What goes into a successful business? There is an endless list of factors that we could talk about. Yet there are various forms of businesses: those owned by a single person, partnerships, and broad companies with shareholders and board members. Each one of has its own set of benefits and challenges.
Most of the people are nice to live with, but not to do business with!
Of course, if you are in a partnership, there are immense benefits that can be achieved. Most importantly, you can get great synergy by combining your resources with a partner. However, it can result in many issues as well. If you want to have a successful partnership, there are things that you should do and then there are many things that you shouldn’t do! Here, we have compiled a list of pitfalls that you must avoid in order to achieve great results.
1. DO NOT ignore the basics
First thing’s first: before jumping into a partnership boat, always sit back and determine your own goals and values. If you know your business targets well, it will be easier to find a like-minded partner. Otherwise, there’s a higher chance of friction.
2. DO NOT enter into verbal agreements
When you enter into a partnership, everything looks rosy at first. At that point in time, the need for writing things down doesn’t seem very pressing. However, as you proceed into the intricacies of the business, change is inevitable and if you run into disagreements, and don’t have an plan of action, you’ll find yourself at a loss.
If you have everything in black and white, it will be very easy to tackle issues and even diverging opinions. Enter into a properly documented partnership agreement to avoid headaches in the future.
3. DO NOT jump into a partnership rashly
This is the most disastrous step that you can take for your business! Don’t be overeager to enter into a partnership. Always do your own mathematics. Look at the pros and cons clearly. Although you will get a helping hand to propel your business forward, there will be some costs, both financial and non-financial. Just like everything else, a partnership needs sound planning.
4. DO NOT expect impractical results
You must be having great results in mind when you kick-start your business partnership. There is nothing wrong in setting high goals but be realistic in what you expect as a result of the partnership. Also, don’t expect too much from your partner. It will take some time before you can get great results out of your new deal.
5. DO NOT have equal stakes in the partnership:
You might think that I’m confused, that maybe I meant to say the opposite. How can you be partners without having equal stakes in the business? But trust me when I say this, behind every successful business, there is ONE boss. Do enter a partnership but don’t keep it 50/50. Try to keep a different ratio so that you know who to refer to when there needs to be an ultimate decision made.
6. DO NOT expecting relationships to survive the breakup of partnership
If the partnerships breaks, your relationship will break too, whatever it was before you entered into the partnership agreement. If your partner was previously your friend or relative, chances are high that if anything goes wrong in business, your relationship won’t go back to its previous state, at least for a while.
7. DO NOT neglect getting legal advice
Legal advice is a must in all situations. Whether it’s a business matter or any issue pertaining to the partnership, you should get proper legal input. This will help you in avoiding issues and confusion. There are various legal intricacies that are difficult for a common businessman to understand so it is always better to consult the expert. This way you will reduce a lot of future issues and possible losses.
8. DO NOT avoid planning an exit strategy
You might not agree with me here at first. After all, why would anybody want to thinking of leaving when they are at the outset of something that looks so promising? That is the case with most partnerships, and if the business ends up failing, the partners don’t know how to tackle the myriad issues that come with getting separated. Keep everything clear and well-documented and know what you’re going to do should the business go belly-up unexpectedly.
If you follow the above advice, you are sure to avoid many of the most common mistakes committed by the partners in a business. If you have any of your own tips, please let us know in the comments section below!
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