not to mention it’s almost time for me to buy a new car. When it comes to our relationship, there have been discussions of starting our lives and buying a home together. I wondered how would we be able to take all the trips, start all the businesses, afford to get married and live the lifestyle we wanted to live based off of one income for an unknown period of time?

I jotted down an exhaustive list of ways in which one could be a more supportive partner including things I have already done. The reality is there aren’t any “best practices” when it comes to showing your support. What works for one person may not work for another. I want to turn the question around to you. If you’re in a relationship where you had to support your mate as they transitioned into entrepreneurship, how did you handle it and what is some advice that you would give to others?

Tags: Bizzyness, Copreneur, Couplepreneur, Couples in business, Entrepreneur, Entrepreneurial, Mate, Spouse, Support
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Hello all you Bizzy people! We just wanted to take a moment to thank each and everyone of you for celebrating the launch of Bizzyness with us. We want to thank; Joe W., Andre, Brian, David, Nikki and Joel Ramirez, Dwight, Charma, LeVar, Ann (Victor in spirit), and Joe T. We also want to thank all of those who could not make it out;we appreciate your support and enthusiasm. We are really excited about the potential of Bizzyness and we are really looking forward to even more feedback.  The amount of support on our most recent endeavor has been tremendous and we pray that you will continue to support as we continue to share news, information, and resources with you. As always feel free to register and make comments. More features coming soon and please don’t hesitate to let us know if you have any questions, concerns, or feedback.

Thanks,
Akuba and Justin

Tags: Appreciation, Bizzyness.com Launch, Copreneur
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Should couples go into business together? It’s not exactly an age old question, but it’s definitely a new question that’s gaining in popularity. Credited as being coined by Frank and Sharon Barnett, the term ‘copreneur’ is defined as a couple, (married or unmarried) that shares ownership, commitment, and responsibility for a business. Its predecessor, the phrase “mom-and-pop store” dates back to around 1951 (www.webster.com). They were the staple of the community and even today, evoke a certain level of comfort and familiarity at their mention. Now that more and more people are taking the leap of faith into entrepreneurship (sources say at least a quarter million), they are looking to their mates as potential business partners. Sure, there are plenty of downsides to couple-owned businesses: long hours, limited personal time, fuzzy boundaries, and neglected romantic relationships, but there are many rewards as well. You are your own boss, you can to spend time with your mate you otherwise couldn’t have (thanks to Corporate America), and you can transcend into a deeper level of trust, intimacy, and dependency on each other. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Bizzyness, Copreneur, copreneurs, Couple Questions, couple-owned-business, couplepreneurship
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