A partnership sounds like a great idea, but not everybody can make a good business partner. Choosing a partner needs a very vivid assessment to avoid any future conflicts in the partnership. Without doing your due diligence, your company may not prosper because you may end up choosing the wrong business partner. In order for a partnership to do well, 90 percent depends on how the two partners are compatible. You need someone that you agree with on a lot of issues. In terms of strengths, it is good to bring on board somebody who is blessed with skills you seem to be weak in. Here is a quick breakdown of what to look for in a business partner in order to form a successful business partnership.
Passion
One of the key factors that a partner in business should have is passion. Ideally, it is easier to work with someone who has the driving power towards meeting your company’s goals than working with somebody who has been pushed around in order to accomplish a certain task. It is good to know that in business, time is money. This means that a specific task should be completed with a certain time duration in order to bring the mission to fruition. Thus, when looking for a business partner, it is advisable to look for someone who is willing to pull all his weight in the company you have formed. Look for someone who is willing to sacrifice the time and make your business a top priority.
Same Vision
It will be very easy for you to achieve the business goals you have set if you work with someone whom you share the vision with. A mission is halfway accomplished if the individual involved has a well-structured vision and strategy. What does this mean? When starting a partnership type of business, you should take a partner whom you share a great vision for your company. This will make both of you work towards the same vision, put the same amount of commitment and do anything to make sure that the vision is achieved within the stipulated time. Share your business vision with different people before narrowing down to choose one whose vision matches yours.
Business Networks
Depending on what you want to deal in as a partnership, it is advisable to look for a partner whose entrepreneurial network has wide connections. You should not look for an amateur who does not know anything in business. It is good to look for somebody who knows where to get the goods at low prices or where to sell the goods at relatively higher prices. This will go a long way in achieving the dreams that you have for your business and enhancing the growth of the company.
Experience
As an entrepreneur, you have to do a feasibility test about your business. If you have never been in the kind of business that you want to start, it would be a great idea to involve a partner who has a certain level of experience. The experience in business really matters especially in terms of risk assessment, season assessment, and cost minimization. Look for a partner who has experience in the business field. This will actually help you whenever you are facing difficulties. A good partner will be able to provide very solid solutions after involving you in the consultation process.
Creativity
One of the key things that might make your business prosper is the uniqueness that you bring to the market. In order to bring up that uniqueness, it is good to have someone by your side who is creative and has unmatched ability to come up with fresh ideas for the betterment of the company. A creative business partner is a great asset to any company. They have the capacity to come up with a brand that has a distinct image. A fresh idea shall always attract new customers. This is good as it initiates a growth in the market of the products and hence grows the business.
Financial Strength
No business can be run without fiscal strength. Why? Capital or finances are the lifeblood of the business, and without financial stability, the enterprise shall definitely fail. Therefore, as an entrepreneur, you should choose a business partner who has financial strength. The financial ability will enable you to achieve the goals you have set as a partnership. When starting the partnership, it will be good to agree on how much each partner will contribute as capital for the business. Also, look for a partner who has a good credit report and whose financial management is not in doubt.
Comfort With Risk
If you are looking for a business partner, it would be good for you to choose someone who has a high tolerance for risk. Without risk, remember you might not be able to achieve anything in the business world. At times you will come across certain situations that require you to get out of your comfort zone and risk your money. If you look for someone who likes to play it safe, you might end up getting nothing. On the other hand, you should have a partner who is somewhat cautious with the money that the business has. What we are saying is that you should choose someone who can strike a balance between taking risks and being cautious.
Good Decision Maker
A successful business is a result of good decisions. When you have a good decision maker; someone who can weigh different situations and be able to do future analysis or expectations is what you need in entrepreneurship. For instance, when your goods are not moving as fast as you had projected, what else can be done to sell them at a faster rate and still make a profit? A person who can make a good decision when the business is faced with such a scenario is whom you need as a partner. Decision making goes hand in hand with creativity. This means that a creative partner is most likely to make better decisions.
Honest and Trustworthy
When running a partnership, there has to be an agreement between you and the other partner not to run a competing business. However, there have been cases where one partner runs a competing business secretly. This is a lack of honesty in the partner. What does this mean to you? If you have to form a partnership, an honest and trustworthy partner is key to having a very successful venture. Choose a partner whom you have known for some time to avoid trust and honesty issues later when the business has already been established.
