The Guilt Gap
Building a Business with Your Partner When You’re Also Raising Kids
Running a business with your partner is a bold move. It promises freedom, alignment, and purpose, however, when you’re also raising kids, it can come with a side-serving of guilt no one quite prepares you for.
One of the kids running a workshop for her friends.
It’s not just the time you spend working, it’s the mental energy; the business chatter that dominates dinner, the “quick” emails that eat into bedtime routines, the tension that sneaks into family life when you’re both on the same rollercoaster of risk and reward.
Plus, when both Mum and Dad are wrapped up in the same dream, the same challenges, it can feel like there’s no parent left with a full emotional tank to give. The guilt isn’t just about time, it’s about true presence.
Why co-founders needn’t worry so much
When they were little, our kids would mimic us - setting up workshops for their toys, planning imaginary launches, and even “starting businesses” of their own. I have a treasure trove of half-finished websites and sticky-note business plans tucked away in drawers. Projects never launched, but creativity fully expressed. I vividly remember being called in as back-up support after my daughter tried to run a brainstorming session with her friends to help save the planet. She was in tears because nobody had any good ideas. It turned out she needed to learn that ‘good’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘liked by her.’
Weekends spent in the office are now remembered with fondness.
Now, as teenagers, they’re giving us advice. On marketing. On styling. On how to make a reel that doesn’t make us look like we’re trying too hard. They help us type notes and pack workshop materials. They're thinking about how they can make money - how they can bring their ideas to life.
One day, I flippantly said, “Maybe I’ll just go get a normal job.”
One of them looked at me, wide-eyed, and said:
“Please don’t. I’m so proud to have parents who run their own business.”
I’ll be honest - I teared up.
All those years of guilt? Suddenly they just felt silly.
Because the truth is, we weren’t just building a business. We were showing our kids how to build something with courage, creativity, and love. We were showing them that work can be meaningful, that relationships can survive the stress of startups, and that dreams are worth the messiness.
So if you’re in business with your partner and wondering if the kids are getting your leftovers - know this: they’re watching. They’re learning. And they just might be prouder of you than you realise.