15/09/2026
BEFORE YOU GO INTO BUSINESS WITH A FRIEND…
Friendship is valuable. Clear agreements are crucial.
You’ve got the idea.
You know each other.
You’ve probably already had the “We could actually make this work!” conversation.
And maybe you can.
But before you turn coffee-table conversations into an actual business, there are a few things worth talking about — preferably before there is money on the table.
Who is putting in what?
Money? Time? Skills? Equipment? Contacts?
Who owns what?
Who makes the decisions?
How will you divide the profits?
What happens when you disagree?
And perhaps the awkward one…
What happens if one of you wants out?
When you start a business with a friend, you're not just deciding how to run a business. You're also creating a relationship where money, responsibility and decision-making can affect a friendship you already value.
So yes — talk about the exciting things.
The name.
The logo.
The first customer.
But value the friendship enough to have the difficult conversations also. And the best time to agree on what happens when things go wrong is while everything is still going right.
Before you build the business together, let’s help you talk through the difficult conversations too.
Deon Lombard
[email protected] / 012 343 0849