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Choosing The Right Business Partner For Your Startup

By AinaNo Comments

Your company is something you created from scratch and you will need to nurture it in order for it to thrive. A partner who shares your level of enthusiasm and devotion for the company, as well as your business "parenting" values, would be the ideal candidate to help you develop the company sustainably.

A partnership is a legally binding agreement made between two (or more) people over a lengthy period of time; thus, it is a good idea to place as much value on choosing a business partner as you would do when selecting a spouse/daycare provider. You will undoubtedly spend a lot of time with your partner, brainstorming, strategizing and preparing large business events, so you will need to get along. This article will lay out a series of characteristics that you may want to consider when choosing the ideal candidate to form a partnership with. It will also summarize the benefits and drawbacks of partnering with another individual.

Do You Even Need A Business Partner?

A business partner can be extremely helpful if you wish to run small enterprises, especially those that are self-funded. On the other hand, recruiting a business partner is also a promising idea if you are creating a firm to solve a large-scale societal problem or to fill a gap in the market; these companies are less personal and could require more work to scale up.

Conversely, you might not need a partner if you are turning a hobby into a profit-generating venture. These types of businesses are typically smaller, arise from personal passion, and may not require multiple people to manage the workload.

Characteristics To Look For When Picking The Ideal Partner

A business partner, in theory, provides the company with a wealth of resources, skills, and abilities which in turn, increase your chance of success in the startup sphere. However, it's vital to recognize that bringing on partners might add a degree of complexity to your enterprise, which can be difficult to navigate your way through. It would be wise to carefully spell out expectations, duties, and contributions in a contract, drawn up by a licensed professional when partnering with another individual.

Relevant Skills And Experience

A good business partner should be able to complement your own skill set. There is no such thing as a "master of all trades". Consider partnering with someone who understands business accounting well, if you have excellent soft skills, such as those related to public relations, but lack company finance knowledge, or vice versa. It will be easier to plan, implement and improve your business ideas if you and your partner bring complementary skills to the table, and make up for any shortcomings that the other individual may have.

Shared Vision, Values, and Entrepreneurial Spirit

This is perhaps the most significant characteristic to consider when looking for a business partner. To make decisions, set and achieve realistic goals, and move the business forward, you will need to be able to communicate successfully with your partner; communication is a two-way street and your partner must be willing to learn how to hone their soft skills. It will be more difficult to succeed if you collaborate with someone who is lazy, argumentative and/or unwilling to consider your point of view. Instead, look for someone who values collective growth and is willing to admit to their mistakes if/and they arise.

Offers Resources and Credibility

It is fantastic to have a business partner with financial resources, but there are other valuable assets that they can bring to the table. A partner with an extensive entrepreneur network, industry contracts, a customer list, specific credentials and transferable skills, can also provide value to your company and improve your chances of long-term success.

Small business owners need money, assets and time management skills; someone who has mismanaged their personal or business finances may not have the skills or work ethic needed to make a business partnership successful.

Good Business and Personal Ethics

You should only form partnerships with people you can trust. Look for someone who places a high emphasis on honesty and adheres to a stable personal and professional ethical code. A bad business partner may steal from the company or steal your ideas and clients to establish their own enterprise. They may also knowingly or unknowingly break laws that could embroil your organization in controversial situations.

Pros and Cons Of Having A Business Partner

Anyone who has ever launched an enterprise understands how difficult it is. It takes a lot of effort, patience and persistence to transform an idea into a profitable structure. It might be daunting for one person to handle on occasion.

As a result, having a business partner is very enticing. Someone with whom to split the workload? That is fantastic! Someone who can provide you with emotional support when required? Sign me up! It is wonderful to have someone working alongside you in the tumultuous startup world. However, as with everything in life, things could take a turn for the worse if you are not in the right position to partner with someone else. Thus, it is important to consider all sides of the story.

Here are a few advantages and disadvantages of having a business partner; this should help you consider whether you should recruit one for your own company.

Final Note

On a final note, finding the ideal partnership that benefits both parties is crucial for any business endeavour. Having a business partner on board could be very confusing, but it could also be rewarding for both sides if it is approached in the right way. Either way, it is a gamble worth considering!

References

Choosing The Right Business Partner

Do You Need A Business Partner

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