I Employed My Husband for a Function at My Firm After Seeing a Therapist

• Sabina Hitchen employed her husband as her VP of strategic partnerships in 2020.
• She was on the lookout for somebody along with his skillset, and the enterprise has grown since he joined.
• They work from separate rooms and prioritize dates to make it work and never have an effect on their marriage.

This as-told-to essay is predicated on a dialog with Sabina Hitchen, the 45-year-old founding father of Press for Success. The next has been edited for size and readability.

I labored in PR for years earlier than beginning my firm, Press for Success, a PR platform and neighborhood, in 2017. My husband, Alex, has labored in media since he was 18.

We met in 2012 after I was operating from a rainstorm in NYC and went right into a restaurant the place he’d walked within the different entrance — it was like a romcom. I simply wished to learn with a glass of wine, and he got here up and sat with me. We have not stopped speaking since.

Once we lastly determined to go ‘Fb official,’ we realized we had 200 buddies in frequent however had by no means met. Even along with his background, I by no means anticipated to rent him for my firm. Now, he is my worker.

Like most {couples}, we used to weigh in on one another’s work

He was there after I had the concept of Press for Success; he even named it once we have been newly married.

A 12 months earlier than the pandemic, he left his 9-5 job in media to start out media consulting.

When the pandemic hit, our daughter was very younger, and I did not need to stop my job. I like being a mom, however I noticed so many ladies leaving their jobs to care for his or her youngsters, and I knew that wasn’t the appropriate resolution for me.

We determined my husband would stop his job as a substitute

My husband turned our daughter’s full-time caregiver so I may construct my enterprise. He stop in July 2020, and we misplaced about 60% of our earnings as I had returned to my enterprise after working at lower than full steam as a brand new mother.

I labored 24/7 to change into our major breadwinner and began making sufficient to make up for his misplaced earnings.

A 12 months into that setup, he recommended we both transfer again to NYC and he’d begin working in consulting once more (we might been staying in Maine throughout the pandemic as an escape from town) or we work out one thing else. That is after I thought-about hiring him as VP of strategic partnerships and collaboration for my enterprise.

His skillset match what I wanted

I did not need to rent him as a result of he was my husband or wanted work — his expertise match my firm’s wants. I wanted somebody who understood media and PR and will encourage folks and command a room. We determined, “Let’s simply see what occurs.”

He joined my small group and took a slight pay lower, however we see this as an funding in one thing greater.

We noticed a therapist to make sure we have been approaching it appropriately. She instructed us to offer ourselves six months to see if it felt proper, and if it did not, we may stroll away with out it being a failure in our relationship.

It labored. There are days when considered one of us has been damage or upset, however we do not maintain grudges and transfer previous it.

He is all the time been encouraging of my profession

I used to say, “My husband works with me,” and he mentioned, “No, your husband works for you.” I believed that was so attractive. He is aware of I have been constructing my enterprise for years and respects what I’ve constructed.

Compartmentalization makes working collectively really feel seamless. We will butt heads on a piece thought after which go away it behind to go to a household barbecue the place I could be who I should be as a spouse and mother.

We each take our daughter to highschool each morning and on the way in which there, we sing Kidz Bop and jam out together with her. The minute it is simply us within the automotive, we’re speaking about workshops we’re planning and our members’ challenges.

We additionally bodily separate whereas working

We tried to work in the identical area initially, however I interrupted him always. Working aside whereas Alex is at an workplace throughout the day permits me to overlook him. Having separate areas offers us among the thriller again.

We additionally work on separate issues: He works on partnerships and collaborations whereas I am main the neighborhood and planning workshops.

Even engaged on particular person initiatives, I needed to let go of loads of ego. I believed, “What’s he going to think about me educating?” and “That is my stage,” however after I shared the stage with him, he lit up, and other people beloved him.

It has been superb, however I did have to inform him he cannot name me darling whereas we’re on a stay broadcast.

We additionally prioritize having date nights

To start with, each time my dad and mom would babysit, we’d work by means of our date nights. I forgot what it was wish to date my husband. Now, we plan a enjoyable date night time weekly.

Doing enterprise nicely is like pressured remedy on your self, which is similar as marriage. Many individuals say it is a threat working collectively, nevertheless it offers us energy over our household’s future.

Since he joined the corporate, it has grown in each approach, together with income. What began as a course platform is now a thriving membership neighborhood with a brand new platform, an app, and soon-to-come real-time textual content alerts.

I get to do what I like with the individual I like for the next function, which feels superb.