#24: Should founders sacrifice their private life and relationships? - Jenny Holmström
If you launch your own business, just forget about having a life. It’s only work, no play. And your friends and family will need to accept it. This notion is particularly popular in the startup world but how much truth is in it? We asked Jenny Holmström, CEO and Co-Founder of Coupleness, an app helping couples to develop healthy habits for happy relationships.
Jenny and Darya examine
- why maintaining healthy relationships is a key success factor for entrepreneurs,
- how couples can navigate the challenges of early-stage venture building: what can go wrong and how to prevent such pitfalls,
- and Jenny’s own story of prioritising work to the detriment of her family life which brought her to building Coupleness.
A founder who prioritises personal well-being
The longest study on happiness by professor Robert Waldinger points out that the quality of our close relationship is the most important factor for our individual well-being. Jenny shares this view; being an entrepreneur, she prioritises her relationship. Jenny co-founded Coupleness to give couples happy moments together. The founder journey is full of challenges and what’s important is to take care of yourself from day one.
“To me, life is about my relationship and doing well, physically and mentally. When we have that in place and in order, we’re all prepared and set to take on the entrepreneurial journey.”
Relationships as a roadmap
The story of Coupleness started from Jenny’s personal challenge; a mom of 2 children very busy at work, she realised it affects her relationship. And besides couple therapy, there were few valuable tools around. That’s when Jenny and her co-founder Ted decided they wanted to help couples even with the most hectic lives to nurture their relationship. Once the founder journey started for Jenny, together with her husband, they discussed all practical details about children, financials, and support they might need. Jenny’s advice to entrepreneurs is to approach the relationship as a roadmap. And while you are navigating it, make time to explore each other’s dreams and get to know each other better every day.
About Jenny Holmström
Jenny has worked for the United Nations as well as large corporations and co-founded a child rights organisation. She is an award-winning communicator, always striving to make a positive social impact. Coupleness is an app for couples with a mission to make it easy and mainstream to invest in your relationship.