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5 Dos and Don’ts When Starting a Business With a Friend

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Friends are an essential part of our lives. They’re the people who help us overcome hardships and achieve our goals during childhood, youth, and adulthood. But can you start a business with a friend and be successful? We all know how friendships work. You get used to and take liberties with each other. There’s almost no end to the number of times you’ll “let it slide” when your friend makes a mistake.

Is any of that good for business? As you may know, starting a business requires you to be organized, creative, and focused. You need to know all the risks and be prepared to make some sacrifices along the way. Your potential customers need you to offer a better product or service than your competitors.

So, you may be wondering whether your friend can really be a good business partner. The truth is, it can either work or not. If you want to successfully start a business with a friend, here are some important dos and don’ts to keep in mind:

1. Assess each other’s skills and be honest

It could be that your friend said they’re skilled in something. And maybe you saw them do the thing and liked it. But have you thought about what other people think? It’s easy to oversee faults in your friend’s work because of the connection you have. You want to be loyal to them. And so, you might ignore any flaws you spot hoping they’ll do better next time.

But it can be quite hard to do better when you don’t know the areas to improve on. So, it’s best to be straightforward with your friends when assessing their skills. You could even involve a third party to help judge your competency and compatibility as business partners.

2. Clearly understand each other’s roles

It can be quite stressful when either of you has to do a bunch of things for the business. The best approach is when each one has been assigned specific roles. It’s good to base the responsibilities on your strengths and skills. And that’s why you need a friend with different but essential skills when starting a specific business.

When you’ve established who will be doing what, leave them to it. Don’t keep observing and trying to improve what your business partner does. That’s unless they really need your help. You can then update each other of your progress later on. You could use the necessary collaboration and information-sharing tools for this purpose or catch up from time to time.

“A business absolutely devoted to service will have one worry about profits. They will be embarrassingly large.” – Henry Ford

3. Record everything

Business can have conflicts related to investments, roles, and other things. If you don’t put it in writing, it becomes hard to know who is right. It could be that one of you invested more money than the other. Or, one of you has a superior role in decision making. When either of you makes a mistake, you can easily go back to the records and resolve the issue in no time.

Aside from who does what or invested which amount of money, you need an actual business plan written. It includes your vision of where you want your business to be in a particular number of years plus the steps to get there. It’s a good idea to involve a lawyer who specializes in business matters. They’ll help you prepare the required documents to successfully run a business as partners.

4. Don’t bring play into work

It isn’t bad to have a bit of fun while at work. In fact, being happy is necessary for enhanced productivity. But the idea is not to overdo it. You could establish a protocol where certain things can’t be done at work. If anyone breaks the rules, they have to undergo some sort of workplace punishment. This way there’ll be less instances of being late, absenteeism, low-quality work, and other undesirable behaviors.

Better yet, you could have a reward strategy where someone gets monetary or other rewards for their good work. This kind of motivation works well most of the time. You and your friend/business partner will work hard to get such benefits.

5. Don’t let business affect your friendship

While we’ve been exploring what you need to do to have a successful business with a friend, it’s essential to maintain your friendship. Don’t be too focused on business that you barely have time to be there for each other.

You need hours or days off to share personal matters that you’ve been avoiding because it was business time. Joke, laugh, and do anything else you used to engage in as friends.

And because the failure of a business isn’t uncommon, you’ll still have your friendship intact in case it happens. You could even start a new business without worries while fixing the missteps you previously made.

It’s possible to start a successful business with your friend as a partner. Many brands, big and small, have done it. You can do it too if you follow the best practices of having a friend for a business partner. In short, separate friendship from business but don’t forget to water the former too.

Mike Stuzzi is an online entrepreneur and blogger who helps people around the world make extra money and manage their finances effectively. He has started a number of successful online businesses and intends to help his readers achieve the same. He believes there’s a lot anyone can learn about money. Check out his blog themoneygalileo.com for tips and resources to become money-minded, boost your income, and practice proper money management. Connect with Mike here.

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Transform your forgotten bio link into a high-impact gateway that fuels engagement, clicks, and conversions across every social platform.

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Personal Development

These 11 Habits Will Make You More Productive, Successful, and Confident

Boost your focus, confidence, and results with 11 powerful habits successful people use every day.

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Successful people love to help beginners. They have an incredible work ethic and rarely complain. As a result, others naturally look up to them and want to follow in their footsteps.

But here’s the truth: there’s no success without sacrifice. You’ll need to give up comfort, excuses, and sometimes even social approval to accomplish your goals.

Value comes from solving problems, and these 11 powerful tips will help you become more productive, successful, and confident, starting today.

