Starting A Business: To Invest In A Space Or Not With Little Money And Financially Unsupportive Partner...

[JannyinTO]

Hi Everyone.

I'm having a problem as an entrepreneur. Due to a tragic turn of events in my personal life about a year ago, I am now living in a super tiny space with my partner. During this time, I also lost my business (social work). Covid then occurred, and has made everything super complicated, not to mention that money is running out. My partner is also dealing with severe depression, and can't focus enough to work either.

I have never done well at pay cheque jobs, as I am on the Autism spectrum, and quite frankly, I've had a lot of difficult experiences. Thus, I have been self-employed most of my adult life.

My question is this: I am trained as an artist/illustrator/designer, and I always wanted to do this for a living. However, I need space, both literally and psychologically, to do this (a separation of house and work), as I can't focus in such a small space.

The problem is money. I am constantly in limbo over whether to invest in getting a work space and swallowing the financial cost vs finding a larger apartment, and getting stuck with a partner who can't financially contribute right now, along with having to work from home.

What would you do in my situation?

[Ringlet]

I would offload the unsupportive and incontributing partner, and then consider my options - to invest in larger space and possibly increase productivity or to settle for smaller space and fewer financial burdens. Your main problem at the moment is your unproductive and uncontributing partner. Only you can decide what to do about that.

[woofgang]

Difficult....I mean why did you get together with your partner? has whatever you had with him that has kept you together vanished? Do you see it ever returning? Are you at all able to address your problems as a partnership? If you have "always wanted" to be an illustrator, what makes you think that it could happen now? Would you dump someone you presumably once loved (?still love) in order to do it?

[jno]

is this a business partner or a relationship partner?

[JannyinTO]

Relationship partner. We've been together off and on for over 16 years. It's not something easy to just throw away.