04/01/2024
It's so funny that many Black people talk about building a legacy for their kids, but there is no proper succession plan within their family. Do you think strangers should build your business if you pass rather than your spouse? How many Black businesses died when the owner passed on?
I personally know many good stories of husbands and wives running businesses together. It's not that complicated, and it's not always rosy, similar to being employed as a CEO of a private company. As long as there is a clear governance structure and understanding to draw a line between business and family time.
There are inspiring stories from peers in their 40s who started in their 30s, such as Nqobile MaPhakathi Mseleku and Percy Mseleku who sell Forever Living, Leeray Dontache of Nxa Tel a Telecommunications Company and very successful.
Other examples include Mel and Bill Gates, the Motsepe family, and my late mentor Rajen Reddy; now, his wife is running all the businesses - KZN oils, The Captex franchises, and many others.
The list is extensive of couples successfully running businesses together. Claiming that doing business together is about friendship and everything else, but not seeing its feasibility is puzzling. Doing business together doesn't mean both partners will be CEOs and run operations together, attending meetings, reading small documents, or driving to work together. No, it's not that.
You will still have your own lives and schedules, sometimes not even seeing each other during working hours. Many who say it won't work aren't even in business; they have a half-story of what it's like to run a business. They've never tried to put together a formal business essay with good governance but argue based on inappropriate business setups without any formal structures.
No, anything can work, even if it's just one couple who has successfully done it; it shows it's possible.
We are going to educate,motivate and inspire each other to do better as black couples - married
