Start, Love, Repeat

A prescriptive guide to how to keep your relationship strong when there's a start-up in the family.

The idea of starting your own business is exhilarating and inspiring. It's one over 30 million Americans pursue. But being the significant other of an entrepreneur is not so glamorous. Boundaries between work and home disappear. Personal savings and business funds become intertwined. You can feel like a single parent as your spouse travels, works late hours, and answers calls and e-mails 24-7.You may even sacrifice a career or move your home for the sake of the business.

But there are strategies you can use to combat all this stress and uncertainty. Whether you're new to the start-up world, or a long-term entrepreneurial partner, START, LOVE, REPEAT will help you understand exactly how a start-up affects your lives-and what you can do to build a happy and healthy relationship in the midst of the madness. Dorcas Cheng-Tozun has not only done extensive research, she has lived through the perils and pitfalls of being with an entrepreneur as the wife of the CEO and cofounder of successful start-up d.light. She offers clear-sighted, first-hand advice for any couple considering making the same leap. She further draws on interviews with other successful entrepreneurs and their significant others, executive coaches, marriage-family therapists, venture capitalists, and start-up authorities to provide practical insights and steps any couple can take to build a strong relationship while launching that dream business.