# Wife Refuses New Business Idea



## braveheart2009 (Mar 25, 2009)

Hi,

Has any guy went against their wife wishes to change career to improve the finances in the family? She thinks putting a few of thousand into a business is going to ruin us and she doesn't understand it like I do regardless of how many times I have told her she says stick to job you do and we will be okay yeah until the next recession bites back.


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## NotLikeYou (Aug 30, 2011)

It's hard to give detailed feedback without more information. Are the two of you carrying a lot of debt? What kind? A big house note isn't as bad as thousands of dollars of credit card debt. Do you have the money you want to plow into the business already saved? Do you have previous experience in the business you want to move into that will require the investment? If she were 100% set against the idea, could you put together a business plan good enough that you could take it to a bank and get a loan on it?

Getting back to the "marriage" part, have you sat down and talked to her about your concerns that the next recession will torpedo you financially, and why you think this business opportunity will make your money situation better in the long term? I ask this because she may be chalking this up to a mid-life crisis, rather than a carefully considered long-term plan on your part.


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## Sameold (Aug 11, 2011)

9 out of 10 businesses fail within a year of starting, and I'm sure she's aware of that. What's your get-out-without-going-bankrupt plan? Does she know that plan? Will it work?
Are you good at data? One of the reasons we closed our business was that my husband was not willing to record data, and I was always trying to reconstruct things for accounting purposes. If she knows that you won't record business mileage, perhaps because you don't record charity mileage, that would be a very good reason to refuse to spend money starting a business. If she knows you're the sort who will forget which transactions to collect sales tax on, that's an even better reason.
Whether a few thousand will ruin you depends on where you are financially. If it's money that you'd otherwise use to buy a new toy, you're probably okay. If it's money that's your emergency fund to keep your twenty-year-old car running, then don't even consider it.
You've got an accountant for the business, right? Sit down with your wife and accountant and let the accountant lay it out in black-and-white. Insurance agent? Is your umbrella policy big enough? Business attorney? Make sure she has the numbers for those three guys/gals and encourage her to call and discuss her concerns with them, or make appointments to discuss her concerns.


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## Just Dave (Sep 13, 2011)

Businesses fail for many reasons. But many new business fail because the person went into debt to start it without having a ready customer base. That and because they didn't have real expectations of their earning capability.

When I started my business my wife asked me how much money I expected to make from it. I said not a dime. That was very realistic, because I had no prior experience, no tools or equipment and no money. But I had and have fierce determination and drive. I also had a plan. I'm also good at thinking on my feet. I have the ability to quickly adapt, improvise and overcome any obstacles. And believe me, you'll need lots of this if you go into business for yourself. You must have a plan to deal with unexpected surprises. For me that plan was - me. And that's a good asset to have.

Don't go into anything that makes you dependent on another person (business partner and even employees). Because when it comes right down to it you can only depend on yourself. Grow when and where you can, but always be able to drop down to doing it yourself if necessary.

Start off with the absolute bare minimum of tools, equipment and supplies. Pay for them with cash if possible and built up more as you earn more. Don't go into debt, as it is hard enough working a new business without the pressure of having to meet a payment.

As someone else has already mentioned, if you're aren't able to start this new business and maintain your current financial obligations then you should stay where you're at until you can. Move into a smaller house, buy an older car, get rid of cable TV, high speed Internet and expensive cell phone plans. Reduce your current living expenses down as much as possible. Try working on what it is you're wanting to do in your business on a part-time bases and build it up for full-time employment.

If you're a good man with good sense and you have a good reasonable woman, then there should be no trust issues on this. But there seems to be something doesn't it. Only you and her know what that something is. Either it's personal or a bad business plan.


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## tacoma (May 1, 2011)

braveheart2009 said:


> Hi,
> 
> Has any guy went against their wife wishes to change career to improve the finances in the family? She thinks putting a few of thousand into a business is going to ruin us and she doesn't understand it like I do regardless of how many times I have told her she says stick to job you do and we will be okay yeah until the next recession bites back.


How many is a "few" thousand?
What is the business?
Who will you be partnering with?
Do you have any knowledge of this business?
Do you have a "few" thousand to lose?
Is your current job secure?
Do you make decent money at your current job?
Does your wife work?
What`s your CYA plan?

Need a little more detail before anyone can tell you anything.


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## Bobby5000 (Oct 19, 2011)

If it makes sense and it is a few thousand, you may want to do it regardless of what she says. If you end up getting fired from your regular job, she'll complain anyway. I started my own business, had a few issues, but now obviously she likes the income and flexibility it affords. Like most of the world, wives like to take credit for success and cast blame for failures. 

There are a lot of wives in divorces with successful businesses who say, my husband and I were a partnership, we built the business and it should be divided 50/50. There aren't too many who say, my husband is a failure in his business and its half my fault.


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## Cherry (Sep 23, 2009)

This sounds like my H. lol. He wants to put a few thousand into a business and I'm filing bankruptcy. He's over his desire for that business right now and we will work to save up money to put into the business in a few years. Right now is not a good time for that for us personally. Sure, it may ONLY be a thousand dollars to put into licenses, insurances, etc... but that's our house payment! And currently his income is steady at least. With his own business, he may sign a 100K contract, but he's got to get workers who are dependable and trustworthy, he has to make sure they do the job, he's got to plan the job, he's got to have all the tools, etc... Not something that happens overnight and with just a few thousand bucks. I'd rather have a business plan in place (which we don't), a savings to fall back on (which we don't), we have to think of health insurance on our own (which is costly), etc., etc., etc.


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