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Should Entrepreneurs Date Other Entrepreneurs?

Fourteen entrepreneurs candidly explain whether or not entrepreneurs looking for the "one" should start by browsing the local startup scene.

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8. Yes. I am an entrepreneur who is currently dating another entrepreneur.

“I’ve always thought that entrepreneurs should date other entrepreneurs. [It’s about] creating and establishing a connection with someone who understands your deepest desires and motivation. [For example], if an entrepreneur wants to invest their life savings into their startup company, this is going to be a challenge for a non-entrepreneur to comprehend (i.e. ‘Why don’t you just get a regular job like everyone else?’). As an entrepreneur, I cannot disconnect myself from my business. I am my business. It’s all I think about and all I want to talk about … If I had a partner who didn’t run their own business, I doubt that they would be able to understand this and comprehend my deep-rooted desire to create, to provide value, and to impact other people’s lives. On the same note, it would be a struggle for me to understand why [they] would want to work for someone else.”

– Laurel Staples, Founder at Go Fire Yourself, @gofireyou

 

9. Yes, if they are working at the same startup. No, if they aren’t.

“Three weeks ago, I married my co-conspirator of our startup. Two entrepreneurs dating has many benefits — you speak the same language and can contribute more directly to each others successes. The downside is that you are probably both competitive people and your startup isn’t exactly at the same point of the roller coaster. And you can’t get off the roller coaster. If you work on the same startup together, you are working on the same team all the time. You might think that would make the highs higher and lows lower, but it doesn’t — usually one person has a different perspective.”

– Brian and Jessica Jessup, Co-founders at Giftovus, Inc., @brianjessup

 

10. Yes. They will have as much drive and ambition as you.

“Dating, building and maintaining a healthy relationship is hard work … it’s almost like starting a new business in itself! In theory, they will have as much drive and ambition as you, which will help you avoid those ‘Really, you just played video games all day?’ conversations. Success rates for the lazy and the driven are low as frustrations and resentment will surmount and explosions could occur. Another positive for dating a fellow entrepreneur is that it is an immediate connection for the two of them, and both parties understand the time requirements, struggles and devotion a new business (or self-made business) requires. Dating a non-entrepreneur is good too, but they might not understand why you frequently need to cancel plans to put out the latest fire, while a fellow entrepreneur might relish in being able to spend that extra time on their work as well.”

– Brenna Smith, Founder and CEO at SheNOW, LLC, @SheNOW_Org

 

11. Yes. Entrepreneurs understand the stress as well as time commitment.

“Traditional workers have a hard time understand that there are no set hours and your company is your baby. It could make them feel unappreciated within the relationship. This is not an issue when dating other entrepreneurs.”

– Aron Susman, Co-founder at TheSquareFoot, @thesqft

 

12. Absolutely! Fellow entrepreneurs understand the drive, passion and time you put into your company.

“It is very difficult to date someone with a 9 to 5, as an entrepreneur. They typically don’t have a point of reference for your dedication to a business, especially if it conflicts with plans you’ve made. I personally married another entrepreneur and we both run our respective companies and consider our family a startup!”

– Danielle Tate, Founder and President at MissNowMrs.com, @missnowmrscom

 

13. Yes. Common goals and ambition can be very attractive.

“While they may never have time to see each other, entrepreneurs dating entrepreneurs is a good idea because no one understands how much work it takes to build a business unless they, too, are a business owner. So when a partner can’t make it to an event because they’re on deadline or it’s their busy season, an entrepreneurial partner has a much better chance of understanding than someone who is not an entrepreneur. Plus, common goals and ambition can be very attractive, along with the support a fellow entrepreneur is likely to give.”

– Suzanne Casamento, Founder and Dating Expert at Fantasy Dating, @fantasydaters

 

13. Yes, absolutely (I’ve done it).

“Generally speaking, most entrepreneurs are going to have a unique combination of qualities that most others do not: the ability to comfortably take risks, they are often very tech savvy, and they usually place a high importance on learning and trying new things. These are just a few, but any one of these could easily be deal breakers for a partner without that entrepreneurial mindset.”

– Jared Carrizales, Founder and CEO at Heroic Search, @JaredCarrizales

 

14. Yes! It makes perfect business sense!

People often date people with similar interests, and for a lot of entrepreneurs, business is their main interest. This can bore people who don’t have a business, but can be great for those that do. You are also more likely to have similar goals and aims in life.

– Jon Rhodes, Owner at HypnoBusters, @HypnoBusters

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