Balancing work & relationships

[Rusty Thompson]

I'm currently working very hard to get my REI career going. I also have a full time job. Because of this I spend most of my free time working... up to 100hrs a week when I'm doing a lot of the rehab work myself. Understandably my partner has a hard time dealing with this. Though I do make time for her, it never seems like enough. I feel like we are reaching a breaking point. Were I either have to give up my dreams of owning my own business, or give up the women I've loved for the last decade. It is very stressful since I don't want to do either. I feel like I would be miserable if I make either choice. But if I don't do something soon the choice will probably be made for me.

What do you do to balance both sides of your lives? Business & personal?

[Aaron McGinnis]

REI is a damn hard way to make a living. It's hard on you, and hard on relationships. I would not be where I am today if my wife wasn't behind me 100%.

There are times when I work 120+ hours in a week, and she doesn't complain because she knows it is temporary. Every time it happens, I try to engineer ways to make sure it doesn't happen again.

If you're doing most of the rehab work yourself, STOP. Either hire someone to do it for you, or realize that the deal was too thin to begin with.

If you let it, REI, like any small business, will eat your life wholesale and leave you with absolutely nothing left. A woman who has stood by you and has your back is not worth sacrificing for this business.

Either alter the way you're doing things, or leave the business. It isn't worth your marriage.