Once upon a time, there were business partners. They started a successful business together. Then they had a falling out. They spent years fighting over assets, sabotaging each other, and airing dirty laundry in public. They lost money and nerves in the courts.
Ten years went by. The resentment is still smoldering, but it’s clear now—they all lost.
Some try to forget the whole thing like a bad dream. Others can’t stop asking, “Why did the conflict happen?” And a few are still trying to find a winning strategy after the fact, thinking, “If only I had done this back then…”
But almost no one asks, “Why did I choose this partner?”
Think back to how it all began. You were talking with different people, passionately brainstorming ideas. At some point, it became clear that you couldn’t wait any longer. Opportunities weren’t going to stick around forever. And for some reason, this person caught your attention. Why?
Let me help—he was your perfect match. Whatever you desperately lacked, he had in abundance. And the same went the other way around.
Even when people say, “I had the ideas, and he had the resources,” that’s only half the truth. Most likely, it’s just your natural design—somehow, muses are drawn to you, while money seems to find its way to him easily.
The point is: Your partner was fundamentally different from you.
In your partnership, this was both super glue and dynamite. At best, your progress was unstoppable. At worst—things blew up.
Why? The qualities you lack are the ones you deeply dislike. Your lack isn’t an accident; you see those traits as nonsense, weakness, dirt, or even immorality. But your gut tells you this is your “bottleneck.”
Your partner embodies what you crave to be but can’t.
When a cathode “finds” an anode, a current flows between them. This system works perfectly as long as neither part believes success is solely its own doing.
If this temptation comes to you, push it away fast. The system's synergy is safeguarded by the humility of all its parts.
Sincerely yours,
-Alexander
About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.
How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.