“We learned to take the long view, mostly because we didn’t have any other choice,” says Kate, now in her sixties and busy investing in the next generation of entrepreneurs. “Both sticking to our full-time corporate jobs or one of us becoming a full-time parent weren’t attractive options to us. We wanted to change the model, not just flip it.”
Being a Two-Career Couple Requires a Long-Term Plan
Dual income couples are now the norm: over two thirds of couples in Canada and the UK, and 60% of couples in the U.S. They are beginning to realize they may each be the other’s most significant career asset. Not only can your working spouse mitigate risks like being made redundant, they can also serve as a trampoline to allow you a shot at your dream, whether it’s a novel or a non-profit, a start-up or a soap opera, and whether you grab it in your thirties or your sixties. But to make sure you’re both on the same page, be intentional about your lifelong plan. Will you embrace an “old school” model of a lead career and a follow career? Or will you take turns? Will you try to both charge ahead as ambitiously as possible? Or will you find careers that complement each other? Having these conversations regularly is the best way to make sure both partners get what they need at home and at work.