Running a business with your partner is something people often react to with one of two responses: either “Oh, that must be lovely!” or “I could never do that.” And the truth is, both are valid. It is lovely, and it is hard work. It requires patience, communication, humour, and a shared vision of what you want life to look like.
For us, it began eight years ago - when we started All About Home - it wasn't meant to begin, it was soemthing that was meant to be to just "to get us by for a short while" however after a short while we were full of hope and excitement, but also facing the realities of trying to get a business off the ground, that wasn't meant to be forever. The early days were long. There were no guaranteed paydays and at the time we had nothing, we were trying to scrape as much as we could together for that Christmas and for our children, there was no clocking out at 5pm, no neat separation between home and work. We were learning everything as we went — from quoting, to scheduling, to accounts, to simply keeping momentum when we were exhausted - sometimes that's still the reality now.
There were definitely days where we wondered if we’d made it harder for ourselves by working together, but at the time we didn't have much of a choice, And there were days where the stress and pressure would creep into the smallest parts of daily life. But underneath all of that, there was something much bigger holding us together: we weren’t just building a business, we were building a life - we both started to have a vision and that's what we were working towards.
We made the choice to be self-employed for freedom — not freedom from work, because running a business is constant — but freedom to shape our time around our family. That mattered to us more than anything. We wanted to raise our children in a home where we were present, available, and part of their day-to-day lives.
One of the biggest things we’re proud of is how we’ve managed to do that. Every morning, both of us take our youngest daughter to school. We walk her in, we talk on the way, we share that moment together. And every afternoon, one of us is there to pick her up — depending on who has the busier day. That was always the goal: to build something that allowed us to show up for our children, not just provide for them.
We have two children, and they’ve grown with the business. Our home has always been a mix of family life and work life — tools by the door, job sheets on the table, cups of coffee in the van, laughing in the kitchen while planning tomorrow’s schedule. Our eldest, who is nearly 18, still chooses to be at home with us, and that means more than anything. It tells us we didn’t just build a business — we built a family unit that feels good, safe, and connected. Emily now sometimes works for All About Home at the Airbnbs we run, this isn't the life she wants for herself, her passion is to work in childcare and that's what she's studying at college, it does however give her a feel and understanding of the hardwork that we have to put in - something she didn't see whilst she was a school and I truly believe that makes her respect us and everything we've put in to build the life she is living.
Of course, working and living together comes with challenges. There are times when one of us is frustrated, overwhelmed, or tired (normally me) And when you’re in both roles (partner and colleague), you have to learn how to communicate properly, not just react. It’s something we’ve had to work on and continue to work on. You don’t get to end a disagreement by “going to work” or “coming home” — because you’re always both. I get asked a lot if Pete and I argue - the answer is simple - yes! Of course we do! But we would also argue about the same stuff if we didn't work together.
One routine that has become really important for us is our 10 minutes after the school run every morning. Just the two of us, sitting and talking before the day fully starts. We talk about what’s going well, what’s on our minds, what needs attention, and what we’re working towards. It keeps us aligned, grounded, and connected — not just as business partners, but as husband and wife - we try hard to ensure we always have our next "date night" or trip away booked so that we have something to look forward to that isn't work. When we go out just the two of us we have a rule that we are only allowed to talk about work for the first 20mins and then it has to be about us. We also ask each other a daily question, even if that's "what would you like our next date to be" or "what was your favourite packet of crisps growing up" - I know this sounds stupid but it keeps us connnected and it's something that works for us. It also means that I would 100% win at a game of Mr and Mrs.
There are still busy days, stressful weeks, and moments where we have to remind ourselves why we chose this path. But there is also so much joy. On most days, we laugh. Properly laugh. Even after all these years of working, living, cooking, parenting, and socialising side by side — we still genuinely enjoy each other’s company. And that is something I never take for granted. We also listen to our wedding song by Fleetwood Mac all of the time, it takes us back to that moment where we chose each other - I'm still working on getting Pete to have a dance round the kitchen with me (I will keep you updated on that)
People sometimes ask us how we make it work, and the truth is, there isn’t a secret formula. It’s simply this:
• We share the same vision for the life we want.
• We communicate, even when it’s uncomfortable.
• We appreciate what the other person does.
• We take time to connect, even when the diary is full.
• And we keep choosing each other — every day.
Working with your partner isn’t for everyone. But for us, it has meant building not only a business we’re proud of, but a life that feels full, meaningful, and ours. And if I could go back and choose again, I’d choose exactly this (there are things I would defintley do differently) — because at the heart of it all is love, teamwork, and the quiet joy of knowing you’re building something together. For us that's all we ever wanted and at the moment, we are making it work.
P.S something we also hear a lot is "you're so lucky" none of this is about luck, it was all hard work and it still is every single day - it's really hard. The only thing lucky was that 11 years ago on a holiday in Santorini we found each other.
