Partnership. A lot in this word?
An alternative point of view on partnership regarding the one that investment funds preach.
The partner can assist in investing. When there is not enough money, and you don’t want to take a bank loan, you can sell the share of the company to a friend who can help with money.
With a partner, you can discuss the strategy and tactics of the project. Thanks to this discussion, new ideas are born, weak points and new opportunities are found.
The partner can provide confidential storage of project information.
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The partner can perform part of the work. If the partner is self-sufficient, and has a great working experience, he will do the work truly in good faith.
A partner can be an expert in the subject area, or even more interesting to be a professional partner.
A partner can solve problems of a political and diplomatic nature. Ignore this thesis until the real price of the assets of your project is expressed in less than seven-digit number.
The real value of assets is cash in circulation, revenue, property, and so on. That is what is real. These include patents and trademark rights, but do not include other types of intellectual property and diplomas.
The partner can assist in investing. And then you have to divide the cake, at best. Usually, in 99% of cases, the cake does not have time to become sufficiently sized to separate it.
Partner can participate in project management. The overwhelming majority of projects are very small, the number of management issues is small, and their importance (leverage) is, on the contrary, significant. Therefore, often there is a situation of "two bears in one den". Regardless of how things are going (and they are always much more modest than you intended) - there are many disagreements and disputes that lead to quarrels and the fatal consequences of project management.
The partner can provide confidential storage of project information. Although, as practice shows - not necessarily. For example, in a conversation with you, he may be interested, and in fact refers to his obligations carelessly. Including obligations for the storage of confidential information. Documents and files are stored at home, in this case relatives, children and guests have access to them. If in the office - they can fall into the hands of colleagues.
When a partner undertakes to perform part of the work, but does not have sufficient qualifications, has little experience or is not sufficiently involved in the project, he will do the work poorly or not at all.
Professional partners and experts, if you are involved in your project, will want to get a larger share. Another danger that occurs very often is that this partner already has partners operating in the same field as you, and he has already invested money there. Even if they are developing less successfully than you - in those projects about which you do not know anything, your interlocutor has already invested money, and getting an “exhaust” from there is a higher priority task than doing something for you.
Even if you are sure of the opposite - the partner can be very persuasive in conversations, but at other times show a disregard.
The best partner for a large project (initial capitalization of more than 5 million rubles) is a bank. The bank will finance, bank experts will help inspect and improve your management.
The cost of a bank loan allows you to check the stability of your project's profitability Even before concluding any deals, at the very early stage of business planning, calculate - how comfortable will the project be to return the loan to the bank? Will you earn at least twice as much as you need to pay? If yes - green light on your way. If not, you just need to reconsider something.
Of course, sometimes you need to reconsider a lot. But, in fact, there are a huge number of options for the development of a good business.
The best partner for a small project is relatives. They will give money, or help them find it. They will provide excellent skepticism, the overcoming of which will be an additional exam for your plans. And they will not abandon you in case of failure - as friends can do.
The most broken partner is friends. There are, of course, hundreds of thousands of such cases, when even the most beautiful projects were simply bent because friends lost enthusiasm. No matter how hot a comrade is, it lasts a maximum of a month. In rare cases, two.
You do not need to own jurisprudence, in order to draw up a contract. Write down what you agreed on, literally - in a form that is understandable and accessible to participants.
The contract will help delineate rights and obligations. In addition, to ensure a conflict-free future, you will need to take into account quite a lot of subtleties and nuances. In fact, it will take a little time, not more than an hour. But in the future it will not happen that popular situation when, when making decisions, discussing and commenting, the partners simply forget about some initial conditions and agreements. The signed is not forgotten - this is the magic of the document.
Please note that many non-professional partners are not really ready for investment risks. In the worst case - they really expect a categorical refund with interest, and they will require it, regardless of the fate and pace of development of the project. In the best case, the relationship is still spoiled.
