We find out why couples would work with each other through the stress that is running a restaurant As the adage goes,one should never do business with friends. With couples,theres no need for an adage; most corporate policies will tell you thats a bad idea. Its not an ideal situation. I wouldnt recommend it, says Hemant Mehta of Rays Cafe & Pizzeria in Bandra about his running the restaurant with his wife,Rashmi. The restaurant business is particularly stressful as it has a high failure rate - especially in a fickle city such as Mumbai. Add to that unforgiving customers and the fact that failures are glaringly public,it all makes the trade more stressful than many others. There are,however,reasons that several couples do open restaurants together,as seen recently with Pali Village Cafe in Bandra and Rays; older examples are Rahul and Malini Akerkar from Indigo and Deepa and Suhas Awchat from Diva Maharashtracha. One of the most important factors is trust; Other partners might react badly to success (or failure). Here you share the success, Rashmi points out. Rahul Kanuga,one of three owners of Valhalla that includes his wife,Tricia Batliwalla,points out that although that trust level is still there with family members,working with a spouse is better. If I worked with my father we would constantly be at each others throats; with family,we share personality traits whereas Tricia and I complement each other better. Other reasons are more specific to being in a relationship. Our ability to compromise as a couple extends to the workplace, points out Mishali Sanghani,who opened Pali Village Cafe with her fiancee Suren Joshi. Sanghani acknowledges that it would be hard to work with someone else purely because I can be very difficult and stubborn at times - I cant be like that with anyone else. Rashmi and Hemant agree that it is easier to be open and honest with a spouse; Plus,I can scream at her, smiles Hemant. Tricia says that couples already know how to calm each other in volatile situations - this can be extended to the work place. Working together naturally brings about a new dimension to the relationship. Couples learn things they normally wouldnt about each other. Rahul is sweet,gentle and sensitive - I expected that to spill over to work - but at times,he can be very decisive and businesslike. At home,he is more open to negotiation, Batliwalla smirks. Joshi says that,Mishali always used to yap about her creativity. Now Ive seen that side of her. Plus,her tantrums, he nervously smiles. Being around each other constantly naturally affects any relationship. Asked whether it has brought them closer (or more distant),Rashmi says theyve been married too long for that to matter. Kanuga acknowledges that while he and Batliwalla spend a lot of time together,they spend a lot less quality time together. We make it a point to go on holiday every quarter. Disagreements are natural (Sometimes he has stupid ideas, says Sanghani) and those need to be dealt with professionally - not as a couple would. Kanuga points out that his relationship would probably have suffered if they hadnt been together long; You have to understand and be comfortable with the person. One of the hardest things - but also the most important rule any couple should keep in mind - is to not take work home or bring home to work. As Batliwalla says,It takes a lot of discipline. Even if Rahul doesnt get back to me about something,I cannot bring it up at home.