1. Take Short Breaks After Finishing a Task

Psychology shows it’s important to reward positive behaviour.

After completing a big task or finishing a book, take five minutes to walk, stretch, or simply breathe. This quick reset helps your brain recharge and strengthens focus.

Many great writers swear by morning walks, solitude, and reflection can unlock creativity.

But if you refuse to take breaks, don’t be surprised when burnout hits. Your brain needs recovery time just as much as your body does.

2. Schedule Your Most Important Tasks First

Multitasking kills productivity. If you want to get more done, try time blocking, a method where you dedicate set periods for specific tasks.

Productivity expert Caitlin Hughes explains, “Time blocking involves scheduling blocks of time for your tasks throughout the day.”

For example, if you’re a writer:

  • Research your topic at night.

  • Write your first draft in the morning (don’t worry if it’s rough).

  • Edit in the afternoon, great writing comes from rewriting.

You can’t buy more time. Use it intentionally and without regret.

3. Eliminate Distractions from Your Workspace

Focus is the foundation of success.

According to Inc. Magazine, it takes an average of 23 minutes to recover from a distraction. That’s nearly half an hour of lost productivity every time you check your phone.

Put your phone away. Close unnecessary tabs. And yes, limit your Netflix binges.

Meeting deadlines consistently is one of the fastest ways to stand out and earn respect.

4. Take Full Responsibility for Your Life

Entrepreneur Derek Sivers once said, “Everything is my fault.”

This mindset doesn’t mean self-blame; it means self-ownership. Stop pointing fingers, making excuses, or waiting for others to change.

If your habits (like smoking or drinking too much) hold you back, it’s time to make better choices. Your friends can’t live your dreams for you; only you can.

5. Invest an Hour a Day in Learning New Skills

Knowledge compounds over time.

Whether you read books, take online courses, or practise a craft, consistent learning gives you a competitive edge.

I used to struggle with academic writing, but I improved by studying the work of great authors and applying what I learned.

Your past doesn’t define you; your actions do. Every new skill adds another tool to your arsenal and makes you more unstoppable.

6. Develop a Growth Mindset

Psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck introduced the concept of fixed vs. growth mindset.

  • A fixed mindset believes success is based on natural talent.

  • A growth mindset believes success comes from effort and learning.

Choose the growth mindset. Embrace challenges. See failures as feedback. In today’s fast-moving digital world, adaptability is your biggest advantage.

7. Learn Marketing to Reach People Who Need You

I once believed marketing was manipulative, until I realised it’s about helping people solve problems.

If your work provides genuine value, marketing is how you let others know it exists. Even Apple spends billions on it.

Don’t be ashamed to promote your skills or business. Without visibility, your ideas will never reach the people who need them most.

Creative professionals who understand marketing and sales have an unfair advantage.

8. Ask Your Mentor the Right Questions

Good mentors can fast-track your growth.

While mentorship often costs money, it’s one of the best investments you can make. Great mentors don’t care about titles; they care about your progress.

If you don’t have access to a mentor yet, books are your silent mentors. Read the best in your field, take notes, and apply what resonates.

9. Build Confidence Through Action, Not Affirmations

Author Ryan Holiday once said, “I don’t believe in myself. I have evidence.”

Confidence doesn’t come from shouting affirmations into the mirror; it comes from proof. Doing hard things, keeping promises to yourself, and following through.

When you consistently take action, your brain gathers evidence that you can handle whatever comes next. That’s real confidence, grounded, earned, and unshakable.

10. Focus on Your Strengths

Your strengths reveal where your greatest impact lies.

If people compliment you on something often, it’s a clue. Lean into it.

A former professor once told me I was creative, and that simple comment gave me the confidence to go all in. I studied creativity, applied it daily, and turned it into my career advantage.

Double down on your strengths. That’s how you build momentum and mastery.

11. Identify and Challenge Your Limiting Beliefs

Your beliefs shape your reality.

For years, I believed I couldn’t be a great writer because of my chronic tinnitus and astigmatism, sensory challenges that made concentration difficult. But over time, I realised those struggles made me more disciplined, observant, and empathetic.

Your limitations can become your greatest motivators if you let them.

Avoid shortcuts. Growth takes time, but it’s always worth it.

Final Thoughts

Becoming productive, successful, and confident isn’t about working harder than everyone else. It’s about working smarter, consistently, and intentionally.

You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight. Start small: take a break after your next task, schedule your priorities, or spend one hour learning something new.

Every habit you change compounds into long-term success. Remember, true change comes from practising new behaviours.

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