Taking as partners even the most loyal friends is not always the best solution, even for such a reason. Having passed the cycle of an unsuccessful project, you, as an author, get new ideas, vision and experience. And we are ready to do the next, more successful business project. And investors have to look again - it is unlikely that it will turn out a second time to turn to people whom you have already disappointed.
So summarize. Why not lead the project alone? Why not invest by yourself? What is the partner useful?
There is a professional point of view that at an early stage investments are more likely to harm the project. It is easy to find articles on this topic, including on Habré.
At any stage, the healthy goal of the project should be to make a profit, not to attract investments.
Issues with funding can be solved in a different way. One of the best methods that I described in one of the earlier articles on Habré is the creation of intermediate projects, with significantly less cost and less risk. They may be very different from the key ideas, but will allow you to:
Upon receipt of reliable intermediate results, you will form a package suitable for professional partnership. With this you can already go to the bank - they are willing to lend to business development.
You can discuss the project with friends and colleagues. Hire someone for money, even if it is small, give him a part of the work and discuss direct and indirect questions if your interlocutor is interested. For example, many freelancers who perform work on even the smallest scale have sufficient experience and can give you some very interesting decisions, tactics and strategic moves.
Ask a friend to be your interlocutor, but do not offer him a partnership.
Good to keep confidential information will help Google or Evernot. The time that you spend on kospektirovanie ideas, elaboration of details - this is the most effective investment in your project that you make yourself. While you are recording some material - de facto, it is subjected to additional reflection and analysis. Another important thing is the formulation of ideas in their native language, in a logical and readable form. Among professional managers, it is believed that good ideas are always easy to explain with words and diagrams, and not just on the fingers.
Partnership is good when the project is large enough, and when it is already working. In all other cases from partners there will be many problems. Naturally, in each case, the findings will be different.
If the project does not work - instead of looking for partners, it is advisable for the author to devote more time and attention to launching the project, searching for technological capabilities and their implementation. In information technology opportunities, indeed, very much.
Do you have experience of partnerships? Successful, unsuccessful or ambiguous?
Strengths
The partner can assist in investing. When there is not enough money, and you don’t want to take a bank loan, you can sell the share of the company to a friend who can help with money.
With a partner, you can discuss the strategy and tactics of the project. Thanks to this discussion, new ideas are born, weak points and new opportunities are found.
The partner can provide confidential storage of project information.
')
The partner can perform part of the work. If the partner is self-sufficient, and has a great working experience, he will do the work truly in good faith.
A partner can be an expert in the subject area, or even more interesting to be a professional partner.
A partner can solve problems of a political and diplomatic nature. Ignore this thesis until the real price of the assets of your project is expressed in less than seven-digit number.
The real value of assets is cash in circulation, revenue, property, and so on. That is what is real. These include patents and trademark rights, but do not include other types of intellectual property and diplomas.
Weak sides
The partner can assist in investing. And then you have to divide the cake, at best. Usually, in 99% of cases, the cake does not have time to become sufficiently sized to separate it.
Partner can participate in project management. The overwhelming majority of projects are very small, the number of management issues is small, and their importance (leverage) is, on the contrary, significant. Therefore, often there is a situation of "two bears in one den". Regardless of how things are going (and they are always much more modest than you intended) - there are many disagreements and disputes that lead to quarrels and the fatal consequences of project management.
The partner can provide confidential storage of project information. Although, as practice shows - not necessarily. For example, in a conversation with you, he may be interested, and in fact refers to his obligations carelessly. Including obligations for the storage of confidential information. Documents and files are stored at home, in this case relatives, children and guests have access to them. If in the office - they can fall into the hands of colleagues.
When a partner undertakes to perform part of the work, but does not have sufficient qualifications, has little experience or is not sufficiently involved in the project, he will do the work poorly or not at all.
Professional partners and experts, if you are involved in your project, will want to get a larger share. Another danger that occurs very often is that this partner already has partners operating in the same field as you, and he has already invested money there. Even if they are developing less successfully than you - in those projects about which you do not know anything, your interlocutor has already invested money, and getting an “exhaust” from there is a higher priority task than doing something for you.
