Founding a start-up as couple might sound ideal. It’s true that having a significant other as a co-founder brings a lot of advantages, including mutual support and strong trust, but it can also be challenging. To find success, you must be prepared to actively manage balancing your relationship with your start-up life.

As a co-founder couple, my partner and I have experienced a roller coaster of ups and downs. Here are few tips to succeed in your startup and your relationship.

Tip 1: Separate business and pleasure

Never mix business problems with your couple life. Create time that is “work free” by not discussing business on weekends, meal times, or other special time you share with your significant other. It may be very difficult to avoid talking about work at first, but it is necessary to agree on clear boundaries between “work time” and “couple time”. During work time, you need to act like colleagues, especially when the start-up involves other founders. No special treatment should be tolerated. This will help create a fair and healthy environment for yourself, your partner, and the rest of your team.

Tip 2. Personal space is OK

When things get tense, a bit of physical distance can help re-set emotions while still maintaining productivity. Define a meeting time to reconvene later on, and work independently for the rest of the day.

Embrace your independence. It’s not necessary to always go to/from work as a couple. Sometimes one partner may feel like going home while the other is still tied to a project. It’s OK! Waiting for your partner to wrap up all the time will just generate frustration.

Tip 3: Define your roles

Clearly define business roles together, and trust in each other’s abilities. Do not interfere in your partner’s activities.

Tip 4: Don’t play the blame game

Have a strong united front, and never contradict each other in front of colleagues or team members. This is sound advice for all cofounders, and is even more important when you are a couple. There will always be disagreement, but express it privately, and always be mindful of your partner.

Tip 5: Have a backup plan

Don’t wait until it’s too late to define a plan B. Trust yourself to know when it’s time to end the business partnership. If working together is damaging your personal relationship, talk about it with your partner and find a solution together. Prioritize the relationship. If you feel that working together is no longer fun and productive, it is better for someone to leave the company, and this should be clearly defined in advance.