Yoda said it best. “Do or do not; there is no try.”
In the case of mixing friendship and business, it sounds like a great idea; you have a friend with the same goals as yours, you start talking it over, and before you know it, you’re both hot on a new business venture. It’s like reaching that level of drinking alcohol where a road trip to Florida from Toronto sounds like the best thing since sliced bread. “Yeah!” You both down a shot to celebrate. “We can do it! It’ll be easy!”
Jamie’s post on business partnerships got me thinking about our past. One of my biggest fears when starting this whole venture was, “Will this ruin our friendship?”
Making your friend your business partner very rarely works. A relationship where two people are equals evolves to one where one person in the relationship naturally has to take the leadership role.
Reality sets in fast. Before you know it, resentment over leadership issues, money and time pokes its nasty head into the picture. Sorting out these issues from the start helps the relationship survive much longer.
After starting a business with my best friend, I’ve come to look at my other friends in a new light. The people I used to work with are talented, no doubt about that, but there have been several occasions where I’ve referred them to Jamie for one job or another – and then wished I hadn’t. As friends, these people were great. When it came to seeing them through the eyes of a boss, they fell flat.
I’ve also observed my friends attempting to do what James and I have done. They talk about starting their own businesses together. They tell me their plans, each of them full of fire and lots of talk.
That’s as far as it goes. They’ve grown complacent in their steady jobs and look out too much for themselves as individuals. They’ll never make the jump from employee to business partners unless they’re shoved from the security of their nest. Talk remains talk until they understand how to break down their big dreams into manageable goals and mesh that together with the goals of someone else. They’re scared, deep down inside.
I’ve stopped trying to share my advice. I’ve stopped talking about taking small steps and effective planning to reach a larger goal. I’m wasting my breath. As for me, I’m glad I took the chance.
[tags]business partnerships, working as a couple[/tags]
