I Get By With A Little Help From My Friend

I have a mug that reads “Behind every successful woman is herself.”  I love that sentiment.  I believe strongly in home-grown, women-owned businesses ~ or women being successful doing anything they love.  It does take drive, ambition and good old-fashioned hard work to be successful.  

But today it occurred to me that as a one-woman show I really don’t do all that I do without a little help and support.  (Scratch that - a lot of help and support.) I often forget that in essence I’m not totally a one woman show.  This handsome guy does a lot to help me.

We met thru mutual friends in 1991.  Yup, we’ve been together 20 years – married 18.  I knew the first night I met him that I wanted to know him.  He made me laugh. 

He engaged in conversation.  He was clever and smart.  He was so damn cute.   He had an MBA in finance from the University of Denver (which came in handy later when I started my business). 

Fast forward to 2011.  He is a partner in his own IT Consulting business.  He is a Type A workaholic.  (He is quite often up with me on those 3 am work mornings - doing his own work.)  

And yet before he leaves every morning he asks me, “Do you have anything for the Post Office?” -  and at the end of the work day he texts me with “Do you need anything from the grocery store?  Need wine?”  

He does 98% of the grocery shopping and cooks 98% of our meals.  If not for him I would live on chocolate, chardonnay, hummus, carrots, chai lattes, English muffins and peanut butter.  Seriously.   He's not opposed to washing a dish or two. And once in awhile even a wood floor.  He happily walks the dog in the early morning hours when I'm slammed with orders.  He puts gas in my Jeep.  He takes care of all the household finances.  He passes out my business cards like candy to his business associates and clients.

So that "one woman show" thing?  It's a myth.