Deola Art Alade, creative industrialist and wife of singer Darey Art Alade, has opened up about the realities of working with a spouse, describing it as both demanding and rewarding when handled with discipline and mutual respect.
In an Instagram post, she highlighted the importance of drawing clear boundaries between professional and personal life, noting that success in such partnerships requires complementing each other’s strengths and prioritising the relationship above business.
She posed a question to her followers: “Would you work with your spouse? Some say: ‘Never mix love with business.’ Others say: ‘If you can’t build with your partner, who can you build with?’”
Reflecting on her own journey, she explained: “Here’s my truth from living it: Partnerships with your spouse are not for the faint-hearted. But when it works, it can be the most powerful thing, if you’re both disciplined enough to respect the line between boardroom and bedroom.”
Deola stressed the need for balance and respect, adding: “Respect the different hats: At work, we’re partners. At home, we’re husband and wife. We don’t compete. We complement. We protect our friendship, not just our profits.”
She further dispelled a common belief about marriage and business, saying: “The myth is that working with your spouse ruins marriages. The truth? It only ruins marriages when there are no boundaries, no respect, and no clarity.”
Concluding her thoughts, she remarked: “Because let’s be real: marrying your spouse is easy. Building with them is the real test.”
While her perspective is encouraging, it risks sounding overly simplistic. Working with a spouse often comes with deeper struggles than just setting boundaries. Financial strain, ego clashes, and conflicting ambitions can create pressures that discipline alone may not resolve. For many couples, mixing marriage with business is far more complex than the optimistic picture she paints.
