3 Reasons Why You Absolutely Need a Partner

Americans are pretty obsessed with independence. Almost all of our famous entrepreneurs are presented as individuals, with a few exceptions. But this book, Powers of Two by Joshua Wolf Shenk, says that actually some of the most powerful and world-changing creativity came from pairs of two people.

He points to famous pairs John Lennon and Paul McCartney,  Marie and Pierre Curie, and Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak who were more powerful together than they were apart.

The classic entrepreneurial personality is naturally independent. Aside from anything else, your brain is moving at light speed, and it can be hard for others to keep up most of the time. But could you benefit from a partner?

Consider these three reasons for having a partner:

1. Challenge: You have to have a strong sense of self and belief in your ideas to become an entrepreneurs. It can also be really tempting to only surround yourself who reflect the best parts of yourself, and who support your ideas without much challenge. But you will never be awesome if you don't have some one who will kick your butt sometimes. Someone who will expose your weaknesses and force you to face the brutal facts that can weight down even the best businesses. A feisty partner will challenge you to look deeper and the results will be 10x stronger as a result.

2. Follow-Through: Entrepreneurs run fast. Like cheetahs, they tent to sprint while chasing down an idea, and then have periods of rest, during which they don't do much at all. A strategic partner will follow you while you're sprinting, making sure that the millions of ideas and initiatives that you start during the sprint are captured. Then they will pick up the ball and take the lead when you are resting, making sure that those ideas and initiatives are actually realized.

3. Confidence: Even the most brash, outgoing entrepreneur has moments of nagging doubt. Did you make the right decision? Did you consider all of the outcomes? What impact will your choices have on your future success? A partner can help you flesh out your ideas and put more meat on the bone, so that when you pull the trigger you have confidence in your decisions. They will never work out exactly as planned, but you will know that you took the time to think them through.

There are many reasons to find a good partner as you build your business. But just remember that I'm not speaking here of a traditional business partner who shares a part of your business. In fact, business partnerships need to be carefully managed as they frequently fail. Consider alternative methods of partnership, including mentors, coaches, consultants, and peers.