Balancing the Visionary, Planner, and Doer: How Maritalpreneurs Can Thrive Together at Work and Home
Inspired by The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber
Being a Maritalpreneur—someone balancing both marriage and entrepreneurship—is like being in two full-time partnerships. Each requires energy, focus, and strategy to thrive. Michael E. Gerber’s The E-Myth Revisited offers a fresh perspective on managing these dual roles by highlighting the three personas every entrepreneur embodies:
The Entrepreneur (Visionary, Dreamer)
The Manager (Organizer, Planner)
The Technician (Doer, Worker Bee)
For businesses to succeed, these three roles must coexist in harmony. However, too often, individuals get trapped in their Technician role—handling the daily grind—while neglecting the big-picture vision or the organization necessary for sustainability.
The same principle applies to relationships. A thriving marriage, like a thriving business, needs vision, planning, and consistent effort. For Maritalpreneurs, balancing these roles can unlock success in both love and business.
Understanding the Three Roles
The Entrepreneur (The Dreamer)
The Entrepreneur is the visionary. This role is about setting long-term goals, imagining possibilities, and dreaming of the future. Entrepreneurs inspire their partners, teams, and themselves with purpose and direction.
In Business: The Entrepreneur envisions the company's growth, goals, and impact.
In Marriage: The Entrepreneur dreams about family milestones, shared adventures, and building a legacy.
The Manager (The Planner)
The Manager ensures that dreams become reality through structure and systems. They organize resources, delegate tasks, and create order out of chaos.
In Business: The Manager sets schedules, tracks budgets, and ensures processes run smoothly.
In Marriage: The Manager ensures the household functions—planning vacations, managing finances, or keeping the family calendar on track.
The Technician (The Doer)
The Technician lives in the now. They’re hands-on, executing tasks with precision and focus.
In Business: The Technician writes the emails, makes the sales calls, or bakes the bread.
In Marriage: The Technician handles everyday responsibilities like cooking dinner, paying bills or fixing things around the house.
Why Balance Matters for Maritalpreneurs
Gerber warns that focusing too much on one role leads to imbalance. For example:
If you’re always the Technician, you may achieve short-term wins but sacrifice long-term growth.
If you’re always the Entrepreneur, your grand visions may remain unrealized without planning or action.
If you’re always the Manager, you risk micromanaging and stagnating in routine without innovation.
Maritalpreneurs face an even greater challenge: these roles exist not only in business but also in their relationships. Neglecting one area—like dreaming together as a couple or planning family goals—can cause misalignment in both work and marriage.
Practical Steps for Maritalpreneurs
Here’s how you can balance these roles in your business and marriage:
1. Identify Your Strengths and Gaps
Business: Reflect on your natural tendencies. Are you more of a Technician who loves getting things done, or a Visionary constantly dreaming about the next big move?
Marriage: Discuss with your spouse which roles come naturally to each of you. For example, one of you may excel as the family visionary (dreaming about buying a home or starting a nonprofit), while the other thrives as the manager, organizing day-to-day logistics.
Actionable Tip:
Write down a list of your roles in both business and marriage. Highlight tasks that excite you (your strengths) and those you dread (potential areas to delegate or share).
2. Divide and Conquer According to Strengths
Business: If one partner loves networking and thinking big, they should focus on entrepreneurial tasks like business development. If the other thrives on organization, they should handle managerial tasks like operations or accounting.
Marriage: Apply the same principle. If one partner enjoys planning vacations, let them take the lead, while the other handles the execution (booking tickets, packing).
Actionable Tip:
Hold a monthly “team meeting” to clarify roles and responsibilities in both business and personal life. Adjust as needed to prevent burnout or imbalance.
3. Schedule Time for Each Role
Business: Set aside specific blocks of time for visionary tasks (e.g., brainstorming sessions), managerial tasks (e.g., tracking metrics), and technical work (e.g., delivering products or services).
Marriage: Similarly, balance dreaming together (e.g., discussing future goals), planning (e.g., budgeting or scheduling), and doing (e.g., completing household chores or spending quality time).
Actionable Tip:
Create a shared calendar for both business and family activities to ensure equal attention to all three roles.
4. Invest in Tools and Systems
Systems can lighten the load of repetitive tasks, allowing you to focus on your strengths.
Business: Use project management tools (like Trello or Asana) to manage workflow.
Marriage: Automate recurring household tasks, like grocery shopping with delivery apps, so you can focus on higher-value activities like date nights or family time.
Actionable Tip:
List three tasks that drain your energy in business and marriage. Explore ways to systemize or delegate them this week.
5. Regularly Reevaluate and Adjust
Life and business evolve, and your roles and responsibilities may need to shift over time. Schedule regular check-ins to reassess your balance.
Actionable Tip:
Plan quarterly retreats (even a weekend at home) to review your progress as a couple and as business partners.
Key Takeaway for Maritalpreneurs
Balancing the Entrepreneur, Manager, and Technician roles isn’t just about building a business—it’s about creating a harmonious life together. When you and your spouse recognize your strengths, share responsibilities, and align your vision, you can build a relationship and business that thrive side by side.
Are you ready to take the next step toward balance? Start with one actionable tip from this article, and watch how even small adjustments can lead to big changes in your life and business. Remember: You’re not just partners in business—you’re partners in dreams.
We’d love to have you at the next MaritalPreneurs’ Weekend Intensive. Click here to join the waitlist.
