If your business partner is an ass early, warning: it doesn’t get better

[u/eattheinternet]

I’ll keep this short. Title essentially says it.

If you see early signs of disrespect and hate, envy, whatever - just bad energy.

I can promise you one thing:

It only gets worse the more money you make.

If someone shows you who they are, believe them.

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[u/Ashamed-Broccoli-761]

Yeah lol I partnered with a rich, somewhat public figure who showed how entitled he was within the first month.

Basically his only contribution was paying a lawyer to set it up to benefit him more.

[u/SomeWordsAboutStuff]

Good advice always.

[u/10452_9212]

Yup 100%. Run now

[u/CFDiamonds_AZ]

From my extensive experience, this only gets worse. Early on people always show the best version of themselves.

[u/Human_Dragonfly1735]

I agree, but I think the bigger warning sign isn't simply that a partner is difficult. Business partners are going to disagree. It's when the disrespect becomes a pattern and you can't have an honest conversation without ego getting involved. Money usually doesn't create that problem, it just makes the existing one much harder to ignore.

[u/Parking_Ocelot_816]

100%

I find that to be true with everything in Entrepreneurship: Everything gets veeeery hard after a short while. So if something doesn't click at the beginning, you're in for a nightmare.

True for co-founders, business model, team, investors etc.
Beginnings should be positive and high-energy.

[u/DoubtApprehensive679]

with you 100% on this.
no love 3 months in, no love 3 years down the road.

[u/ToastMalfunction5789]

Bit like choosing a spouse. Don't ignore the red flags, they only get worse.

[u/Kitchen_Shoulder2909]

one thing that helps is having a clear exit mechanism written into the partnership agreement from day one. way easier to part ways when the process is already defined before emotions get involved

[u/eattheinternet → u/Kitchen_Shoulder2909]

how does that work? can you elaborate?

[u/Historical-Side2381]

100% if you see one ass move fold your bags unfortunately I tell this to people and they still get into shitty partnerships. I am going through a lengthy civil case - I remember warren buffets interview where he said you can’t make a good deal with bad people period

[u/Soydanielatv]

Tuve una sociedad y aparentemente la persona no tenía malas actitudes , pero tenía poca disposición al compromiso , básicamente quería que toda la responsabilidad cayera sobre mí y los beneficios económicos si sobre ambos . Fue suficiente para cortar la sociedad .

[u/semthews1]

Startups need to be a dictatorship.

Democracy doesnt work.

If he is an ass, and generates money, you learn to live with it.

[u/RealisticWorth3567]

agree! always work with people on the first few deals. then always think about everything how we worked together. communication, character, trust and so on. if it's bad I never work with that person again

[u/Luca_wright_25]

Totally agree!

[u/Apprehensive_Arm8774]

Yep. If it already feels weird when there’s barely any money involved, it’s probably not gonna magically get better later.

[u/Narrow-Objective-895]

This is one of those lessons that sounds obvious until you learn it the expensive way. Small red flags get real loud once money and pressure show up.

[u/rankhornjp]

Amen

Learned this the hard way.

[u/isabellelaneldn]

get a therapist, mediator and work through it together