What should you ask a potential partner?

September 17, 2024

by an intermediary in Raleigh, NC, USA

If you have a partner, how did you know they were "the one"? What questions did you ask or did they ask you to help figure out if there was a fit?

An entrepreneur who I mentor asked me what are some things he should ask or consider when talking to a potential partner. I told him "it's like dating. Use the first meeting to just get to know the person and see if you want to keep talking to them."

0 Likes

12 Replies

104 Views

Replies

Reply by a searcher
from University of California, Berkeley in Phoenix, AZ, USA

We're pre-acquisition but there are several signals that gave me conviction that my partner was a good fit. #1 was dedication, we are both committed to making an acquisition as the next step in our careers. We're both "all in" and see this as the only option for fulfilling our professional desires. One thing we both agreed on is it's not just about the money. We have turned down numerous offers for more pay in our current W2 jobs. There's no amount of money or promotion that would convince us from stepping away from an acquisition. #2 was work ethic, we've worked together on projects before and it's hard to find anyone who can match our work ethic. We're both workaholics in the best sense of the word and have families who are supportive and understanding. #3 was compatibility, we have similar hopes and values. We can sit and talk for hours and genuinely enjoy working together. Last but not least, #4 is we complement each other's skills and both bring unique value to the search and eventually operating the business. It's a lot like dating and I would say, when you know, you know.

Reply by a searcher
from London Business School in State of São Paulo, Brazil

We did some tests (MBTI, Human Design, DISC, among others) to assess our compatibility - caveat we do know each other for 20+ years, and despite having similar core personal values we have never worked together before so this was a key question. In the end, you should find someone you can trust, rely on, be yourself, have difficult conversations with. Also it is important that both of you understand priorities in each other's lives and personal moments and goals (e.g., it is more unlikely that someone with a family with kids in school is willing to move to a remote location vs. a single person). In the end of the day, a partner is someone you can discuss any t0pics openly, be it a major issue or not

+10 more replies.

Join the discussion