The role of partners was one of several topics raised at the previous coffee, devoted to failures in business. It turned out that partners can do a lot of good and a lot of harm for the development of a joint venture. However, “two heads are better than one”, and people keep setting up companies together, regardless of what the pundits think about it. So the need arose to explore the topic in more depth. Companies and partners: read what the participants of TechMine coffee had to say on the subject.
A significant share of companies set up on the principle of I have nothing, you have nothing, that is just enough to start a company come about as a result of an agreement between two or more friends or good acquaintances who decide to start a business together. At this moment they generally trust and like each other, not noticing the problems or threats to working together in business. In social situations they had a great time together. Over time, problems and differences of opinion come. Often the friendship does not stand the test of time, and the growing conflict between the partners slows down the company’s growth, or even causes a decision deadlock that can even lead to the collapse of the company. The problem is significant especially when there are two partners who, when setting up the company, split the shares equally, half each.
Trying to identify the factors conducive to success, those gathered named as one of the more important the complementarity of the partners’ qualifications and character traits. It is better if they look at the world from slightly different perspectives and do not necessarily duplicate each other’s knowledge and skills. An important condition for success is the ability to discuss and find the best solution, taking into account the arguments of everyone taking part in making the decision. Spending on a coach teaching the techniques of proper communication does not seem excessive in this situation.
The meeting’s contribution to management theory was the rule: a good partner is better than no partner, but no partner is better than a bad partner. Except that whether the partners are good or bad for each other comes out over time. It is very important, which partners often forget in the euphoria of setting up a company, to include in the articles of association the circumstances and conditions for taking action in the event of a conflict between partners, such as the right of first refusal for the shares of a departing partner, or designating a buyer of their shares.