Tracey xx
For us, it began eight years ago - when we started All About Home - it wasn't meant to begin, it was soemthing that was meant to be to just "to get us by for a short while" however after a short while we were full of hope and excitement, but also facing the realities of trying to get a business off the ground, that wasn't meant to be forever. The early days were long. There were no guaranteed paydays and at the time we had nothing, we were trying to scrape as much as we could together for that Christmas and for our children, there was no clocking out at 5pm, no neat separation between home and work. We were learning everything as we went — from quoting, to scheduling, to accounts, to simply keeping momentum when we were exhausted - sometimes that's still the reality now.
There were definitely days where we wondered if we’d made it harder for ourselves by working together, but at the time we didn't have much of a choice, And there were days where the stress and pressure would creep into the smallest parts of daily life. But underneath all of that, there was something much bigger holding us together: we weren’t just building a business, we were building a life - we both started to have a vision and that's what we were working towards.
We made the choice to be self-employed for freedom — not freedom from work, because running a business is constant — but freedom to shape our time around our family. That mattered to us more than anything. We wanted to raise our children in a home where we were present, available, and part of their day-to-day lives.
One of the biggest things we’re proud of is how we’ve managed to do that. Every morning, both of us take our youngest daughter to school. We walk her in, we talk on the way, we share that moment together. And every afternoon, one of us is there to pick her up — depending on who has the busier day. That was always the goal: to build something that allowed us to show up for our children, not just provide for them.
We have two children, and they’ve grown with the business. Our home has always been a mix of family life and work life — tools by the door, job sheets on the table, cups of coffee in the van, laughing in the kitchen while planning tomorrow’s schedule. Our eldest, who is nearly 18, still chooses to be at home with us, and that means more than anything. It tells us we didn’t just build a business — we built a family unit that feels good, safe, and connected. Emily now sometimes works for All About Home at the Airbnbs we run, this isn't the life she wants for herself, her passion is to work in childcare and that's what she's studying at college, it does however give her a feel and understanding of the hardwork that we have to put in - something she didn't see whilst she was a school and I truly believe that makes her respect us and everything we've put in to build the life she is living.
Of course, working and living together comes with challenges. There are times when one of us is frustrated, overwhelmed, or tired (normally me) And when you’re in both roles (partner and colleague), you have to learn how to communicate properly, not just react. It’s something we’ve had to work on and continue to work on. You don’t get to end a disagreement by “going to work” or “coming home” — because you’re always both. I get asked a lot if Pete and I argue - the answer is simple - yes! Of course we do! But we would also argue about the same stuff if we didn't work together.
One routine that has become really important for us is our 10 minutes after the school run every morning. Just the two of us, sitting and talking before the day fully starts. We talk about what’s going well, what’s on our minds, what needs attention, and what we’re working towards. It keeps us aligned, grounded, and connected — not just as business partners, but as husband and wife - we try hard to ensure we always have our next "date night" or trip away booked so that we have something to look forward to that isn't work. When we go out just the two of us we have a rule that we are only allowed to talk about work for the first 20mins and then it has to be about us. We also ask each other a daily question, even if that's "what would you like our next date to be" or "what was your favourite packet of crisps growing up" - I know this sounds stupid but it keeps us connnected and it's something that works for us. It also means that I would 100% win at a game of Mr and Mrs.
There are still busy days, stressful weeks, and moments where we have to remind ourselves why we chose this path. But there is also so much joy. On most days, we laugh. Properly laugh. Even after all these years of working, living, cooking, parenting, and socialising side by side — we still genuinely enjoy each other’s company. And that is something I never take for granted. We also listen to our wedding song by Fleetwood Mac all of the time, it takes us back to that moment where we chose each other - I'm still working on getting Pete to have a dance round the kitchen with me (I will keep you updated on that)
People sometimes ask us how we make it work, and the truth is, there isn’t a secret formula. It’s simply this:
• We share the same vision for the life we want.
• We communicate, even when it’s uncomfortable.
• We appreciate what the other person does.
• We take time to connect, even when the diary is full.
• And we keep choosing each other — every day.
Working with your partner isn’t for everyone. But for us, it has meant building not only a business we’re proud of, but a life that feels full, meaningful, and ours. And if I could go back and choose again, I’d choose exactly this (there are things I would defintley do differently) — because at the heart of it all is love, teamwork, and the quiet joy of knowing you’re building something together. For us that's all we ever wanted and at the moment, we are making it work.
P.S something we also hear a lot is "you're so lucky" none of this is about luck, it was all hard work and it still is every single day - it's really hard. The only thing lucky was that 11 years ago on a holiday in Santorini we found each other.
Tracey xx
Related Posts
