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I'm about to open a Pet Shop mainly Dog Food Services and I have a friend who can add wide branding experience. The question is, should I pay for it or co-founder with him?

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2 Answers

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Going into business with your friend should be considered very seriously. Your co-founder is basically a relationship just without all the other stuff.

The two questions you should ask yourself are

  1. Can I see myself spending the next 10 years nearly every day working very closely with this person?

  2. Can you get this experience elsewhere? Without equity involved?

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If they are a good friend they might do it for free now, if you let them know you'll take care of them later when it gets off the ground.

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I don't think I'd go with such an informal arrangement. It could be a disaster when things take off and you each have a different understanding of the phrase, "you'll take care of them." Make sure that's clearly defined. – rbwhitaker Feb 20 at 15:32
Agreed, but OTOH, you don't necessarily need them as a co-founder or even a paid employee/consultant. – Steve Jones Feb 20 at 19:21
I can agree with that, and it's a great point. They don't need to be a founder/employee. You just need a mutual understanding of what actually will happen. – rbwhitaker Feb 20 at 20:01

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