Success Advice
Successful Business Partnerships Are Rare. Here’s How to Pull It Off

I’ve run my software consultancy company, Synapse Studios, for 18 years come December 2021. But I couldn’t have run it successfully all this time by myself. I’ve had the same 50/50 partner since the business’s inception in 2003, when my friend Bob Eagan came to me and asked if I wanted to join him in starting a company building web apps. I said sure, and here we are almost 18 years later.
Those 18 years haven’t been easy, but working with a reliable partner through the complex and exhausting process of building a business made it possible. I had someone else in the trenches with me who was bought in at the same level, and most of the time, our two minds together were better than one.
I’ve realized that a business partnership might as well be a marriage. It’s not always easy, and though our partnership is still going strong after all this time, it hasn’t been without challenges and risks. This is especially true for partners who come together when they’re not on the same page in terms of values or vision. But when you’re aligned and you learn to overcome your disagreements and bickering, you have a relationship with results greater than the sum of its parts.
What Makes a Successful Business Partnership?
When people hear that Bob and I have been in a successful business partnership for this long, they often ask us how we make it work: How are we still productive, and what’s our secret to not flaming out or annoying each other to the breaking point? I’ve had a long time to think through the answers to those questions, and I’ve distilled it all into a few vital pieces of advice for anyone partnering in something as big as a business:
1. Ensure your values align enough—but don’t be afraid to disagree a little.
If you were dating someone and realized you had a completely different values system, it’d be, at the very least, a yellow flag. The same holds true in business partnerships. It’s important that you broadly agree on certain principles and philosophies toward leadership, how you expect to treat your employees and clients, and what you’re trying to accomplish together.
In our case, we probably have an 80% or 90% overlap, and that 10% to 20% delta is where growth comes from. Too little overlap and you won’t see eye-to-eye almost ever, but too much overlap will reduce the value a partner can bring to the table.
2. Similarly, make sure you’re aiming for the same goals.
Aligning around the same goals is really important, and one of the biggest reasons I’ve seen partnerships fail or fizzle is one partner’s goals shifting away from the other partner’s over the years.
For example, if one person is driving hard to grow the company and the other wants to stay put, those overarching goals will drive the decisions each partner makes, and soon you’ll be working at cross-purposes. It’s worth noting that it’s completely natural for people’s goals to change. Openly and regularly discussing these goals and intents is a key to ensuring a healthy and successful business partnership.
“Individually we are one drop; but together we are an ocean.” – Ryunosuke Sat
3. Clearly delineate responsibilities.
It took exactly one “I thought you ran payroll” for us to realize that most responsibilities need to be just one person’s job. Play to your strengths and identify the tasks, chores, and initiatives each of you will own. That doesn’t mean the other partner won’t have some input, but the final say should rest with whoever owns that task.
4. Be willing to have your mind changed.
Being an entrepreneur is exceedingly hard. It tends to attract type-A personalities who think that they have the right answer most of the time. Despite Bob and I both being extremely opinionated, our superpower is our ability to convince the other one of anything.
The corollary to that is our mutual willingness to hear the other person out and change our minds. We go into a discussion or debate with a position, but we’re genuinely looking to learn from the other person. In the end, I’d rather choose what’s right for the business than win an argument and pick the wrong thing.
5. Define your exit terms early.
My partnership is fairly unusual in its long run and in our continued shared alignment. But it’s important to have a clear mutual understanding of what happens if one partner wants to leave the business or stop participating in the day-to-day.
It’s crucial to have a strong operating agreement that outlines fair, agreed-upon steps and clear criteria for valuing the business and buying out a partner. And it’s best to create this agreement at the beginning of the relationship in case things do change.
A successful business partnership can bring many other intangible benefits to the table, too: a bigger network, a diversity of perspective, a different way of thinking or solving problems. And, perhaps most important, someone to keep you from feeling alone in the journey. Those benefits don’t come without putting a thoughtful effort into the relationship, but after 18 years, I can confidently say that the effort pays off in the long run.
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The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025
Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”
While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.
Why This Gap Exists
Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.
What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.
Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap
Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.
1. Practice Mutual Empathy
Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.
2. Maintain Professional Boundaries
Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.
3. Follow the Golden Rule
Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.
4. Avoid Micromanagement
Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.
5. Empower Employees to Grow
Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.
6. Communicate in All Directions
Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.
7. Overcome Insecurities
Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.
8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship
True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.
9. Eliminate Favoritism
Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.
10. Recognize Efforts Promptly
Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.
11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews
When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.
12. Provide Leadership Development
Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.
13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles
Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.
The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role
Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:
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Build diverse talent pipelines
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Embrace flexible work models
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Design compelling career paths
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Simplify HR processes
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Redefine the value HR brings
The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.
Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff
When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.
Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.
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