Choosing the right business partner is very important when starting a company. You need to know that you have chosen someone who will not hold the company back and who will help it flourish. You want to reduce the odds of disputes in the future, and you want to give the company the best chance of success.
While doing this, there are two things you need to think about that are, in some ways, at odds. You need a business partner who is different than you, but you also want someone who shares many of the qualities that you hold. How do you find this balance?
Why they need to be different
First off, you want someone with different skills and abilities. You already bring certain talents to the business and you already have a specific mindset. You need someone who brings talents that you lack, who provides a mindset that you can never have. This makes the business more balanced and allows you to do things that would not be possible if you both had all of the same skills. Finding someone who is fundamentally different from you can be helpful
Why they need to be the same
In other ways, though they need to be similar to you. For instance, it is very helpful if you share goals and you want the same things for the company. It’s also helpful if you have values that are very similar and you want to run the business in a similar way. When you have different visions in these areas, that can also lead to disputes.
With these two conflicting areas, you can see why it’s so hard to find the right partner and why disputes do happen. If you find yourself involved in one, make sure you know what legal options you have.