Even if you are sure of the opposite - the partner can be very persuasive in conversations, but at other times show a disregard.
How to find and choose a partner
The best partner for a large project (initial capitalization of more than 5 million rubles) is a bank. The bank will finance, bank experts will help inspect and improve your management.
The cost of a bank loan allows you to check the stability of your project's profitability Even before concluding any deals, at the very early stage of business planning, calculate - how comfortable will the project be to return the loan to the bank? Will you earn at least twice as much as you need to pay? If yes - green light on your way. If not, you just need to reconsider something.
Of course, sometimes you need to reconsider a lot. But, in fact, there are a huge number of options for the development of a good business.
The best partner for a small project is relatives. They will give money, or help them find it. They will provide excellent skepticism, the overcoming of which will be an additional exam for your plans. And they will not abandon you in case of failure - as friends can do.
The most broken partner is friends. There are, of course, hundreds of thousands of such cases, when even the most beautiful projects were simply bent because friends lost enthusiasm. No matter how hot a comrade is, it lasts a maximum of a month. In rare cases, two.
Relationship with partners
You do not need to own jurisprudence, in order to draw up a contract. Write down what you agreed on, literally - in a form that is understandable and accessible to participants.
The contract will help delineate rights and obligations. In addition, to ensure a conflict-free future, you will need to take into account quite a lot of subtleties and nuances. In fact, it will take a little time, not more than an hour. But in the future it will not happen that popular situation when, when making decisions, discussing and commenting, the partners simply forget about some initial conditions and agreements. The signed is not forgotten - this is the magic of the document.
Please note that many non-professional partners are not really ready for investment risks. In the worst case - they really expect a categorical refund with interest, and they will require it, regardless of the fate and pace of development of the project. In the best case, the relationship is still spoiled.
Taking as partners even the most loyal friends is not always the best solution, even for such a reason. Having passed the cycle of an unsuccessful project, you, as an author, get new ideas, vision and experience. And we are ready to do the next, more successful business project. And investors have to look again - it is unlikely that it will turn out a second time to turn to people whom you have already disappointed.
More alternatives
So summarize. Why not lead the project alone? Why not invest by yourself? What is the partner useful?
- Financing
- Discussion, generation of new ideas and skepticism exams
- Storage of confidential information
- Performance of work
There is a professional point of view that at an early stage investments are more likely to harm the project. It is easy to find articles on this topic, including on Habré.
At any stage, the healthy goal of the project should be to make a profit, not to attract investments.
Issues with funding can be solved in a different way. One of the best methods that I described in one of the earlier articles on Habré is the creation of intermediate projects, with significantly less cost and less risk. They may be very different from the key ideas, but will allow you to:
- Probe marketing
- Get something working and scalable
- Start fairly effective work with less risk
Upon receipt of reliable intermediate results, you will form a package suitable for professional partnership. With this you can already go to the bank - they are willing to lend to business development.
You can discuss the project with friends and colleagues. Hire someone for money, even if it is small, give him a part of the work and discuss direct and indirect questions if your interlocutor is interested. For example, many freelancers who perform work on even the smallest scale have sufficient experience and can give you some very interesting decisions, tactics and strategic moves.
Ask a friend to be your interlocutor, but do not offer him a partnership.
Good to keep confidential information will help Google or Evernot. The time that you spend on kospektirovanie ideas, elaboration of details - this is the most effective investment in your project that you make yourself. While you are recording some material - de facto, it is subjected to additional reflection and analysis. Another important thing is the formulation of ideas in their native language, in a logical and readable form. Among professional managers, it is believed that good ideas are always easy to explain with words and diagrams, and not just on the fingers.
Partnership is good when the project is large enough, and when it is already working. In all other cases from partners there will be many problems. Naturally, in each case, the findings will be different.
If the project does not work - instead of looking for partners, it is advisable for the author to devote more time and attention to launching the project, searching for technological capabilities and their implementation. In information technology opportunities, indeed, very much.
Do you have experience of partnerships? Successful, unsuccessful or ambiguous?
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/191318/
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