about
A business partnership is like a marriage.
It demands deep trust, compatible values, and emotional investment.
But founders in business partnerships face unique challenges.
Interpersonal dynamics affect business decisions.
Tension and conflict impact strategy, not just the relationship.
Power and control struggles can quickly take hold.
Authority is tied to roles but usually isn't explicitly defined.
Identity and roles can become blurred.
Personal and professional boundaries are often unclear.
The partnership serves an external entity.
The business, rather than the relationship, is the primary focus.
These challenges translate to costly fallout or total shutdown if left unchecked.
We understand this from lived experience.
our story - doll & dollhouse
Valerie has worked in over 15 industries & roles across 6 countries (corporate, startup, small business, and business partnership environments).
She's faced the nuanced challenges that business owners worldwide deal with - from crime, to many business restructures, to debt, to burnout, to the daily stresses of running a business.
But her most difficult challenge was exiting a business partnership and rebuilding her life afterwards. This split, along with her years of relationship mediation experience, shaped the building of Doll & Dollhouse.
As a kid, Valerie spent a lot of time playing with dolls, bathing in the feeling of "I can be anything I want today!" She aims to promote that sense of autonomy, freedom, and limitless possibilities to everyone she meets so that they can build the dollhouse of their dreams, as easily as possible.
valerie chiang
Valerie has over a decade of experience helping partners resolve conflict through negotiation and compromise. She approaches her work through the lens of codependency dynamics and power imbalances, encouraging autonomy to maintain fairness in partnerships. She brings both practical business experience and relationship coaching expertise.
Relevant Experience:
- B.A. in Linguistics - University of Pennsylvania
- Conflict management - conflict in business, marriage, familial, friendship, and coworker relationships
- Coaching - relationship psychology, emotional patterns and release, boundaries, wellness
- Advocacy - the Victims Unit at the District Attorney's Office, community volunteering
- Work Settings - large corporations, high-stress startups, small businesses, business partnership, worldwide
Here are the most common reasons business partnerships fail.
Our cure is focused but foundational: autonomy within partnerships.
Autonomy is the ability to choose our actions from a sense of genuine desire and alignment of personal values, rather than from pressure, obligation, or unspoken expectations. No matter the type of partnership, we've found that autonomy is the key to resolving misalignment.
In a healthy & lasting partnership, both people's authentic choices and unique personality are fully honored.
You both want the partnership to succeed.
This is your shared goal, the glue that holds your partnership together at the end of the day.
You each have different styles & values.
Partners often over-compromise or sacrifice in ways that they shouldn't or don't compromise in ways that they can.
Each empowered individual unites as a whole.
When each partner's autonomy is examined and considered, solutions will naturally surface.
Autonomy is not the opposite of collaboration or teamwork.
Autonomy actually helps you understand what to compromise on and how to collaborate.
Based on what you authentically choose, you can assess compatibility in the partnership and find solutions.
You are a business owner after all; you opted out of the 9-5 to preserve your autonomy.
So you and your partner both have the right to choose autonomously, with:
Why partners choose to work with Doll & Dollhouse
We are not here to provide ongoing relationship coaching (unless you specifically request it).
We're here to diagnose the structural cracks, help you negotiate, and figure out a tangible plan to either mend or end your partnership.
We aim to meet you only once.
We save you time & money by identifying the deepest fractures, in a single session.
We advocate for each individual.
We consider the perspective, values, and feelings of each party to reach resolution.
We value authenticity.
We don't care to be like anyone else or follow trends. Our insights are our own.
We name the unspoken dynamics.
Our expertise lies in identifying subtle, nuanced, awkward, "shameful" patterns.
We pair quality with accessibility.
Our cost-effective services consider your budget as a small business owner.
We have a vetted, curated network.
We save you research time and offer you a safety net of experts, our dolls!
We provide a safe space.
We ensure that every client feels safe and comfortable engaging with us.
Our solutions prioritize longevity.
Our unique approach is designed to sustain you today and for the long term.
Our core beliefs and values
Do what you love in life.
Spend your time doing what you enjoy and makes you feel uplifted.
You are fully free to be yourself.
Your unique personality, values, and identity always have a place to shine.
The golden rule is your best friend.
Approach your decisions from a place of "If roles were reversed..."
You are allowed to transform.
Honor the parts of you that want to evolve and grow as a human being.
