I had a coffee today with my friend Danny Postma the other day and we talked quite a lot about relationships.
He basically said, having a girlfriend/wife/partner keeps you sane, brings healthy distraction, gives perspective, and reminds you why you’re building a business in the first place.
I 110% agree and disagree with this statement at the same time.
Here’s why:
If you’re just starting your founder journey, it’s really hard to maintain a healthy relationship. You’re pouring all your time and mental energy into the business, and it’s tough to truly be present for someone else.
I’ve seen people casually dating while building, then suddenly they’re in a relationship they can’t sustain and it crumbles.
But once your startup is at least a bit more stable or near product-market fit, having a girlfriend or partner is invaluable.
As Danny said, it keeps you sane, brings healthy distraction, gives perspective, and reminds you why you’re building in the first place.
I was quite afraid in the beginning my relationship that it would take me away valuable time and prevent me from achieving my entrepreneurial goals but it couldn’t have been further from the truth.
It definitely took me a while to adjust and “let my work thoughts go” from time to time but I can say it’s absolutely worth it.
Timing is everything.
So go out and find yourself a girlfriend to increase that MRRRR even more!
