MY PARTNER RICK REAM and I talk a lot. I mean we’re in each other’s ear for 40 hours a week. OK, maybe more like 80 hours…
I routinely barge into his office with several other people in tow, completely interrupting the rhythm of the email he was writing. (“Was” writing, lol.) I did not realize I was doing this until he actually presented the fact to me a couple of weeks ago. And while I completely thought I was being charming and efficient, apparently, I was not. But the point is, we talk to each other more than we talk to our wives. (Christy, I totally mean Rick does that, baby. You know I tell you everything…)
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And honestly? That’s absolutely the best partnership to be smack in the middle of. It makes all the difference in the world. We have a reach that neither of us could have possibly ever entertained without having the other. And you know why? Because we are so diametrically opposite. But so similar at the same time.
To all you out there who own your own shop, no partners involved, that’s a great place to be because you call the shots. But is that what you want? Are you satisfied with what you’re doing right now? If you are, by all means, continue on your path, and never doubt your course. If you want to hold all the marbles, want to be the one calling the shots, making all the decisions, responsible for everything that happens, good or bad, you are perfect. Do it!
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But that responsibility weighs heavy on your shoulders (and possibly your spouse’s shoulders). You strong enough? I thought I was way back in the day but turns out I wasn’t. I had the “sales” part down, but the “production” part of the equation? Turns out I didn’t have a clue.
But my boy Rick sure did. And what he didn’t have, I had. We both recognized the deficiency in the other, and we both somehow knew we needed each other to get to where we wanted to go. But here’s the kicker.
Rick didn’t know where he wanted to go. I showed him that. But at the same time, I didn’t have the skills to make it actually happen. But he sure did. I brought him the vision; he brought me the vehicle to perform.
Let’s face it. You (if you’re good) can sell virtually anything. But to succeed, you actually have to produce what you sell. If you promise a client something, you better damn well make sure they get what you promised. So when Rick and I merged our talents, the limits of what we could do vanished. Our individual “gifts” expanded the company tenfold!
If both you and your partner have the same goal, it’s so much better to bounce ideas off a person who’s fully invested in the success and/or failure of the company! We do it every day, and it’s absolutely what saves us both from jumping off a bridge.
Now do not get me wrong. Nothing is ever perfect (… well, Kate Beckinsale puts up a strong fight) but partnership-wise, there are going to be differences, there are going to be times when one partner wants to create a globally-recognized reality show, and the other partner just wants to retire with his spouse and rent Jet Skis to guests on their private island… And who am I to interfere with that goal?
I would never.
Instead, I’m gonna do everything in my power to make that happen. And I know my partner is going to do the same for me.
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