In the 10th, and last episode of the first Silent Partners podcast series, I am joined by Helena Sharman a specialist teacher and assessor.

Helen is the wife of Steve Sharman, Chief Architect at Third Bridge. We started this series with Steve interviewing my wife Zina so it seemed fitting to end it with me chatting with Helena.

My key take aways:

• Once again it is clear that a startup or new business is a whole family affair. If the company hurts, the whole extended family hurts.

• Make sure you have the runway or a few plan Bs if you do want to start something. Jumping into something without a parachute could be costly in many ways

• If you make the decision to embrace your partners dream then Patience and giving them the space to achieve their potential will be crucial.

• Steves obsession with data, knowledge and doing things right is both a super power and his achilles heal. The personality traits that drive him to find perfection also burden him with responsibilities he possibly doesnt need to shoulder

• If you think you can do it and you want to do it .. just do it! My make that my slogan .. oh hang on….

• Finally, one for all of your but the blokes in particular… we talk a good game about supporting each others mental health but rarely do we really check in on each other. A simple (and persistent) text message will suffice and actually calling often works wonders. As someone once said “Its good to talk”!

That the end of the first series. Really loved talking with all the guests and I have learned a huge amount. I will be publishing a summary article shortly so keep an eye out for that.

This alternative business podcast series, created and produced by Nick Pearce, asks the partners of entrepreneurs about their experience through the startup journey (those that end in success or otherwise) and the partners of those who have supported someone on their way to the top of their profession.

This is a Scaling With Scarcity Ltd podcast.

In episode 9 - You Have To Learn To Listen I am joined by Swansea based Adam Thomas, a quality engineer for the American multinational conglomerate 3M. Adam is the husband of Lucy Cohen CEO and co-founder of Mazuma a Welsh software and accounting services company that is disrupting the accountancy industry by providing innovative, technology-driven bookkeeping and accounting services tailored for small businesses.

Key Takeaways

• Making time for each other is key to staying together. And when you make that time ensure you maximise it by being present and doom scrolling or being overly connected.

• Sometimes, quite often actually, the supporting partner just needs to listen and suppress the urge to suggest. Letting your partner talk themselves through the issue at hand will suffice

• Being told no or that you cannot do something is clearly a driver for many a stubborn entrepreneur to prove the doubters wrong.

• Again a startup or scale up is a family affair. Quite often long term family plans rely on the success of the venture so it is in both the entrepreneurs and the supporting partners interest to put the business first.

• Don’t let things fester. Communicate early and communicate often.

• What struck me most was Adam's belief that part of the supporting role is to provide a positive environment, especially when Lucy doubted herself. Reminding Lucy of her talents and mission surely helped, particularly when she and her co-founders faced numerous attempts from the old boys' club to denigrate their efforts. My advice for what it is worth is to keep smashing it guys, if the doubters are doubting then they are clearly worried!

This alternative business podcast series, created and produced by Nick Pearce, asks the partners of entrepreneurs about their experience through the startup journey (those that end in success or otherwise) and the partners of those who have supported someone on their way to the top of their profession.

This is a Scaling With Scarcity Ltd podcast.

In Episode 8 - 'The Only Way Out is Through,' I chat with Nick Funk, who is based in Spokane and serves as VP of Engineering at SDVI. He has been married to Tiffany for 15 years; she is the Co-Founder & President of point.me.

The conversation highlights how two extremely hard-working professionals manage to make things work despite challenges. As you will hear, the road has bumps, which are to be expected when one of you decides to start a #startup!

My Takeaways:

• Give yourself space to fit things in. If you oversubscribe yourselves with personal or financial commitments, you will likely find it hard to adjust when life intervenes.
• Nick and Tiffany clearly communicate well. Working so closely together at home makes it crucial to understand who is responsible for what, as both give their all to their respective careers.
• There is a saying, 'It’s lonely at the top,' which can be exacerbated by remote working. It’s important to be able to talk with someone who understands the challenges you are facing when you need to unload.
• Modern life with two working professionals in one household sometimes requires some outside help. From gardening and cleaning services to employing a house manager, it is crucial to ensure that you are spending your time in the most valuable way possible for the health and happiness of your family.
• Lastly, the phrase 'the only way out is through' had a profound effect on me. Many entrepreneurs will know the feeling all too well that you need to push on when times are hard and stick to your guns. Thanks, Nick — that’s getting framed and put on a t-shirt!
• It’s good to have a stable base for one of you to be able to take a risk.
• Setting out to build a viable, long-lasting business rather than creating a business for an exit might just make you a bit more resilient."Please subscribe and leave a comment to help grow our audience!

This alternative business podcast series, created and produced by Nick Pearce, asks the partners of entrepreneurs about their experience through the startup journey (those that end in success or otherwise) and the partners of those who have supported someone on their way to the top of their profession.

This is a Scaling With Scarcity Ltd podcast.