How to go into business with another person

How to go into business with another person


Get Ahead VA is very proud to have branches across the country, and we’re always on the lookout for ambitious, business-minded people who are interested in opening a new branch in their local area. But did you know that you don’t have to do it alone? We’re also happy to consider teams of two!

Karen and Allison are the joint Regional Directors of our Newcastle office, and they know just what it’s like to set up a new business as a partnership. Today they’re here to share their advice with anybody else considering starting a business with another person.

There are so many reasons to go into business as a partnership – it can bring all sorts of benefits and a few extra challenges, so we’re here to tell you what to expect, from our experience.

One of the biggest upsides to starting a business as a pair is that you always have someone there who’s going through the same thing as you, and who can offer support and motivation along the way. You can also play to each other’s strengths – our working styles really complement each other, and that’s been a huge part of making our business a success.

Another advantage is that you can scale the business more quickly through the simple fact that there are two of you! That means twice as much networking, twice as many phone calls and twice as many ideas to help the business grow.

Of course, for all this to work, it’s crucial to find the right person to go into business with. For us, going into business together made a lot of sense. We met at our previous workplace, so we were colleagues first and then we became friends. Whoever you’re thinking about starting a business with, it’s really important that you give your relationship that professional grounding first. If you haven’t worked together before, try to collaborate on some smaller projects to find out if your working styles are going to gel.

You should also remember that working together means working together, so if you’re likely to distract each other all day then you might not make the best business partners! A business partner is someone who you can work next to quietly, and who can wait to chat until break times or after work.

Starting a business as a pair was absolutely the right decision for us. With Get Ahead VA you get plenty of support anyway, including training and mentorship and the knowledge that you’re part of a bigger, national team. But having another person working with you every day provides an extra level of confidence that is just invaluable.

If you’re thinking of opening a Get Ahead VA regional office as a pair, we say go for it!


Would you like to open a branch of Get Ahead VA where you are? You can do just that with our exciting franchise opportunity, which offers ongoing support from our established, award-winning brand to get your new business off to a flying start. For more details, or for a copy of our free franchise prospectus, contact Rebecca Newenham, owner and founder of Get Ahead VA, on (01483) 332220.

Interested in becoming and Franchisee? Call 01483 332 220 to discuss in more detail.