The Cofounder’s Handbook brings business partnerships into the spotlight where they belong.

Most people don’t realize how much their partnership affects the strength of their business. The right cofounder multiplies your success. But the wrong partner divides your attention and effort, hinders your business’s progress, and potentially destroys it from within.

The Cofounder’s Handbook is designed to help you succeed in your partnership no matter what stage you are in, taken from the insights and perspectives of numerous cofounders who suffered from partnerships gone wrong and excelled alongside the right person. Unlike theoretical advice from business coaches and academics, this book provides practical, proven tips and tools real-world cofounders have used to build rewarding partnerships and grow their companies successfully, together.

This book covers the three stages of a partnership and how to succeed within each one along the way. Some of the topics include:

• Determine whether a partnership is right for you
• What to look for in a business partner
• The conversations you must have before signing
• Which contracts you need to formalize your partnership
• How to decide equity, roles, and titles
• Methods for effective communication
• How to build trust for a lasting partnership
• Warning signs your partnership is headed for trouble
• How to handle and undertake difficult conversations
• How to determine whether the partnership is salvageable
• Who to turn to in order to navigate an exit
• And so much more!

This is a book from the trenches, grounded in the experiences and knowledge of entrepreneurs who have gone before. It is the first complete field guide to walk cofounders through the ins and outs of starting, building, and exiting a successful business partnership.