Mr & Ms ride roller coaster of ups, downs.

(From Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Byline: Myrna Rodriguez-Co, Contributor, UP ISSI

SO many married couples dream of being in business together. While there are no clear statistics to show how many couples succeed in putting up their own shop and how many stay in it over the long haul, it may be presumed there are quite a few who do.

A case documentation project of couples in business, which the UP Institute for Small-Scale Industries (UP ISSI) and the Small Enterprises Research and Development Foundation (Serdef) recently began, show indications that the success rate may be fairly high. Industry associations requested to name successful couples among their membership roster did not seem hard put to comply. A list of over 100 couples was put together in no time.

Initial interviews with some of the couples confirm the romantic notions associated with coupling in business. A couple rhapsodized it is among the best things that happened to their marriage. It seems so "perfect"-doing business with someone you love and trust, being together 24 hours a day, complementing each other's strengths and weaknesses. One can almost visualize the pair standing side by side looking at the same direction.

On the other hand, the same couples, however, contend that being in business together also means riding the roller-coaster of ups and downs. And when the ride gets too bumpy, the romance may fly off the window-temporarily, one hopes. Couples …