Menefee: Navigating the Road to Success 

Running a small auto body shop is no easy feat, but for many in this industry, it’s a shared passion. It’s not uncommon to find husband-and-wife or family members working side by side, pouring their hearts into both their business and their relationships. While this might seem like the ideal combination of love and business, the reality is often far more complicated. I know this from experience. I once ran my shop with my significant other, and although it started with high hopes, balancing work and a relationship proved more difficult than I ever imagined. 

The Struggles of Mixing Business and Romance 

Running a body shop is stressful. Between managing day-to-day operations, dealing with customers, navigating insurance companies, and keeping the shop running smoothly, there’s a lot to juggle. Add a relationship to the mix, and the stress can feel overwhelming. 

My partner and I were excited about the idea of building something together. But over time, the challenges became clear. We’d often discuss business after hours or even on weekends when we should have been focusing on each other. Our conversations, which should have been about our future as a couple, often turned into arguments about the shop, customer complaints, or who was responsible for a mistake. 

The tension only grew because as the owner, I was ultimately in charge. That’s not always an easy dynamic, especially when the person you’re working with feels like they’re not in control or, worse, that their opinion isn’t being valued. It wasn’t long before the power struggles started to creep into our personal life, and the frustration of managing both a business and a relationship became too much to handle. 

Communication is Key: Setting Boundaries 

One of the biggest lessons I learned is that communication is critical. Without it, it’s too easy to carry work-related stress home. That is where clear boundaries come in.  

When you’re running a business with your partner, it’s essential to define roles and responsibilities. Who’s in charge of what? Who makes the final decisions when it comes to business operations, customer service, and finances? Clear expectations can help reduce tension and eliminate confusion about who's calling the shots. 

My partner and I never established a habit of sitting down together to discuss what was going well, what wasn’t, and what needed to be addressed. If we had done that, we might have been able to address small issues before they became bigger problems at work and in our relationship.

The Impact on Family Life 

Running a business together doesn’t just affect the two of you. Family, staff, and friends can all feel the impact. I struggled to separate business stress from home life, and others around me felt it. 

I vividly remember evenings when I’d come home exhausted, only to realize I still had to deal with shop-related issues. I found it impossible to stop thinking about what had gone wrong that day, and I was never switching out of “boss” mode. This constant blending of work and home life took its toll on our relationship.  

The Benefits of Working Together — When It Works 

 There are certainly benefits to running a business with someone you trust, someone who shares your vision and understands your goals. For some couples, being in the trenches together can strengthen the bond and foster a sense of teamwork that’s hard to replicate in any other business environment. 

I’ve heard many success stories where the partnership between husband and wife has led to amazing growth, both in their business and in their relationship. Working together means you can rely on each other when times get tough, make joint decisions, and celebrate achievements as a team. 

The Lessons Learned 

While it didn’t work out for us and I now know that my partner’s struggles with me being the boss were at the heart of our downfall, I’ve taken those lessons with me in my future endeavors. 

Years later, I’ve come to realize that not every relationship is meant to thrive in the business world. For me, it’s easier to maintain a work-life balance when I’m not working with my significant other. That’s what works for me, and while I respect that every couple must find their own way, I’ve learned that the boundaries between work and personal life need to be very clearly defined. 

Ultimately, the key to making it work is understanding and respect. Know your strengths, communicate openly, and most importantly, understand that not every partnership will succeed in the same way. We each must learn what works best for us, and sometimes that means working separately. 

It’s all about finding balance and knowing when it’s time to let go.