“Formulas for Success” Series Continues: Keys to Running a Business As Spouses

Could you work closely every day with your life partner? How about running a busy and expanding business?On this episode of Filling You In with A-Squared, Drs. Anushka Gaglani and Abhishek Nagaraj share the model that has spurred and sustained their success growing Areo Dental Group into a thriving business in the Chicago area over the last decade. For Dr. Gaglani, clear ownership of responsibilities is key. “Early on at our first practice, we were both involved in most decisions which felt collaborative, but in practice it created overlap, rework, and confusion for our team about where final decisions actually came from,” she shares.  Clearly defined lanes based on each person’s strengths also accelerate decision making speed and quality, a big plus for a growing enterprise.   And what about the disagreements that are bound to come up between all business managers?  The key here, Dr. Nagaraj says, is separating issues from individuals. “Not all disagreement is bad, right? So we’ve made it part of the governance structure and make sure that it is framed around criteria and not positions, and certainly not around ego.”  You’ll also learn about these crucial topics: How to maintain boundaries between work and home; Preventing the executive partnership from being a bottleneck; Why working together at the executive level requires more structure, not less. This is an honest, fascinating look at the personal dynamics and operational framework that allows the business and private spheres to thrive simultaneously. Mentioned in this episode: Areo Dental Group