Oct 113 min read

From Happy Hour to Business Hours: The Art of Working with Friends

How often have you heard, "don't mix business with pleasure"?

But what happens when your bestie becomes your business partner?

Working with friends can be a dream come true, filled with love, trust and good intentions. It can also be a recipe for disaster. Below, you’ll find the do's, the don'ts, and critical questions to ask yourself before making the decision to work with a friend.

QTNA’s (questions that need answers)

How in-alignment are your work ethics, working styles and professional goals?
Skin in the game: how important is this venture to each of you and what would the splits look like? Not everything has to be 50/50, remember that.
What is the purpose of the collaboration and how do your skills complement each other? (Eg. they might have the creative background while you have the business knowhow and professional network)
Can we separate our personal and business relationship and what will that look like?
How will we handle the inevitable disagreements or conflicts at work and what steps can we take to protect the friendship?
What will happen to our friendship if the business venture doesn't succeed?
Can we be open and honest with each other about performance and expectations?

The Do's

Create a scope of work: This may seem a little excessive, but trust me, it sets the tone for communication and clarity. Outline the distribution of responsibilities, put everything on the table and if one person is clearly contributing more, the outcome needs to be aligned. If things aren’t 50/50, the splits shouldn’t be either.
Discuss the goals: I’ve been in situations where one person wants to create a viable source of income, while the other is simply “doing it for funzies”. This, my friends, is called misalignment. Neither is explicitly right or wrong, it’s just that they don’t quite match.*
Pre-scheduled check-ins: Have standing meetings scheduled ahead of time (even if it’s just a phone call). Don’t wait until shit hits the fan or problems arise to have a conversation. Be as proactive as possible and respectful of time.
Set clear boundaries: Establish a distinction between work hours and friendship time. If one person wants to gossip about the latest Real Housewives episode, they probably won’t be too keen on discussing spreadsheet equations at that very moment.
Communicate openly: Be honest about expectations, concerns, and feedback. Try to be flexible and don’t be afraid to revisit the contract, scope of work, and titles as necessary. Have the tough conversations sooner than later, don’t let things build up.

The Don'ts

Don't overlook contracts: Always have clear, written agreements to protect both your friendship and your business (so many friends don’t do this). It’s always beneficial to be able to confirm smaller details on your own time by referencing these documents.
Don't assume: Just because you’ve known your friend “for years” doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t run things past them. Before making any major business decisions, be sure to check in.
Don't let personal issues interfere: Keep disagreements from your personal life separate from work and vice versa. Remember the common goals and purpose of your business.**
Don't be a b*tch: Having intel on your friends life can be quite beneficial. Working around each other's schedules and commitments is imperative. Be accommodating when possible/needed, compromise should come from both sides.

Personal Notes:

When it’s all said and done, with the right circumstances, working with friends can be an incredible experience. It's all about finding the sweet spot between friendship, collaboration, skillset, goals and professionalism. Why not go to the top with your personal powerhouse team***?

Have you ever worked with a friend? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below!

* I very rarely do things “just for funzies”, so I always ask right away. Misalignment of goals can work, with the right conversations. Having one “majority owner” and one “contributor” is a great space to start.

** Let’s face it, if you and your friend are having serious issues, it’s only a matter of time before it affects the business. Try to deal with these conflicts head on and as they arise.

*** Think long and hard about how you’d define “powerhouse team”