My husband has always been supportive of my Norwex career, but not always *super enthusiastic!* I know many of you might struggle with a partner who doesn’t see the same value in your direct sales business as you. I see how hard it can be to make your entrepreneurial dreams a possibility when your partner is quietly dismissive or critical all the way to downright combative about it.
•Sometimes this comes from a place of fear.
Why does she need/want to be away from us more? Why does she feel the need to make more money? How am I supposed to take care of meals and bedtime alone?
•Sometimes it comes from a place of ignorance.
Norwex is a silly hobby, Norwex is a waste of time, Norwex has brainwashed my wife. These products are a scam, why can’t we use fabric softener anymore damnit.
You might get discouraged after a hard sales month and choose to listen to the voice in your head and the one in your ear if your partner is telling you that you don’t belong doing this. This is the time I see a lot of women quit with reasons like, “This isn’t working for my family anymore.” Often this really just means it’s not working for your spouse, and you are tired of fighting for your business.
I want your partner to get on board, not just for you, but for them too. Any passionate person with ambition who is held back by the person who they expect to be their #1 cheerleader ends up feeling isolated, frustrated, and misunderstood and unappreciated.
My simple tips for you:
💚Bring your partner to a party with you. Pick one with decent attendance and ask them to come and watch. You will be “alive” and a truly caring partner will have a harder time being unsupportive when they see others respecting you and your Norwex job.
💚Show them your sales after a party. Money talks. Build a team and show them your leader check month over month.
💚Use some of that money for something for your relationship and announce it. “Let’s use my business money for a date night/get your car detailed/a trip to the bookstore.
💚If mealtimes are a huge stress without you, reduce your standards. Prep meals ahead of time. Lay out jammies. Tell the kids that dad is just as great at taking care of them and mean it. The first two years of my business, I came home to a shi*storm of a messy house, and I dealt with it when the kids were tiny. As the kids got older my husband and I discussed what would be fair condition for the house to be in most nights. He leveled up and learned how to tidy up before I got home. I don’t meal prep or lay out jammies anymore, he better have gotten that figured out by now!😂 The up side? He is deeply bonded with all three of his children in a way that many fathers never accomplish.
8 years of being a hands-on parent when I am gone have passed, and now he is 110% more confident as a father and I am 110% positive that my business gave him that opportunity.
💚Pick your battles. Yep. That.
💚Respect your time, your family time, your partner time. If you are on your phone doing Norwex until 11 pm each night, you are going to see the fallout. Trust me. I did this. It tells the people you love that work time is more important than anything else. Set boundaries and tell everyone when you are doing Norwex work so they can respect your time, but then cut it off and focus on the people you love when you turn it off. This is a hard one for many of you….I still have to work hard on this one.
💚Be patient. Not everyone is going to see the passion and vision you have at the same moment you did or on the timeline you wish they would.
You deserve your own business, but it does require cooperation, sacrifice, and a shared vision. Having your own business can be a lonely journey, if your partner isn’t going to be behind you, I suggest confiding in a friend who is also in business for themselves. I have coached many women in this business who have found ways to build their business without the ideal support system.
What do you think about this topic? Have anything to contribute to this conversation? Leave your comments for me!
