A business partnership is analogous to marriage. You have to spend every day together, and your personality differences might often cause tension. Most significantly, you have partial ownership in a company, and dealing with money tends to drive people crazy.
You can play with a tennis partner whose service isn’t as fast as yours, golf with someone who can’t sink short putts, and bridge with someone who constantly overbids.
You may not enjoy losing, but you may put on a fake grin, give a firm handshake, and resolve never to be in that person’s company again. Sometimes it can be much more challenging to end a partnership with a “loser” than a poor marriage.
Here are ten things to consider before deciding to work with someone:
A Complementary Skill Set
Finding a suitable partner begins with an honest evaluation of your qualities and areas for improvement.
You’ll be ready to start dating others with qualities that will round out your own when you’ve accomplished that.
Despite knowing they should, many people fail to look for this. However, it is maybe the most important quality in a business associate.
People frequently choose life partners who are carbon copies of themselves. On the other hand, they may pair off with someone so radically dissimilar to themselves that they never stop arguing.
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Look for a partner whose skillset enhances rather than competes with your own.
Find a partner that excels in the area you lack expertise in to help you run the firm.
Working with someone with complementary but distinct abilities can spark an idea that could transform your business and offer you far more successful than either of you could have achieved alone.
Passion
Your prospective business partner should share your enthusiasm for the venture. If your business partner isn’t willing to put in the time and effort necessary to achieve the goals you’ve set together, your firm may not make it.
Apartner who isn’t willing to contribute to the business and make it a priority isn’t worth taking on.
Reliability
If you need a trusted colleague, it doesn’t matter how enthusiastic your interviewees are about the position. A potential business partner who has bounced around from job to job or hasn’t stayed with any company for more than a year may not be reliable.
It’s crucial to keep an eye out for warning signs that the individual in front of you is unfit to assist you in managing and leading your business.
Trustworthiness
Anyone you do business with ought to be someone you can have faith in. It’s essential to be able to trust your business partner no matter what their peculiarities or approach to dealing with stress, success, or failure may be.
When you have confidence in your partner’s ability and willingness to carry out their responsibilities within the partnership, you can better concentrate on your responsibilities. You can’t be as efficient as you could be if you’re constantly worrying about whether or not your partner will be able to do their tasks.
Professionalism and Expertise in Your Field
Would you put a carpenter in charge of a financial institution? The importance of a business partner who is familiar with the nature of the industry in which your company operates cannot be overstated.
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Having a business partner already familiar with your field is advantageous because they won’t have to invest as much time in learning the ropes and may have access to resources that might be useful to your company.
They don’t have to know everything about the firm from the start (they can learn as they go), but they should know enough that their contribution will be useful.
Able to Bring New Business
This relates to the initial inquiry into the candidate’s familiarity with and experience in your company’s field of work. A business partner’s network could be invaluable, opening new clientele doors.
For example, if you have just come up with a novel and inventive business solution, your new partner may have connections to company executives who will jump at the concept.
If your new partner already has connections at these companies, they can use them to help you land lucrative contracts.
Stable Financially
The lack of capital is the single most common cause of business failure. Furthermore, it is one of the most prevalent sources of conflict among business owners. Whether you set up shop as an LLC or a general partnership, you’ll want a partner who can hold their own financially.
An individual’s track record in managing their own money is often indicative of how they’d fare handling the money at your company. Furthermore, suppose a person is experiencing extreme financial troubles.
In that case, they will not be in a position to engage significantly in the time, money, or emotions necessary to assist you in expanding your business.
Able and Willing to Invest
Potential partners may not all be able to put in the same amount of money in the business as you, but they should be prepared to put in as much as possible.
Investors and lenders will feel more at ease providing funds if they know that your business partner has also made a significant financial commitment to the enterprise.
A negative signal is sent to other possible investors when you need cash yet have a business partner that can afford to invest additional money but won’t.
Creativity
Successful businesspeople tend to be creative thinkers. A reliable business associate is someone who never stops thinking beyond the box. If you want your business to stand out from the competition, you should hire a professional to develop a unique brand identity.
Open-Mindedness
Having an open mind is another trait that might benefit a business partner. Working with someone who isn’t available for new information or viewpoints may be challenging. In the worst-case situation, it could limit the success of your company.
Conclusion
A company’s success or failure often hinges on choosing a business partner. If you’ve concluded that you need a business partner to transform your startup into a thriving enterprise, it’s best to look for someone whose strengths complement your own and can help you overcome challenges.
