Comments on: Why 50/50 Partnerships Aren’t Really Fair http://www.startuphustle.com/2009/03/17/why-5050-partnerships-arent-really-fair/ Internet Business Strategy For The Startup and Small Business Owner Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:13:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Web Design Company Buckinghamshire http://www.startuphustle.com/2009/03/17/why-5050-partnerships-arent-really-fair/#comment-28946 Web Design Company Buckinghamshire Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:33:52 +0000 http://www.startuphustle.com/?p=437#comment-28946 As you rightly say partnerships are about working together as a unit and it's important to understand the partners roles right from the start. By 'defining' that role, responsibilities and objectives can be applied to individuals that as a whole help the company reach its long term objectives. Nice post :) As you rightly say partnerships are about working together as a unit and it’s important to understand the partners roles right from the start. By ‘defining’ that role, responsibilities and objectives can be applied to individuals that as a whole help the company reach its long term objectives.

Nice post :)

]]> By: Dezmon http://www.startuphustle.com/2009/03/17/why-5050-partnerships-arent-really-fair/#comment-28835 Dezmon Mon, 28 Sep 2009 03:10:19 +0000 http://www.startuphustle.com/?p=437#comment-28835 Hey Deirdre, Great question! I don't know all the details but it sounds like you're doing all the work! Off the cuff, this sounds to me like you should get 80% and the other person should get 20%. I would like to know how much the materials and supplies costs, also do you have employees you have to pay salaries too? Hey Deirdre,

Great question! I don’t know all the details but it sounds like you’re doing all the work!

Off the cuff, this sounds to me like you should get 80% and the other person should get 20%.

I would like to know how much the materials and supplies costs, also do you have employees you have to pay salaries too?

]]> By: Deirdre http://www.startuphustle.com/2009/03/17/why-5050-partnerships-arent-really-fair/#comment-28833 Deirdre Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:50:45 +0000 http://www.startuphustle.com/?p=437#comment-28833 Dezmon, should a 50/50 split even be considered, when one person pays for material and supplies but pays no salary, has little knowledge of the industry and puts in about %5 of his time. While the other person has years of knowledge, has created all the product samples, and will be putting in %100 of her time in to the production process, website sales, marketing, and advertising? what's fair? Dezmon, should a 50/50 split even be considered, when one person pays for material and supplies but pays no salary, has little knowledge of the industry and puts in about %5 of his time. While the other person has years of knowledge, has created all the product samples, and will be putting in %100 of her time in to the production process, website sales, marketing, and advertising? what’s fair?

]]> By: Affordable Website Design http://www.startuphustle.com/2009/03/17/why-5050-partnerships-arent-really-fair/#comment-24305 Affordable Website Design Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:27:38 +0000 http://www.startuphustle.com/?p=437#comment-24305 Partnerships! WOW what a minefield. You have got to have a very special relationship to make this one work. You are right about "values" if you don't understand these be sure there will be trouble ahead. Personally I'd rather stick pins in my eyes. Interesting post thanks. Partnerships! WOW what a minefield. You have got to have a very special relationship to make this one work. You are right about “values” if you don’t understand these be sure there will be trouble ahead. Personally I’d rather stick pins in my eyes. Interesting post thanks.

]]> By: Brian May http://www.startuphustle.com/2009/03/17/why-5050-partnerships-arent-really-fair/#comment-23505 Brian May Wed, 18 Mar 2009 10:29:53 +0000 http://www.startuphustle.com/?p=437#comment-23505 Desmond Great post. I would also add that there needs to be a clear definition of responsibilities. Like one is primarily responsible for sales while the other is totally responsible for operations. From past experience, this needs to be clearly defined from the beginning so that the partners do not fall into the trap of doing what they both are most comfortable doing and allowing the functions that are less desirable fall by the wayside. This also assigns responsibility for accomplishing tasks and setting goals for the business. This is much more difficult than just saying I will do this and you handle that. This needs to be clearly defined and detailed to work effectively. Brian Desmond

Great post. I would also add that there needs to be a clear definition of responsibilities. Like one is primarily responsible for sales while the other is totally responsible for operations. From past experience, this needs to be clearly defined from the beginning so that the partners do not fall into the trap of doing what they both are most comfortable doing and allowing the functions that are less desirable fall by the wayside. This also assigns responsibility for accomplishing tasks and setting goals for the business. This is much more difficult than just saying I will do this and you handle that. This needs to be clearly defined and detailed to work effectively.

Brian

]]> By: John R. Sedivy http://www.startuphustle.com/2009/03/17/why-5050-partnerships-arent-really-fair/#comment-23498 John R. Sedivy Wed, 18 Mar 2009 05:32:59 +0000 http://www.startuphustle.com/?p=437#comment-23498 I completely agree that partnerships can be an amazing opportunity for everyone involved. Personally I have witnessed this firsthand with my business as it has definitely been beneficial to have a partner. However the partner can not be just anyone as you had alluded, in my case it was an accidental meeting that turned into a solid working relationship. I do not agree however that true partnerships should be broken down into who adds more or less value - in reality this is often very difficult to quantify and most value is intangible and readily calculated into ROI. In my business I believe that my partner and I add equal value, but in different ways - my strengths compliment her weaknesses, and vice versa. Fortunately for most aspects of the business we agree on most of the decisions and direction of the business, for those items where there is disagreement we can each make an intelligent argument and case to convince the other. At one point I would not have believed this possible until I had experienced it myself. There has been more than one instance that we have each stopped one another from making a less than optimal business decision, if we did not have equal weight in decision-making we could have steam rolled over one another and proceeded with the poor decision. Personally I believe each partnership is situation dependent and truly unique. Each member of the partnership will instinctively know when it is right and the optimal working arrangement will just "fall out" over time. I completely agree that partnerships can be an amazing opportunity for everyone involved. Personally I have witnessed this firsthand with my business as it has definitely been beneficial to have a partner. However the partner can not be just anyone as you had alluded, in my case it was an accidental meeting that turned into a solid working relationship. I do not agree however that true partnerships should be broken down into who adds more or less value - in reality this is often very difficult to quantify and most value is intangible and readily calculated into ROI.

In my business I believe that my partner and I add equal value, but in different ways - my strengths compliment her weaknesses, and vice versa. Fortunately for most aspects of the business we agree on most of the decisions and direction of the business, for those items where there is disagreement we can each make an intelligent argument and case to convince the other. At one point I would not have believed this possible until I had experienced it myself. There has been more than one instance that we have each stopped one another from making a less than optimal business decision, if we did not have equal weight in decision-making we could have steam rolled over one another and proceeded with the poor decision.

Personally I believe each partnership is situation dependent and truly unique. Each member of the partnership will instinctively know when it is right and the optimal working arrangement will just “fall out” over time.

]]> By: Tobin http://www.startuphustle.com/2009/03/17/why-5050-partnerships-arent-really-fair/#comment-23497 Tobin Wed, 18 Mar 2009 04:50:41 +0000 http://www.startuphustle.com/?p=437#comment-23497 Great post! Great post!

]]> By: Nate Hammond http://www.startuphustle.com/2009/03/17/why-5050-partnerships-arent-really-fair/#comment-23496 Nate Hammond Wed, 18 Mar 2009 04:12:19 +0000 http://www.startuphustle.com/?p=437#comment-23496 Pretty good commentary Dez! Keep it coming. Pretty good commentary Dez! Keep it coming.

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