What's really going on
Partnership fallouts are more common than people think, and they rarely start out personal. Usually it's a business problem that was never dealt with.
Roles were never clearly defined, so one partner ends up carrying more of the operational load. Perhaps the money side was never properly agreed, so one party feels underpaid or the other feels undervalued. Or over time you've simply ended up wanting different things. One of you wants to grow, the other wants to take money out and slow down.
These problems can be fixed. But while they're not being fixed, the business suffers. Decisions get put off, and your team notices the tension more than you think. Your customers do too.
Why it's hard to fix from the inside
When you're one of the partners, it's very hard to be objective. Whatever you suggest, your partner may see it as you looking after yourself, and the same goes the other way.
Legal advice can be important, and there are times you'll need it. But legal escalation shouldn't replace the work of understanding what's really driving the disagreement.
I've been there
I've experienced the breakdown of a business relationship myself, and the rebuilding and restoration of that relationship. I know how quickly disagreements can become personal, how difficult it is to see the situation objectively, and how much is at stake beyond the business itself.
Going through both changed the way I think about business partnerships, conflict and what a successful outcome actually looks like.
Sometimes the right answer is to find a way back together. Sometimes it's to separate well. My role is to help you understand your options and work towards the best possible outcome.
How I help
- Someone to talk to. A sounding board who understands business and has been where you are. Our conversations are handled with discretion, and we can put appropriate confidentiality arrangements in place.
- Understand what's at stake. We look at the numbers and the real financial impact of the different ways this could play out, so you're making decisions with your eyes open.
- Find the least damaging path. Using the full breadth of my commercial experience, we look for the way through that does the least damage to the business and everyone it affects: both partners, your employees, your customers and your suppliers.
How I approach this work
I want to be upfront with you. On partnership issues, I can't separate my Christian faith from the work. With God's help, my own business relationship was restored, and that is the lens I bring to yours.
Our conversations will be grounded in a Christian worldview, and that includes prayer. I'd rather you know that from the start, so you can decide if I'm the right person to walk alongside you.