APPRENTICE star and West Ham United vice-chair Karren Brady answers your careers questions.

Here, Karren gives advice to a reader who wants to be an equal in her professional and personal relationship with her partner.

Q: I started working for my partner’s business over a year ago.

While I knew there could potentially be pitfalls, I agreed because it allowed me more flexibility than my previous job, as well as some great opportunities, such as travel abroad.

However, I feel like the power balance at home has now shifted – I have to do all the household chores, as he is so busy with the business, and the line between our work and home life is non-existent.

How can I start feeling like more of an equal in both my professional and personal relationship with my partner?

Name withheld

A: I can understand why you’re struggling to find the right balance.

Working with a partner can be rewarding, but it’s essential to set clear boundaries and for both sides to maintain a healthy dynamic.

Start by having an honest and blame-free conversation with your partner about how you’re feeling, and explain that you need his support because you love him, and you don’t want working together to negatively impact your personal relationship.

Establishing a separation between work and personal life is key – set “off hours” where work-related talk isn’t allowed.

You could also divide household chores in a way that feels fair.

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Share work and personal schedules so you’re both aware of each other’s commitments.

It’s often better to have these conversations outside of the home or office, so perhaps go for a walk.

Regular check-ins are essential so you can share feelings and work together to find solutions.

And prioritise quality time that’s separate from work to nurture your relationship.

Addressing these issues early on is crucial to avoid unnecessary strain on both your professional and personal lives

• Got a careers question for Karren? Email [email protected].

APPRENTICE star and West Ham United vice-chair Karren Brady answers your careers questions.

Here, Karren gives advice to a reader who wants to learn how to be more resilient like her very confident manager.

Q: My manager is a very confident, loud, in-your-face person.

While I’m not an introvert, I’m definitely less outgoing and prefer to work in a more focused, calmer way than he does.

He isn’t exactly rude to me, but I think I take some of the things he says to heart and become nervous around him.

This has meant I now tend to say less in meetings – although, when he isn’t there, I’m happy to contribute my ideas.

I think this might be a “me” problem, rather than something he needs to change, because it’s just his personality.

How can I learn to be more resilient?

Sue, via email

A: It’s natural to reflect on your role in situations like these, but remember, growth is a shared responsibility.

Managers play a key role in fostering an environment where everyone feels supported.

You should have an informal chat with your boss and explain that you admire his style (as who doesn’t like to receive a compliment?) and that, as a less-confident person, you would like to learn from him.

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Say that you are working on strengthening your resilience, and his support would be appreciated.

He sounds like a person who would listen if you tell him exactly what you need from him.

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To boost your confidence in meetings, focus on preparation: outline your key points ahead of time and practise how you want to present them.

Think about how colleagues navigate challenges, communicate assertively and energise the team, then try to adopt similar strategies in ways that feel authentic to your own style.

Remember, your manager’s extroverted behaviour is just one way of working – your quieter, more reflective approach brings valuable perspectives that are just as important to your team’s success.

• Got a careers question for Karren? Email [email protected].