What I Learned About Business After Getting Married Your business can improve if you focus on your important relationships -- most important of them being the one with yourself.
By Thomas Edwards, Jr. Edited by Jessica Thomas
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
As entrepreneurs, we're all focused on the business hustle. Sometimes, though, we forget that the quality of our personal lives can affect our success in the business world.
I have had a lot of changes in my personal life -- one of the biggest being getting married. It was by far the best day of my life. We were fortunate to go on an amazing "laptop-less" honeymoon and as soon as we came back, we both dove right back into our businesses. (Yes, I married another entrepreneur!)
After being hitched for nearly three months, I'd like to shed some perspective on what I've learned so far and how you can take these insights toward your own entrepreneurial success.
Related: Too Busy to Get Busy? 3 Tips for a Better Sex Life.
Being a customer of your own product or service is among the highest forms of credibility.
I'm not talking about wearing swag from head to toe with your company's logo on it. Since I run a social-skills consultancy, it has always been important to have a ton of success stories and case studies to share and prove that our service works. But since word has spread that I'm now a married man, I've had plenty of prospective clients tell me the reason they chose me over the competition is I represent the kind of life (read: results) they want.
If you want people to trust your product or service, be a customer yourself and prove how it can dramatically change someone's life by having it change your own.
'What's mine is yours.'
I've been hearing this line way too many times already but it is the truth. I've taken a vow to share everything I have with my wife. That amount of loyalty and willingness to give has translated to how I've been willing to give and do what it takes to find success for my clients.
I used to think that if I "gave away all my secrets," then I'd be giving away my value. I soon realized whatever "secrets" you are holding back, thinking they're what make you valuable, is actually hurting you in the long run, especially in the service industry. If you believe your product or service is the best then, even if someone knows the "secret," they'll still need you or your product for the execution or application.
That can never be replaced and that kind of value can be priceless.
Related: Get Angry! Be Passionate! Your Emotions Are Vital to Success.
Happiness outside of your business equals success in your business.
I love my businesses and what I do, but it doesn't come without hardships. One thing that has allowed me to make better decisions, work harder, and become more focused when working with clients, is selfishly looking after my own happiness. Hence the decision to immediately go on our honeymoon.
Whether it's a date night with the wife, playing every week in my pool league, or grabbing drinks with friends, I make a point to maintain a life outside of my business so I'm in as positive of a state as possible whenever I'm working on my business. I've also seen that my clients notice when I'm especially happy through our consultations. Apparently my energy can rub off on them, effectively making them more confident toward accomplishing their goals. Ultimately, the happier your customers, the more successful your business will be.
It didn't take me getting married to understand these things but you can imagine how your business -- and life -- can improve if you focus on your important relationships, most important of them being the one with yourself.
