Starting and running a business is a big responsibility—and an even bigger headache. Between finances, employees, and long hours, the responsibilities are usually easier for a two-person team to tackle.
That's why we asked 12 successful entrepreneurs from the Young Entrepreneur Council the following question:
Q. What’s one benefit of having a co-founder by your side to help run your business?
1. They Take Things Off Your Plate
Rather than having a plate piled high with so many issues that you feel overwhelmed, you can scoop some of those up and put them on your co-founder's plate, especially when they have the expertise or skill set to get those issues resolved quickly. Splitting up the workload means that projects can get done faster and your company can continue to run smoothly. –Angela Ruth, Due
2. You Have Access to Their Network
As your business begins to grow, you'll always face new challenges, from hiring the right people to deciding on the best marketing automation software. You'll need a solid network of experienced professionals to ask for advice so that you can make the best decisions for your company. A co-founder will have additional connections as well as unique expertise to help ease these growing pains. –Nicole Munoz, Start Ranking Now
3. They Hold You Accountable
Co-founders hold you accountable. It's far too easy to put things off, let quality slip, or let your ego get out of check. My co-founder and beloved wife, Megan, never had an issue calling me out for all three. I'm thankful every day for it and our company is stronger for it. –Bryan Bedera, Amplify Relations
4. They Can Let You Take a Break
While you may not want to take a break, it's necessary to help you recharge. Having a co-founder means that there is someone there who you trust to "watch the store" while you are gone and who you know will keep productivity high. This gives you some time to physically and mentally recharge so that you can also fill in for your co-founder. –Zach Binder, RankLab
5. They Expand Your Horizon
My first business was just "me," which was really tough! Every piece of advice came from "the outside," so I listened to a lot of advice that wasn't right for my company. Now, allied with my business partner (who's also my husband), I can rely on someone else's reasoning and opinion to bounce ideas off of. It's allowed our business to grow in areas that extend far beyond my own personal strengths. –Nathalie Lussier, AmbitionAlly
6. They Support You Along the Journey
Building a business is a surprisingly emotional journey, and entrepreneurs need support along the way. While mentors, coaches, therapists, and peers can be a huge help, nothing compares to having a co-founder that is "in it" with you. –Todd Emaus, Twenty20
7. They Help You Make Tough Calls
I've only ever started a company with a partner, and we’re 50/50 in the business. Having an equal partner has been very rewarding because it means we’re always in the same boat. A partnership helps you check your ego and run through different scenarios before making tough calls. As a business leader, it’s incredibly valuable to avoid isolation. –Tony Scherba, Yeti
8. They Help You Bounce Off Ideas
It's hard to create value in a vacuum. Walls don't talk back. Being able to bounce, filter, enhance, and exchange ideas with another intellectually engaged party is a huge force multiplier. Idea velocity increases with more human capital. When it comes to having founders, 1 + 1 definitely equals 3. –Eric Mathews, Start Co.
9. They Keep You In Check
If the relationship is the right one—meaning it provides a safe place to express concerns, weaknesses, and doubts—then it can help you make better decisions. A co-founder guarantees you'll always be kept in check because they can say things to you that your executives and employees won’t, even in a transparent culture. –Simon Berg, Ceros
10. They Give Your Business Two of Everything
When you have a co-founder, you have two of everything: two opinions, two sets of hands, two minds, two sets of time in a day. Co-founders help you accomplish more faster. Just make sure you seek co-founders whose strengths differ from your own. Think of the time and energy that can be saved by bringing in a co-founder who's an expert in an area you know nothing about. –Laura Land, EMPIRE Cell Phone Accessories
11. They Can Help Scale Your Business
From day one, a co-founder can contribute skills, strategy, execution, ideas, insights, their network, and emotional support. In the early days of a company, while scaling from 0 to 50 employees, or trying to bring in the first few millions in revenue, a founder needs to fill pretty much all the C-level roles. Having a co-founder really helps in sharing the vision and scaling the company to the next level. –Shilpi Sharma, Kvantum Inc.
12. They Unlock Your Potential
Great co-founders push you not only on a professional level but on a personal level. Once you "fall in love" with working together, you will find that you have genuinely become a better person. They transform you in ways that no other mentors or colleagues possibly can, and as a result, unleash your true potential beyond what you could have ever imagined. –Giuseppe Stuto, SmackHigh
