9 Business Ideas for Couples

 

Marci Martin

 

For two people who love to do everything together, starting a business with your significant other might be your dream job. While it may seem like a bad idea to some, your bond may make you excellent business partners.

 

It’s true that working with your partner can distract you from your business or strain your relationship, but it could just as easily bring you closer together while doubling the passion to make it succeed. If you two handle conflict well and motivate each other, you should consider turning your passions into a business.

 

There are many startups that are well suited for a two-person team. As with any partnership, these nine business ideas work best when you each take on roles that best fit your skills and strengths. An entrepreneurial relationship, like all business ventures, is truly a labor of love.

 

1. Catering    

 

Some couples fight over who should cook dinner, but for others, preparing a meal together is a bonding activity. If you and your partner fall into the latter category – and are good cooks – you may want to consider starting your own catering business. Let the resident gourmand cover most of the food prep, while the other serves as a customer service rep and sous chef.

 

2. Food truck vendors

 

For those foodies who love to travel, consider opening up shop as a food truck vendor. Whether it's music festivals, block parties or private events, food trucks are a great way to make extra money while traveling and meeting interesting people. For many food truck vendors, the freedom of the open road and the appeal of their favorite activities has led them to strike out on their own; doing exactly that with the person you love might be your chance to see the world together.

 

3. E-commerce retailers

 

Crafty couples with a passion for DIY projects can launch a successful ecommerce business on platforms such as Etsy or Zibbet. One of you can handle marketing; the other can handle customer service, and both of you can fill orders. Not only does ecommerce represent a money-making opportunity, it also offers you and your partner a chance to be creative together. What’s better than having fun while turning a profit?

 

4. Fitness instruction

 

If you’re a couple that runs and hits the gym together, launching a fitness business could be right for you. Whether you’re interested in personal training or class instruction, you can become certified through organizations like the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America and begin taking on clients. If you both specialize in the same area, you can double the number of sessions or classes you book. Alternatively, if one of you is a personal trainer and the other teaches a class, you can expand your client base through your service variety.

 

5. Home cleaning service

 

For working parents with long hours, cleaning the house can fall to the bottom of the to-do list. Offer your weekends and evenings to these families, for everything from light housework like vacuuming and dusting to heavy-duty chores like scrubbing the kitchen and bathroom. With you and your partner working as a team, you'll be able to get these tasks done twice as quickly.

 

6. Pet sitting

 

Do you and your partner love animals? Spread the word to friends and neighbors that you’re available to watch their pets while the owners go on a vacation or weekend trip. Pet owners often feel more comfortable leaving their furry friends in the care of a trusted homeowner rather than placing pets in a boarding facility, so getting referrals shouldn’t be too difficult. Offering two caretakers means more individualized attention for your clients' pets, which can be a great selling point.

 

7. Landscape and garden consulting

 

Are you and your partner master gardeners? Take your talents on the road and help others do the same. There are plenty of homeowners willing to pay for advice on turning a hum-drum backyard garden into a real Eden. Beyond gardening, you can help homeowners create a more environmentally friendly backyard, by helping them install rain gardens, rain barrels, and compost piles. These types of services are becoming more popular as people increasingly become conscientious about their environmental footprint.

 

8. Blogging/vlogging

 

Yes, you too can be a YouTube star. Documenting your life might sound cheesy, but it can benefit you financially. If you’re a creative couple with stories and ideas, share them through a blog or vlog. You can turn your blog into a business by maintaining an interesting theme and posting content regularly. Whether it’s a collection of travels or entries of date ideas, your blog can boost your income and strengthen your bond.

 

9. House flipping

 

You can start a house-flipping business with your partner by buying existing homes or run-down properties for an affordable price and fixing them up to resell for a higher profit. If you have a knack for decorating, construction, architecture and the like, you can apply your skills to earn income through these projects. You and your loved one can inspire each other, bouncing ideas and fostering ingenuity.