Is Founding A Startup With Your Spouse A Good Idea? This Couple Thinks So

by Colin Keeley
June 21, 2016

This is an excerpt from a Tech In Chicago podcast episode. To listen to the whole episode and catch up with all Tech In Chicago episodes, click here.

This transcript has been lightly condensed and edited.

Colin Keeley: Your husband-wife founding team is super unique. How did you decide to go about that route and how is it working out?

Landon Shoop: No one is going to believe this when I say it, but we haven’t got into one fight yet. It’s been truly wonderful. It’s a common adage that I’ve heard frequently that family-run businesses are able to make decisions quicker. You have that rapport with one another and that’s been really important for Fizz. The entrepreneurial journey is one of a lot of peaks and a lot of valleys. Having that kind of bond with your cofounder has been really awesome. It’s been great to have that support through those peaks and valleys.

Colin Keeley: But how does it work with work life balance? You are basically with your cofounder all day every day.

Landon Shoop: I mean that’s a benefit and I would maybe say a curse that we are able to talk about Fizz endlessly, late in the night, first thing in the morning when we wake up, on the weekends. We do make time though. It’s super important to turn off and we try our best to do that, but we love Fizz so it’s fun.

Colin Keeley: Do you have any advice or tips for a couple that may be listening and thinking of founding a company together?

Landon Shoop: I would say to really just think about what you’re getting into as entrepreneurs. It is stressful. I mentioned earlier that we have a mortgage, we have student loans, and we quit our very good, very comfy jobs. You need to be ready for that. It’s hard, but really rewarding journey and I think that’s one reason to go into a venture with your significant other, but that’s a stress that’s uncommon so just be ready to have that really honest and frank conversation. You’ll be spending a lot of hours together and it’s going to be really stressful at times, but know that you got each other’s back.

About Tech In Chicago

Tech In Chicago takes you inside the Chicago tech world. Each week Colin Keeley is joined by Chicago’s top founders and investors to talk about the amazing companies being built right here. If you want to learn more about Tech In Chicago, head to TechInChicago.co

I would love to hear your thoughts on the show and any guests I should have on. Please reach out @TechInChicago. You can also find me @ColinKeeley.

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