For Valentine’s Day 2024, we partnered with Heston & Shante Charleston, the owners of D8 Night Detroit, borrowers and part of the ProsperUs family.
D8 Night Detroit knows that it is HARD to be entrepreneurs and/or to be in romantic relationships with entrepreneurs, so Heston and Shante are all about reminding couples of 3 important pillars of a healthy relationship: Intimacy, Fun & Insight.
Here are 5 tips for any entrepreneur, or partner of an entrepreneur, to apply daily:
- Make room for YOU – As entrepreneurs, we’re constantly on our phones dealing with business, social media, finances, and personal life. Sometimes, a little bit of space goes a long way to unwind, catch your breath, and decompress. This also means making room for your partner. It takes two to tango.
- Put the Time into the Business Intentionally – Work-life balance is important, and talking about business 24/7 can get overwhelming, leading to arguments and resentment. Follow Shante and Heston’s routine! Schedule a business date. Let someone else do the cooking and exchange ideas over dinner. No dishes to do afterward.
a. Pro tip: Vibe matters. Shante and Heston’s recommendations are Red Robin for lunch and Bahama Breeze for dinner. Remember to get a babysitter. It helps to be more present. - Respect Each Other’s Time and Space – Ask your partner if right now is a good time to talk about business. If not, respect their space. Come back to it later. Maybe right now is time for a nap or to go to the gym.
- When Something is Hard, Lay it Flat but be Solution-Forward – This is for life, not just for business. All relationships have conflicts, and being upfront is crucial. Make sure you’re not pointing fingers. Be honest and open, and remember the problem IS to problem solve together, not the current situation.
- Wild Ideas? We Got This – When one of you brings a wild idea, think of as many worst-case scenarios as you can and problem-solve for each of those, back and forth. Weigh out the pros and cons. You might find that the solutions are there all along.
- Bonus Tip… Keep it Spontaneous… Interpret that as you may.
Want to take this a step further? Head over to our latest Facebook post or Instagram post for a takeover game to test your Valentine’s and Galentine’s communication skills, and remember to follow D8 Night Detroit on Facebook and Instagram!
