Microbusiness Mentor

Article in my series of Mistakes Women Entrepreneurs Make (Lessons from an Entertainment Icon)

Madonna’s husband Guy Ritchie views his wife as “never satisfied” meant that he knew about his wife’s predictable working pattern. He’s gone through Madonna’s years of trying to juggle to know what comes every few years.

People who are extremely competitive, are perfectionists, and have high (often unfulfilled) expectations of themselves engage in a pattern of wanting to best themselves. Guy Ritchie may have become intolerant of this pattern leading up to the couple’s alienation. Yet, I see this as the spouse’s inability to accept his partner for the person she is, even after many years of observing this obvious pattern.

You don’t marry someone hoping to change your spouse or yourself within the relationship! … Or at least, expect to dramatically change what makes you tick.

Of course, it is entirely possible that a women entrepreneur may evolve through the course of a relationship and adapt her role to the life transition. For example, when I became a mother, I consciously made a decision to cut back 90% of my business activities because I wanted to fully participate in the first year of my son’s life. However, I know very well that I enjoy seeking and exploring through entrepreneurship; this is a self expression that makes me feel most alive. Eventually, I will want to resume some level of this self expression, and I make this clear to my husband.

For spouses of high profile women entrepreneurs, this means accepting the reality that they are who they are.

For many of these women entrepreneurs, the spouse may be there mainly to provide stability and support for their wives.

Society has taken for granted that this is a woman’s role. No one bats an eyelash if roles were reversed, and the wife supports the endeavors of a high profile husband. However, men today are increasingly demanded to be the emotionally supportive spouse while women assume more financial responsibility.

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