At a time when high-profile women have suffered some setbacks on Wall Street and when women in general still struggle for pay parity, a group of entrepreneurs has proved that women are comfortable not only with running their own companies, but also with having their husbands work for them. In addition to finding ways to work together at home, the couples have created a separate balance of power in their business relationship. And though it may help that both partners do this to enrich a family enterprise, the woman may make a conscious effort to ensure that her mate is getting appropriate recognition.

Generally, these couples say they have made the unconventional partnerships work by carefully delineating their respective roles and playing to each other's strengths.

But some family advisers say that whatever the route, the odds are loaded against couples working well together. "I think it is far more challenging," said Laura Colin, who ran a family business with her husband, Larry, and was co-author with him of "Family Inc.," a study of family businesses. "Men and women are made differently, and men generally -- it is the testosterone thing -- they are more compelled to dominate and get credit than women are," she said. "I think that women are more team-oriented and will try to focus on the goal."

NYT