Dear Wendyl,

I recently started my own business. It’s a little business making soap, which I sell online. My problem is that it takes up a lot of my time. It’s also making a bit of money for the family, but my husband seems to resent how busy I’ve become.

He’s always dropping comments about how much fun I used to be and how much better our life was before. And recently he commented on the state of my nails, which admittedly were a bit dirty. But I make soap for a living! How do I get him to see that this is my dream and it won’t always be this much hard work.

Sabrina, Nelson

Dear Sabrina,

Dirty nails? Crikey, your husband really is looking for ways to annoy you. There’s a simple answer to this: he’s jealous. You are spending more time doing what you love – making soap  - and getting fulfilment out of the fact that you are earning money by following your passion. I think your husband probably thinks he’s the only passion you need.

So see him for what he is – a rather immature person who wants attention – and that might make it easier. Perhaps he’d be more accepting if you showed him where the money you earn goes and ask him if he would like that income stream to stop. And give him hope. If you haven’t done a business plan, sit down and do one, for the sake of your enterprise if nothing else. Show it to him to prove that in six months to a year you might be able to employ a staff member and pull back from the hard work a bit.

By the way, have a look at a book called The E-Myth by Michael E Berger. I found it great for putting a start-up business into perspective.

Wendyl