7 ways to find a business partner

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Get accustomed to colleagues, attend conferences and register on special forums.

To create a successful business, founders must be compatible and agree with each other on many issues. Let's start with a short checklist of the necessary criteria for choosing a future partner.

1. Passion and general idea. Look for someone who wants to work hard and honestly, who is willing to sacrifice time and make business their top priority for the next few years.
2. Same vision and values. Work with someone who shares your vision of the ideal company and the beliefs that the business will be based on. If one plans to organize production, and the other plans to resell goods from China, most likely, nothing good will come of such a partnership.
3. Experience and work skills. You should not choose as a partner the first colleague or relative who comes across, who knows nothing and does not know how. Hire a strong and confident professional who will be useful in your business.
4. Equality. Choose someone with whom you can share duties and responsibilities.

If you met recently, find out what the partner candidate is interested in and does, whether he has run a business before and how successfully. It does not hurt to ask about his name on the Internet: it suddenly turns out that he is connected with some murky history or has already failed several projects.

And now about where to look for him after all.

1. Among colleagues

Try to find a like-minded person at work - someone who is also passionate about his own business and with whom you could combine knowledge and skills.

The main advantage of this method is that you know the person well: what are his achievements and real work experience, what is he strong in, how proactive he is, whether he bears responsibility and keeps his word.

The disadvantage of partnering with a colleague may be that one day your views on business development may diverge. For example, one will want to scale the project, while the other will be satisfied with the current state of affairs.

A colleague is suitable for creating almost any company: both in the same field in which you work, and in some other. For example, the bank for entrepreneurs Modulbank was created by three managers of Sberbank: Andrey Petrov, Oleg Laguta and Yakov Novikov.

Developers can create a new product, as, for example, did the founders of Yandex - Arkady Volozh and Arkady Borkovsky. They wrote special programs to find information in one document. Then they joined forces with Ilya Segalovich and together they made a new program for searching the Internet.

Here's another world example: Intel was founded by colleagues: Robert Noyce (physicist, inventor of an integrated circuit) and Gordon Moore (physicist, chemist). They worked together at Fairchild Semiconductor, a silicon semiconductor company.

2. Among relatives and friends

The advantages of this method are the same as in the first case: you already know the person, trust him, know his strengths and weaknesses, and how in your case you can share responsibilities and responsibilities.

The disadvantage is that if you do business with your husband or wife, then you take all work issues with you and solve them at home, instead of relaxing and talking on abstract topics. This also applies to other relatives who live together and have decided to start their own business.

In the case of business with a friend, possible serious disagreements can ruin the relationship, even if you have been communicating since kindergarten. If you are not very close with a relative or acquaintance, mistrust and complaints about each other's work may arise if it turns out that one is working harder than the other. Even if it's just guesswork.

In history, there are successful examples of joint business of friends or relatives. Procter and Gamble was founded by two brothers-in-law: William Procter and James Gamble. Procter owned a candle factory and Gamble made soap. After a while, the common father-in-law suggested that they merge the companies and develop the business together.

The Mosigra board game store chain was created by two friends: Dmitry Kibkalo and Dmitry Borisov. The network is already 10 years old, and it is represented in 32 cities of Russia.

3. In special urban communities

There may be a business community or a business club in the city. Such organizations are public or private, and one can also look for a like-minded person in them.

In Moscow, there is a community of the State Budgetary Institution "Small Business of Moscow". In St. Petersburg - the Center for the Development and Support of Entrepreneurship at the Employment Center and the Entrepreneurship Support Fund "My Business".

The private community can be found on the Internet: fill in something like "business club name of the city" in a search engine.

The advantage of this way of looking for a partner is that people who want to do business go to such communities on purpose.

The disadvantage of this and the next three options is the same: the person is essentially a stranger, trusting him is at least scary. At first, you will rub in and each time you will learn about each other's new qualities. As in other cases, it is better to conclude a special agreement or agreement with a partner and prescribe all the conditions for joint business.

4. At events

You can meet potential partners at conferences, forums and thematic exhibitions, master classes and seminars. They can be dedicated to a specific industry or entrepreneurship in general.

You can view the poster of business events on the websites of Atawaka, All-events, ExpoTrade, KudaGo and others.

The advantage of this way of meeting a future partner is a common interest and passion for one business.

5. On special forums and social networks

There are forums on the Internet where beginners and experienced entrepreneurs post announcements about who and why they are looking for, share ideas and plans. Here are some examples:

• Biznet.ru;
• PartnerSearch.ru;
• Businesspartner.ru;
• Rubiz.cc;
• Findbestpartner.ru.

You can also search for a partner in social networks - for example, in special groups for entrepreneurs. One of the most popular communities is "Websarafan" on Facebook.

The advantage of this method is a large search area. You can choose according to certain criteria: with a start-up capital, an idea, or a ready-made project that requires a partner.

6. In entrepreneurship or management courses

You can find a potential partner at special courses. As a rule, they are paid, but they allow you to meet like-minded people who came for the basics of entrepreneurship or to improve their skills in management and finance.

The advantage of this method is that at the first stage, your interests with your future partner coincide. Plus, you know that he is also ready to learn and develop, which is a good sign.

7. On job search sites

You can look not for a partner, but for an employee for certain tasks. If everything suits such an employee, later there is a chance to offer him a partnership.

In the vacancy, describe the responsibilities, skills and competencies required. Having hired an employee, see how he copes with tasks, how proactive and responsible, what results his work brings.

The advantages of this method are that you have time to look at the person better: evaluate his professional and human qualities, understand whether you would like to be responsible for the business together or not.

The disadvantage may be that the partner will still feel subordinate and not completely confident in their powers.

Finally

Wherever you find a business partner, follow two simple rules:

1. Discuss onshore how to distribute duties and responsibilities, how you will share profits and business in case you ever decide to part ways.
2. Write down all the points that you came to during the discussion in a special agreement.

When you are ready to formalize the relationship, you can do it in two ways:

• Register an LLC and conclude an agreement Agreement on the exercise of the rights of members of the company on the exercise of the rights of members of the company.
• Register each as an individual entrepreneur and sign a partnership agreement of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation Article 1041. Simple partnership agreement.