Mar 05

A 50/50 Decision

I crossed paths with a friend I hadn’t seen each in five months or so. We caught up on the happens and goings on in each other’s world. He recently left his job of five or so years with a big retail chain to start a business with his roommate.

He was so proud of his move. He had wanted to leave his job for a while and so when he stepped away onto the entrepreneurial path he was so proud, and a little anxious.

I think he’s learning is that working for the man in a big company seems a lot easier than the early days of building a business. Nonetheless, he is feeling invigorated, hopeful and a little scared.

I’m hopeful for him, too, and a little worried. I don’t yet see the sustainable market value of the business he started. But what perked up my ears most was that he and his partner are in a 50/50 relationship.

Having been in two 50/50-owned corporations, I don’t believe they work. They may be good for friendships and romantic marriages, but as business arrangements, I don’t like them. After two of them I decided I would never again do a straight 50/50 deal. I would either be a clear majority or minority owner. In both cases my past business partners and I turned out not to be compatible at all. Our values were sustantially different. (Sometimes it takes a while to find that out, and we were in business long before we knew enough about one another.) So, when we ran into difficulty, it was difficult to make decisions. (People with different values create conflict easily.) When we disagreed, we stalemated and nothing happened.

Ever accountant, attorney and businessperson I’ve met since–no joke–every one since–has said never do to a 50/50 deal. But, my friend did.

I didn’t tell him the problems I had or the advice I received a little too late to be helpful. If I told him what I learned, it would be too late to be helpful to him, and may just smack of fearmongering. Instead I told him I’d been in two 50/50 business arrangements and would be happy to help him in any way should he run into any challenges, financial, managerial, negotiation or emotional…and wished him well on his new, exciting journey.

It’s hard to watch someone live out a decision you disagree with. In this case it was already made, but the feeling is the same. Thing is, no man can walk another man’s path. Sometimes the best we can do is walk the tow-path along side him, offering help when he needs it.

I hope my friend doesn’t run into any of the problems I did. If he does though, I’ll be there to help him out. One thing I learned is to skip any reference to his original decision and just help him in the present moment. Did he make a mistake? I don’t know. That is for him to answer. It’s not my place to judge his decisions. My job is to support him and help when I can. Sometimes that’s the most you can do for someone…and when someone’s in trouble…it’s a lot.

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