Working With A Partner/Friend?

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jeanpaul1979

jeanpaul1979

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Ok, so this is a topic I've never heard anyone talk about...

Does anyone actually do this? Working for myself is great, but working alone all day isn't the greatest thing in the world. Thing is if I start working with someone else - not sure if that gonna work out I mean there's money and sensitive info involved and all. And I don't think 50/50 is gonna work...

Basically I was thinking, I have this friend who is interested in what we are doing and is somewhat experienced and familiar with AM and I could see him putting some serious effort into this. So I was thinking of maybe hiring some office space and work there - maybe do some stuff together and some separate - you know, whatever works...

Anyone got experience doing this? I'm not considering this seriously yet, but I'm interested in what others have to say...
 


Don't do it! If you need some companionship hire a secretary and teach her to do some of the mundane stuff.

Best way to kill a friendship is to start a business partnership.
 
it sounds like you just want someone around to talk to. in that case, lease an office together or each lease your own right next to each other and work on your own campaigns. work together in the sense that you each spend your own cash on your own campaigns however similar.
 
crooner said:
Don't do it! If you need some companionship hire a secretary and teach her to do some of the mundane stuff.

Best way to kill a friendship is to start a business partnership.
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I agree with this

The only thing thats worse than hiring friends is hiring family.
 
I started solo in this business, but I had a friend who owned a print marketing business and we got started talking about affiliate marketing and started doing some projects together as he is a great artist, which I am not. After a few months of that I bought half of the business and we expanded it into AM and went from there.

I'm happy with the partnership, but I had done smaller related projects with him over the past 10 years and knew it wouldn't be a problem.

On the other hand I have a list of failed partnerships under my belt and more often than not crooner is completely correct in his post above. Hire a secretary.
 
Almost never worked out for me... Many failed partnerships over the years.

When I'm the boss things just work out a whole lot better. I've hired and fired lots of friends as W2 and 1099 help over the years and when I call the shots, all is well for me.

I've entered into a few partnership agreements in the past. The only way these have worked for me is when It is under my own separate entity (LLC or Corp) and someone elses individual entity. Starting an LLC or corporation and splitting the ownership has failed miserabley for me over the years.

Establish your own entity and enter into an agreement with you as the boss if you must.

Or.. just hire a freaking secretary...
 
good question IMO..couple rules:

1. put everything on paper BEFORE you start anything
2. make sure he is 100% dedicated. if you are working full time and he has a side job to help support this you are going to think you are doing more work.
3. if it's not 50/50, detail exactly how it will be to him before, and then do rule #1

but really its your secrets and he's probably just going to be supporting you. might as well automate more things or outsource some work to take some load off of you.
 
Although everyone is bashing working with partners, I have been from the start, and it works out well, the power of 2 minds brainstorming is 500% stronger :)
 
jeanpaul1979 said:
Ok, so this is a topic I've never heard anyone talk about...

Does anyone actually do this? Working for myself is great, but working alone all day isn't the greatest thing in the world. Thing is if I start working with someone else - not sure if that gonna work out I mean there's money and sensitive info involved and all. And I don't think 50/50 is gonna work...

Basically I was thinking, I have this friend who is interested in what we are doing and is somewhat experienced and familiar with AM and I could see him putting some serious effort into this. So I was thinking of maybe hiring some office space and work there - maybe do some stuff together and some separate - you know, whatever works...

Anyone got experience doing this? I'm not considering this seriously yet, but I'm interested in what others have to say...
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DON'T DO IT
do everything on your own, if you can't do everything on your own hire someone

you need to be completely free to blame who doesn't do his work, who does it the wrong way, who makes errors, who doesn't work hard enough etc

and these things are hard to be done with someone who is your friend

I have done it in the past and will NEVER make this mistake again
 
I would say do not do it.

The cost of a friendship is not worth the potential profits, and after losing 2 friends after being in business with them, it is a good idea to avoid it at all possible costs.

This is not to say it will not work, but the opportunity for heartache is great.
 
Medici said:
it sounds like you just want someone around to talk to. in that case, lease an office together or each lease your own right next to each other and work on your own campaigns. work together in the sense that you each spend your own cash on your own campaigns however similar.
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+1

Sharing an office or some space and helping each other out with your own campaigns is one thing, but forming a joint partnership to manage everything together is just asking for trouble.
 
In my experience - doing business and working on on individual projects with your friends can be enjoyable, profitable and good for your friendship, if you're mature about it.

There is a caveat: your joint project isn't too big a deal for both of you - that way if it doesn't work out, you close out the project, and move on quickly.

However sharing your entire business with someone is usually a disaster in the long run. I've said before in this forum - in quite a few ways it's a bigger commitment than marrying them. (although less than having kids with them).

My advice - get an office together for some companionship, refer business to one another, work together on things here and there, but keep your businesses very clearly separate and independant.
 
I used to be really anti partnerships, but I really like what smaxor had to say about this subject recently ...


Back when i used to do blackhat seo I’d build all my automated systems myself to start. Then I realized I had more ideas then I could ever code and manage on my own. I had the resources and the knowledge of how to make it all work. So I decided to start working with partners on projects. Basically I’d find guys that were good coders, understood the business but lacked a full ability to get to that next level. We’d split our profit 50/50 and they’d code and manage and i’d come up with the ideas and get the resources. Now you’re probably thinking ok what if you the project makes $10k/day you’re going to give the other guy $5k/day? Sure. Because the goal at that point wasn’t to make as much money as I could in the short term but rather make good stable money in the long term. Now that this person was able to code and manage their project that allowed me to work with 7 other people on 7 other projects. Guess what? One or two projects went down while a few were making money and then a few were in development at all time. Which allowed me to achieve stability. Also gave me an opportunity to help some really good guys put some money in their pockets and learn the business and get to that next level.
My whole point about all this is that Affiliate Marketing can be soooooo much more then just some dude sitting in his basement banging away and anti-social. It can truely be whatever you can dream
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BigWill said:
The only thing thats worse than hiring friends is hiring family.
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I've been working with my brother in AM for a few years now, but this isn't the first venture together. First venture was a DJ company in high school, followed by developing a few websites at the same time, then launching and running a hosting company, and then AM.
 
I had an S-corp a while back with a friend of mine. It completely ruined our friendship and i got screwed over... However I know people who have taken on a business with a friend and have done phenomenal. Some of the largest most successful corporations were started by a couple of friends (anyone hear of Sergey and Brin?) hehe... Anyways, if you think it will work out, go for it...but if you have doubts...maybe its not worth jeopardizing your friendship :)
 
I go the shared office space route with my brother. But other than that, everything is separate. Even separate ISPs. He's just starting out though, so he really doesn't know shit. I spend a lot of time sending him to letmegooglethatforyou.com
 
That quote from Smax really was good.

I'm really for partnerships when done strategically... I can't be just "we'll do whatever." You need to have a solid foundation of who does what, how the money will be distributed, etc.

Otherwise, when / if money starts flowing in, that is what will break up the friendship. One person might feel like they deserve more, etc. Unless you have a prechoice, choice (if that makes sense), things will suck in the future of the partnership.
 
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