How to build a business with a friend and maintain a relationship

It would seem like a great idea to open a joint business with a friend. After all, you know each other well, you trust and you like to spend time together. But the business is far from girlish gatherings and the question of money has broken more than one friendship. Psychologists give some tips on how to maintain both friendship and business if you decide to do it together.

1. Discuss all obligations and areas of responsibility in advance. So that it does not happen that one of you works more, and the other thinks that it is she who invests more in the common cause, you need to fix all the rules on paper in advance. Write down who is responsible for what, who has what responsibilities and how profits will be distributed. It is also worth discussing vacations, sick days, maternity leave in advance - even if it seems that it is easier to solve these problems as they come.

Don't rely on your own memory. In a conflict situation (and they will certainly be) it will be easier to refer to the written agreements than to argue over who remembers what and how. Also discuss in advance who gets what if they decide to go out of business. This will make your life much easier if this situation really happens.

2. Get ready to lose your girlfriend. This will not necessarily happen, but you need to immediately understand that a rare friendship stands the test of a joint business. And it's not even a matter of quarrels, you just turn into business partners who see each other as only colleagues. After all, how do we communicate with a friend? We can tell you what's new at work, gossip about bosses and colleagues, embellish our achievements with a glass of wine in a cafe.

But with a friend who became your business partner, everything is different. You may find that you just don't have any topics for conversation outside of work.

3. Set aside time that you devote to friendship, not work. Agree that, for example, after 8 pm you do not discuss business matters, or that you are going to a friendly dinner on Sundays - and not a word about business. If you do not distinguish between work and personal time, then the first will gradually absorb the second. In order not to become workaholics and have time to communicate outside of business, you also need to talk in advance.

4. Do not accumulate resentment and discontent in yourself. Any potentially conflict situation must be resolved at the initial stage, otherwise later, when negative emotions accumulate, it will be more difficult to discuss it calmly and reasonably. All hidden grievances will interfere with both business and personal relationships, therefore it is important to pronounce what does not suit you, and, if necessary, replenish the set of rules for your business relations.

You will be interested to know how to keep love in a couple if you have a joint business.