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At the beginning, starting a business partnership can be great. You share the workload, collaborate freely, and celebrate every victory as a team. It can even be easier to secure small business funding if you have someone that shares your vision. But, while partners often work well together in the early stages, things can easily turn sour sooner rather than later. 

When a partnership starts to go bad, it can eventually progress to the point where it needs to be dissolved. If you are in a bad business partnership, it is better to cut ties as soon as possible. The following are a few signs that can indicate that it may be time to end a business partnership. 

Lack of Honesty

Honesty is the foundation of any good partnership, and each partner needs to be aware of the other’s dealings and actions. If your partner is outright lying to you or even just hiding information, you need to confront the situation head on. If the issues are minor, you might be able to address them by having a simple meeting. If they are serious issues that could expose you to legal or financial liability, it might be time to end the partnership.

Irresponsible Behavior

Your partner’s behavior is ultimately a reflection on you, and this can jeopardize your business in some cases. Maybe they behave improperly with employees or clients or maybe they make risky business decisions. It could be any number of things. If your partner’s behavior is causing problems, you might be able to reason with them. If they choose not to listen, you may need to take steps to end the partnership.

Inability to Compromise

Compromise is an important part of any successful partnerships. Maybe you each have an idea about how to run the business, and you meet somewhere in the middle. While this is the way a partnership should operate, there are people who cannot compromise. They just think their ideas are far superior or they have no respect for their partner’s ideas. 

Different Vision and Values

The vision and core values of a company are an important part of guiding a business in the right direction. When partners have a different vision of the company’s future or core values, it is possible that it could be worked out through compromise. However, it is also possible that the two sides are just too far apart to reconcile. If you or your partner can’t get on board with the current direction of the company, it might be time for one of you to leave.

Stopped Caring

Some partners will have a ton of drive in the beginning, but as things settle in, they get bored and lose interest. When this happens, one partner is checked out and the other is doing all of the work. If you find that your partner is indifferent and not really participating, you should try and speak with them. If they can’t get back into doing their fair share, it is time to consider ending the partnership.

A dysfunctional partnership holds everything back. Your business won’t be able to reach its full potential, you won’t feel as fulfilled in your work, and much of the stress and uncertainty is going to leak over to your personal life. If you have noticed any of these signs in your partnership, it could be time to start considering a plan for dissolution.