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The world of business can be intimidating to enter – but doing so with the one you love can make things far easier (if you work well together). Many couples combine home life with work life by choosing to become business partners and many achieve incredible success.
For those interested in starting a venture with their significant other, what kind of business will you start? we’ll gather together 20 inspirational examples, ranging from full-time professions to side-business ideas for couples.
But before we offer up the inspo, let’s first find out why this can be such a profitable move.
Four benefits of starting a business as a couple
Why should you consider starting a business as a couple? There are a number of compelling reasons why this arrangement can work so well.
1. You know you make good partners
If you make good partners in life, you’ll more than likely make good partners in business too! Sure, working with a partner isn’t the right choice for everyone, but navigating through life together, overcoming challenges and finding success can prove to be a fantastic foundation upon which to build a business. You know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and can more easily delegate the areas of business that you’re each best suited to.
2. There’s a high level of trust
Sure, every business duo will tell you that they’re in it together, but that’s never truer than in the case of a couple. Trust is a critical asset in business and a couple can rest assured that they’ll always act in each other’s best interests.
3. It adds excitement to your relationship
Even the most passionate and loving of relationships can get set into patterns after a while. You work Monday to Friday, you eat dinner and watch TV together, you visit friends on the weekend and you repeat this pattern week after week. A business can add real spice to your life by offering a passion project that can bring excitement and more opportunities to spend time together.
4. You share the spoils
If your business is successful you’ll also enjoy the not insignificant benefit of extra cash! Unlike traditional businesses partnerships, in which earnings are split between each of the owners, every dollar you make as a couple goes straight into your shared pockets. This can really incentivise you to grow and succeed in business!
20 small business ideas for couples
What are some examples of small business ideas for couples? Here are 20 suggestions that, when done well, could turn out to be rather bigideas.
1. Event planning
If you and your partner enjoy the feeling of a plan coming together, event planning might be the business for you! No matter whether you focus on weddings, birthdays or corporate events, the skills are the same – as an event planner you’ll need to be excellent at organisation and communication.
2. Food truck
Is there a chef in the family? A food truck can prove to be the perfect balance between a passion project and a profitable business. Choose your cuisine, find a vehicle, organise your payments from the comfort of your truck, and then begin to offer your services at sports, community, commercial or private events!
3. Catering
Next up is an opportunity to cook at events, minus the wheels. As a caterer you’ll be responsible for feeding hungry revellers at all manner of occasions. Catering can prove a little more flexible than food truck work, as you’re not as locked into a specific cuisine.
4. Jewellery
A jewellery business can be a particularly profitable enterprise when done well. Whether you buy your products from suppliers or make it yourself, it’s wise to choose a niche within jewellery, then try to be the best at it, as this makes marketing and selling your products far easier.
5. Dropshipping
Dropshipping is the practice of selling products that your supplier then sends directly to your customer. Dropshippers, therefore, don’t need to hold any inventory and can adapt quickly to market changes – though this does mean you enjoy less control.
6. Commercial cleaning
Do you and your partner get a real sense of accomplishment in transforming a dirty space into a perfectly clean one? Perhaps you should consider starting a cleaning business! Pro tip: commercial cleaning tends to pay better and offers more regular work than residential.
7. Landscaping/gardening
Perhaps your maintenance talents beyond the four walls of the home. If you and your partner sport a pair of green thumbs, a mowing, gardening or landscaping business might be for you. This lets you enjoy time in the sun while you make Aussie backyards look beautiful!
8. Online education
Do you have expertise in a particular subject? The breadth of online education is incredible, and the direction you head is entirely up to you. You could offer fitness classes, tutoring to students or business coaching to fellow entrepreneurs.
9. House-flipping
Are you a die-hard fan of The Block? Do you enjoy big creative projects? Are you handy with a hammer? House-flipping isn’t for the faint of heart, but for those who do it well, it can be a wildly satisfying and profitable profession.
10. Candle making
Are you looking for a creative pursuit that sits a little below house-flipping on the difficulty chart? Candle-making might be the answer! A simple yet creatively diverse process means anyone can make truly unique candles to sell to the masses.
11. Bed and breakfast
In the age of Airbnb, establishing a bed and breakfast has never been easier. Depending on the capital you have to play with, you can either host guests on your own property, or manage B&Bs for other property owners.
12. Café
If you have a passion for food and drink – particularly the caffeinated variety – a café might be a tempting venture for you and your partner.
13. Beauty salon
Do you or your partner have a talent for aesthetics? Whether you’re good with hair, skin or nails, a beauty salon can be a business in which you build up a loyal (and profitable) customer base. For this sort of service-based business, it’s wise to invest in an appointmentssoftware to ensure you maximise profits and avoid double-bookings.
14. Fashion retailer
The passion for fashion runs deep in many, which makes it a tempting business to be involved in. The shape of your business is up to you: you could offer retail or handmade products either in-store or online, or you could rent fashion instead of selling it.
15. Pet grooming
Imagine spending your working week with furry friends and making them look beautiful. If that sounds like less of a job than a dream to you and your partner, pet grooming might be the business for you.
16. Electronics retailer
A business opportunity for those who enjoy staying at the leading edge of tech, as an electronics retailer you’ll get the opportunity to make people’s lives better by offering them the latest and greatest innovations. The fast pace of technological advancement means that this is another business well suited to dropshipping.
17. Content creation
From company blogs to social media posts, modern businesses know that content is critical for marketing success. You could offer to create that content, whether by supplying videos, imagery, or the written word.
18. Social media management
Speaking of social media, a lot of businesses know they need to be active on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, but few can find the time. This represents an opportunity for social-savvy couples to manage their profiles for them!
19. Freight and courier services
The rise in online shopping means that freight and courier companies are busier than ever. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit and access to the right vehicle, you and your partner could carve out a rather nice niche in the freight industry.
20. Quiz hosts
Do you enjoy collecting fun facts and interesting information? Is there a performer in you who’s just bursting to get out? Why not start a quizzing business? You could offer to host quizzes for businesses, private functions, or a weekly pub trivia night!
How to start a business as a couple
Starting your own business is a subject that really deserves its own guide (which you can find right here!), but the basic steps to founding your venture are as follows:
Write a business plan: By putting your path to success in print you give yourself direction, while also identifying potential issues early.
Find a location: Where will you operate from? Your garage or home office? An office or storefront? An online store?
Seek financing: Do you have enough capital to get your business off the ground? If not, you’ll need to source the necessary funds.
Decide on your business structure: Speak to an expert and decide whether you will become a sole trader, a partnership, a company or a trust.
Choose a name and get compliant: Choose your business name, register it, and fill in all the other necessary legal paperwork associated with tax and regulatory responsibilities.
Work out how you’ll get paid: Find a payment services provider who will allow your customers to pay in the way they want to pay.
Grow and succeed: The rest of the journey will require ambition and motivation. At this point, it’s up to you and your partner as to what your business becomes!
