5 Tips For Going Into Business With a Friend

Inc.

It's the age of the startup, and it feels like everyone has their own business. Whether you have an idea for an app, a cafe, or a publication, working for yourself can be a very tempting prospect. But running a business isn't a one person job, and you'll undoubtedly need help bringing your aspirations to fruition. Most likely, you'll turn to an equally ambitious friend to help you get your business off the ground, but is working closely with a friend a good idea?

Here are 5 tips you need to know before going into business with a friend.

1. Keep it Equal

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The tips on this list are in reference to a business relationship in which each party has an equal share of authority. Hiring a friend to be your subordinate in a business venture is never a good idea, as the unequal power dynamic will undoubtedly cause problems in the friendship. Additionally, it can be hard to respect someone as your boss if you're used to grabbing drinks with them on the weekend and know all about their personal life. When going into business with a friend, the only real option is for both parties to have an equal investment in the venture. This also means trying to keep salaries and work loads as equal as possible.

2. Set Clear Guidelines For Your Professional Relationship

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One of the dangers of working with someone you're close to can be withholding honest feedback for fear of damaging your friendship. It can be harder to be blunt with a friend than it is with a colleague, but open communication is necessary for any business to work. Before you go into business together, sit down and discuss how you will both work to create a productive professional relationship, without sacrificing your friendship. This may mean agreeing that the success of the business depends on neither friend taking professional feedback too personally or even very explicitly laying out each person's role so that there's less potential for conflict later on.

3. Agree to Keep Work Within Work Hours


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One of the fastest ways to ruin a friendship is by making it all about the business you have together. A simple way to avoid this is to agree to only discuss work during work hours, allowing your friendship to continue to exist as something separate from the business. Of course, with the long hours that often come with starting your own business, sometimes this is easier said than done. If you and your friend need to be able to talk about work at all hours of the day for most of the week, that's fine, but make sure that you leave at least an evening a week where you can just be friends.

4. Avoid Being Competitive


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It's natural for friends to share a sense of healthy competition, but this can backfire when you're both working towards the same goal. Try to create a business relationship in which success and failure is shared equally, regardless of who had a larger hand in the creation of each outcome. If you're constantly trying to prove to each other that you're the more valuable half of the partnership, it's going to be pretty hard to get anything done.

5. Know Each Other's Strengths and Weaknesses Before Going into Business

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If you're constantly frustrated with your friend for being bad with clients, and they hate the way you handle numbers, you may find yourself with an unproductive partnership and a damaged friendship. Before you go into business with a friend, it's important to have a real understanding of the way your respective traits will complement each other and what weaknesses you need to keep in mind. If you start the business relationship with a clear understanding of the other person's strengths and weaknesses, you're less likely to grow resentful towards them later on and can create a distribution of responsibilities that best suits each person's skills.

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Where to Donate to Support Afghanistan and Haiti

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Over the past month, both Haiti and Afghanistan have been pummeled by tragic disasters that left devastation in their wake.

In Haiti, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake erupted, leading over to 2,189 deaths and counting. A few hours later, in Afghanistan, Kabul fell to the Taliban just after U.S. troops had pulled out after 20 years of war.

In many ways, these disasters are both chillingly connected to US interference. The United States invaded Haiti in 1915, ostensibly promising to restore order after a presidential assassination but really intending to preserve the route to the Panama Canal and to defend US creditors, among other reasons.

But the US forces soon realized that they were not able to control the country alone, and so formed an army of Haitian enlistees, powered by US air power and intended to quell Haitian insurrection against US controls. Then, in 1934, the US pulled out on its own, disappointed with how slow progress was going. Haiti's institutions were never really able to rebuild themselves, leaving them immensely vulnerable to natural disasters.

Something similar happened in Afghanistan, where the US sent troops and supported an insurgent Afghan army – only to pull out, abandoning the country they left in ruins, with many Afghans supporting the Taliban.

In both cases, defense contractors benefited by far the most from the conflict, making billions in profits while civilians faced fallout and devastation. While the conflicts and circumstances are extremely different and while the US is obviously not solely to blame for either crisis, it's hard not to see the US-based roots of these disasters.

Today, in Haiti and Afghanistan, civilians are facing unimaginable tragedy.

