Why ‘couples commerce’ is a budget-friendly business design
17 November, 2020
Husband and wife businesses have in common drawn on the romantic but practical motivation of simply wanting to create a dream together.
Amid monetary trauma brought by the pandemic, that enduring business model is also being motivated by frugality, convenience and framed by necessity.
As careers evaporate and domestic budgets tighten, “couples commerce” yields attractive credentials, notably lower overheads and shared goals.
Following a career making life-saving medicines in the UK's biopharmaceutical sector, Kathryn Jones introduced a UAE skincare products brand in 2017.
While she had “background knowledge to experiment and develop formulas”, hubby James Thomas applied prior encounter in a communications agency and as a UK business proprietor.
Ms Jones, 51, from Wales, says moving to Dubai in 2013 was a good turning level, along with “being aware of deep straight down that the organization role I at first took was not the proper fit for me”.
The mother-of-one says KJ Serums started out out necessarily, when she couldn’t afford some top skincare brand prices.
“Dubai, being the hub of the beauty sector in your community, was the clear choice to launch from,” she says. “It’s got an entrepreneurial spirit, even of these unprecedented times.”
Another prime component was her spouse.
While Ms Jones handles merchandise creation and manufacturing, advertising and customer support delivery, Mr Thomas, 53, oversees delivery logistics, regulatory approvals/compliance, finance and retailer/distributor agreements.
And that brings significant operational and personnel cost savings, in addition to the positivity of a good “cottage industry” with dedicated spouses in its heart.
“Commercially speaking, we feel there's been a noticeable trend towards supporting small local businesses during the pandemic,” says Ms Jones.
“Once customers know it’s really you behind the company, they are tremendously supportive.”
Mr Thomas, who as well works as a good freelance communications consultant, reveals you will find a downside and the business model can be a “blessing and a curse”.
“Of course, you possess benefits such as little overheads, staffing costs, salaries [and] visas,” he says.
“But, there is under no circumstances an ‘off’ button whenever your livelihood is found in the hands … weekdays, weekends and holidays mix into one seamless job stream.”
Mr Thomas says it’s necessary to mark a good “formal end” to the morning and week.
“Working so closely alongside one another, we've also drawn distinct boundaries between our performing romance and our personal relationship ... allowing the two to become intertwined is something we found can not work for us.”
Latika and Sandeep Chawla, both 36, have observed the positives and negatives of being married business owners for nine years since launching Giftbag.ae to fill a good gap in the web gift delivery sector.
Operationally, Ms Chawla cites “team spirit” and communication mainly because important benefits, including being accessible to the other person at all times.
“As well, the understanding levels we share just as a couple … not any ego clashes, accountability issues, office politics,” she says.
“We share the strain and celebrate the victories of our personal and specialist lives - it is a great sense to live every part with your best good friend and wife.”
Ms Chawla, who comes with an F&B retail background, handles operations, business creation and advertising from their Mankhool, Dubai, home.
That arrangement removes business office rent while also providing flexibility to do the job around sons aged 8 and 5, thereby cutting down childcare costs and “mum guilt” by upping parental availability.
Mr Chawla runs a wholesale electronics trading business besides managing Giftbag’s strategic setting up, decision making and complex demands.
He says the pandemic brought a “huge surge” in business as online purchasing peaked, which suited a good pay-as-you-go, service-oriented framework, free of management employee salaries.
“Training of a office at home and having only outsourced staff handling the majority of tasks other than the two of us, we don't have resolved liabilities weighing us and the business enterprise down.
“Money saved is cash earned for any small business operator.”
Mr Chawla also highlights some negatives with their scenario, on the other hand, including no resolved incomes/salaries and the shortcoming to switch off from “job mode” on evenings and weekends.
“It is tough because so many date nights and any leisure time is spent discussing job issues,” he adds.
KJ Serums is subjected to elements of this but, while Ms Jones also cites having less potential for bonuses, medical health insurance and different corporate perks, she offers: “It’s always a dilemma of is your glass 50 % empty ... or half total.”
Regarding Melody Beale, when her job working corporate events fell casualty to Covid-19’s fall-out, she channelled her love of global foods to start a business with husband James.
Curious Elephant Soulful Sauces was founded in May, just a month following the Australian-born Downtown Dubai resident lost her hospitality role. She used foodie knowledge from extensive travels to recipes influenced by her Hong Kong heritage, while her spouse channelled planning, operational and financing skills.
“The idea of having my own business in the meals industry have been there for so long as I can remember,” says Ms Beale, 32.
“The day after I was made redundant, I was scrolling through LinkedIn starting the inevitable job hunt and found a video about pursuing your dreams rather than letting concern with failure get in the way.”
So, she aligned a perceived gap available in the market with her aspirations to create freshly built, chilli-based Asian condiments.
UK-born Mr Beale, meanwhile, employed his experience from his day job as senior manager for a construction company, including establishing and operating firms in the UAE and beyond.
“Every country has its hurdles, probable pitfalls to understand and ways to function around these and minimise your risk,” says the 36-year-old.
“It is vital you make an effort to understand these while best as you can before you begin out and start extra cash, as much involve incurring additional and unexpected costs, which, due to a start-up, could be crippling in the event that you don’t have money to fall rear on.”
Mr Beale says he has learnt many of these aspects the hard approach.
“They have given me a foundation for operating a business in the UAE, which Mel doesn’t have first-hand experience of and would otherwise need to have sought external advice on.”
Ms Beale, who launched an online store previous month, acknowledges that losing her work gave her the courage to mobilise a concept that could have remained dormant another 10 years.
It’s not easy trying to wear various hats and cover all aspects, but this is the best way to hold overheads under control
James Beale, co-founder, Curious Elephant Soulful Sauces
“And as a couple, obviously the pressure and workload is spread a lttle bit more,” she says, although her partner admits the line around work and personal lifestyle does blur sometimes.
“Even though we consciously tell the other person we will not talk about Curious Elephant things for one hour over dinner, we always seem to somehow come back to it within a quarter-hour,” says Mr Beale.
Both likewise agree having his wage presents “some comfortableness”, but that it doesn’t cloud their judgement when making business decisions.
“It’s easy to take it for granted that every month this funds will be to arrive when, in today's pandemic situation, nothing is selected,” Mr Beale continues.
“So, we are performing Curious Elephant with its own working cashflow, even while funding personal expenditures from my day work.
“This takes some pressure off the brand new business to turn an instantaneous profit and means we don’t have to cut corners to achieve short-term profit at the potential cost of long-term goals.”
Total, Mr Beale embraces the strengths of their organization partnership.
“We are very fortunate that between us we have a pass on of skills that, although doesn’t quite go over everything, gives a broad understanding of the full organization lifecycle,” he adds.
“It’s challenging trying to wear various hats and cover most aspects, but that is the best way to maintain overheads in order while building customer base and brand awareness.
“In the years ahead, our plan is usually to expand our team so that obligations and workload can be shared.”
Giftbag’s Ms Chawla anticipates more married couples launching businesses in this uncertain economical climate.
“Small business start-ups are the strategy to use, and with working at home becoming the brand new norm, it is very natural for husband and wife teams to begin working together towards obtaining common goals.
“Being entrepreneurs gives us the independence and confidence to create decisions and exist on our own terms.”
Source: www.thenationalnews.com
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