by Emma Heptonstall
What’s the Business Plan for your divorce?
Have you noticed that a smart, sassy entrepreneurial woman like you, seems to have everything? A great career, fab friends, well-adjusted kids if they have them; oh, and they seem to have managed their divorce pretty well too.
So how is it that some women manage all that; and some, well some women just go to pieces?
5 secrets of successfully divorced businesswomen.
1. They have a plan
You have a business plan, right?
It’s either up on your wall in your office, on a spreadsheet on your computer, in your Leonie Dawson workbook, or scribbled in the back of your journal. It doesn’t really matter where you keep it, but you have one. You know what your vision is for your business. You know what you want to achieve in terms of turnover, growth in sales, and market share. You planned it all out and now you working on your plan.
Smart successful women also have a plan when they are separating and divorcing. You see, they recognize that divorce is just a process. Like any business deal, it has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Some are more straightforward than others. Sometimes the negotiations are tough. Sometimes they bring up emotions, but these emotions are dealt with away from the negotiating table. And so it is with a great divorce.
If you are thinking of leaving your husband, start to plan. Do your due diligence. You wouldn’t enter into a business deal without doing your due diligence now would you? Begin to find out what his assets really are. If you don’t know what they are, he could hide them. Begin to copy all the financial documents and, if you think he won’t play fair, put them in a safety deposit box.
Smart successful women also have a plan when they are separating and divorcing
Work out how much you and the children need by way of a settlement. If you want to keep your home, how much will this cost? If you think the house will need to be sold, how much will you need to re-home yourself? As soon as you have told your husband you want a divorce, tell your bank and credit card company immediately.
2. They work with the end goal in mind
A second thing that smart women do is that they think past the now. Now is hard, painful and uncomfortable. Now is awful. But, now will pass and there will be life after divorce. How you handle it will make a big difference to you and you kids. It doesn’t matter what the ‘reason’ for your divorce is, or whose ‘fault’ it is, the fact is, it’s over. Period. What are you going to do to get on with your life?
It doesn’t matter what the ‘reason’ for your divorce is, or whose ‘fault’ it is, the fact is, it’s over. Period.
Arianna Huffington is still friends with her ex-husband and goes on holiday with him. Now, this may not be possible for you, but neither does it have to be an all out war. Smart women keep focused on the end goal, recognising that as with any business negotiation, they have to bend and flex. They know which battles are worth fighting and when it’s time to walk away. Just as in any business negotiation, principles and egos are expensive. You wouldn’t agree a business deal just so you could feel like you’d ‘won’ don’t do it in your divorce.
3. They don’t make the business deal about them – it’s business
You might think that it’s impossible not to take divorce personally. Here’s the thing. It’s important to remember that chances are, you are both scared, hurting, frightened and a bit lost. Even if one or both of you have new partners, divorce is not easy. It’s the end of something that you both once thought was forever; so remember, you are probably not being your best selves. Divorce does not define you or him, so be kind to yourself.
4. When it’s over, they move on
It’s said that you win some, you lose some. In business, not every deal will go the way you want it to. You might not get the divorce settlement you were hoping for either. You have a choice. Let that eat you up for the next 10 years, spoiling your life; or, you can choose to move on. Let it go and focus on something else. You know that in your business, if you don’t move forward your business will suffer; it’s the same with your personal life.
5. They have support
Whether you’re the CEO of a company with a Board of Directors or a Solopreneur, you have your support network so use it. That’s what it’s there for. Your network will help you move forward, keep focused and keep perspective.
So, if you are thinking of getting divorced, get your plan together and work that plan! You’ll come out the other side confident, relaxed, and ready for a new chapter in your life.
Emma Heptonstall
Hi! I’m Emma Heptonstall, Divorce Coach.
I’m a recovering lawyer having served as a legal adviser for thirteen years. I’m also a family mediator, a job which love and I’m very proud of. I’m a certified MBit Coach, have a diploma in counseling skills and I’m an NLP Master Practitioner.
I developed Divorce Alchemy to provide divorce coaching for women who know that they need support to deal with the practical and emotional aspects of their divorce in order they make good decisions, which will support their lives as confident divorced women.
My story is different.
I don’t tell my clients that I know what they are going through. I don’t. I’m not divorced. In fact, for what it’s worth, I’m not even married… yet!
You are unique. Your divorce is unique. I get that. I help women because I’m not divorced. I’m not their sister, best friend, or mother. I’m not emotionally involved in their divorce and I’m not on my own healing journey.
I’m delighted to be able to write for sheownsit.com. I love blogging and sharing my stuff. You can read more go my blogs at www.yourfamilyfirst.co.uk/our-blog/ and you can download your free copy of The Smart Woman’s Divorce Guide at www.emmaheptonstall.com
I live in York. That’s old York, York UK and I coach women 1:1, either face-to-face or via Skype.
You can connect with me on Facebook and Twitter.