Here are charities offering support in Afghanistan:

1. The International Rescue Committee is looking to raise $10 million to deliver aid directly to Afghanistan

2. CARE is matching donations for an Afghanistan relief fund. They are providing food, shelter, and water to families in need; a donation of $89.50 covers 1 family's emergency needs for a month.

3. Women for Women International is matching donations up to 500,000 for Afghan women, who will be facing unimaginable horrors under Taliban control.


4. AfghanAid offers support for people living in remote regions of Afghanistan.

5. VitalVoices supports female leaders and changemakers and survivors of gender-based violence around the world.

Here are charities offering support in Haiti:

1. Partners in Health has been working with Haiti for a long time, and they work with the Department of Health rather than around them, which is extremely important in a charity.

2. Health Equity International helps run Saint Boniface Hospital, a hospital in Haiti close to the earthquake's epicenter.

3. SOIL is an organization based Haiti, "a local organization with a track record of supporting after natural disasters." They are distributing hygiene kits and provisions on the ground to hospitals and to victims of the earthquake.

4. Hope for Haiti has been working in emergency response in Haiti for three decades, and their team is comprised of people who live and work in Haiti. They focus on supporting children and people in need across Haiti.

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How the Beyoncé and Jay Z Controversy Shows Gen Z's Money Priorities

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When the new Tiffany's campaign was unveiled, reactions were mixed.

Tiffany's, the iconic jewelry brand which does not (despite what some might be misled to believe) in fact serve breakfast, featured Jay Z, Beyoncé, and a rare Basquiat painting in their recent campaign.

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How to Save Money on a Road Trip

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Road trips can be a lot of fun — but they can also drain your wallet quickly if you aren't careful.

From high gas costs and park admission fares to lodging and the price of eating out every night, the expenses can add up quickly. But at the same time, it's very possible to do road trips cheaply and efficiently. Without the headache of worrying about how much money you're leaking, you can enjoy the open road a whole lot more. Here's how to save money on a road trip.

1. Prepare Your Budget, Route, and Packing List in Advance

If you want to save money on a road trip, be sure you're ready to go. Try to count up all your expenses before you hit the road and create a budget. It's also a good idea to plan your route in advance so you don't end up taking unnecessary, gas-guzzling detours. And finally, be sure to pack in advance so you don't find yourself having to buy tons of things you forgot along the way.

2. Book Cheap Accommodations — Or Try Camping

All those motel rooms can add up surprisingly quick, but camping is often cheap or free, and it's a great way to get intimate with the place you're visiting. You can check the Bureau of Land Management's website for free campsites. Freecampsite.com also provides great information on If you don't have a tent or don't want to camp every night, try booking cheap Airbnbs or booking hotels in advance, making sure to compare prices.

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If you're planning on sleeping in your car, a few tips: WalMart allows all-night parking, as do many 24-hour gyms. (Buying a membership to Planet Fitness or something like it also gives you a great place to stop, shower, and recharge while on the road).

3. Bring Food From Home

Don't go on a road trip expecting to subsist on fast food alone. You'll wind up feeling like shit, and it'll drain your pocketbook stunningly quickly. Instead, be sure to bring food from home. Consider buying a gas stove and a coffee pot for easy on-the-go meals, and make sure you bring substantial snacks to satiate midday or late night cravings so you can avoid getting those late night Mickey D's expeditions.

Try bringing your own cooler, filling it with easy stuff for breakfast and lunch — some bread and peanut butter and jelly will go a long way. Bring your own utensils, plates, and napkins, and avoid buying bottled water by packing some big water jugs and a reusable water bottle. Alternatively, try staying at hotels or Airbnbs with kitchens so you can cook there.

4. Avoid Tolls

Apps like Google Maps and Waze point out toll locations, so be sure to avoid those to save those pennies. (If it takes you too far off route, you might have to bite the bullet and drive across that expensive bridge).

You can also save on parking fees by using sites like Parkopedia.

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5. Save on Gas

Gas can get pricy incredibly fast, so be sure that you're stopping at cheap gas stations. Free apps like GasBuddy help you find the most affordable gas prices in the area. Also, try going the speed limit on the highways — anything faster will burn through your tank. Be sure that you don't wait till you arrive at touristy locations or big cities to fill up.

6. Get a National Park Pass

All those parks can get really expensive really fast. If you're planning on visiting three or more parks, it's a great idea to get an America the Beautiful National Parks Pass. For $80 you can get into every National Park for one year.

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