Forming a business partnership can be an effective strategy in growing your company. However, working with a partner is also potentially risky if it turns out later that you are incompatible. Here are some important things to be aware of when entering into a business partnership.

Become Familiar with Potential Partners

Before you commit to a partnership, find out everything you can about the person you are considering. This should include their background, methods of communication, and perspectives on how to conduct business. In business partnerships, clear communication is vital. Establish from the outset that this is not a problem with your potential partner. Additionally, find out if you and the prospective partner share the same values and goals for your business.

Work with Someone You Can Trust

Many difficulties and challenges arise when running a business, so it is imperative that you can trust someone with whom you form a partnership. Besides gathering information about their background and communicating one-on-one concerning values and goals, your intuition is a good guide concerning a potential partner’s reliability and trustworthiness.

Assess Your Strengths

To formulate an idea of the specific skills a potential partner should have, first assess your shortcomings and strengths. Rather than someone who has the same skills, you need a person who will complement your skill set by compensating for important talents that you lack.

Delineate Responsibilities

In a business partnership, the roles of each partner should be clearly defined. You should divide responsibilities in a way that each person’s skills and capabilities can be used to the maximum.

Document the Relationship

There is no legal requirement to do so, but to minimize conflict and provide structure to the relationship, you and your partner should prepare and sign a written contract. This contract should include details such as ownership percentages, profit distribution, management responsibilities, partnership length, and exit strategies.

For more advice on entering a business partnership, contact Green Apple Funding.