Having A Helping Hand: How To Go Into A Joint Venture

So you've got this business idea that you think is going to be really big – the problem is you don't have the resources to make it happen. Another situation is you've got everything set-up and all you need is a distribution channel. There are two ways you can go about in getting your product to the market: first is to set up your own distribution network, a work that would require a lot of time and effort, or you could go into a joint venture with someone who already has presence in the market or who has the capital you need.

Joint ventures are a regular part of today's business scene. This is mostly because of the advantages that it provides: a reduced entry risk into a market, it gives access to local or knowledgeable talent, it helps diversify a company's holdings, and is a less of a financial burden than going into it alone. 

A lot of worldwide companies use joint ventures so that they may stretch their reach globally, partnering with their local equivalents so that they may be able into the market more quickly and more cheaply than they could on their own. This can also work on a lower level when a company who has no experience in a particular field goes into business with someone who's already in the market. This can be helpful for a small enterprise because it spreads out the potential losses and helps enhance your profit margin.

So, how does one go about entering into a joint venture? As is always true, one should not go into a partnership lightly. The first thing that you should think about is whether you'll be one hundred percent into the partnership. Remember that for something like this to be successful, you need to be willing to cooperate fully with your partner. If you're too much of an independent spirit to share leadership then this is probably not for you – but if you think you can rein in your pride in the name of profit, then go ahead. 

The next part of setting up a joint venture is to choose the right partner. Start by drawing up a list of prospective partners and doing your due diligence on them – which means checking their backgrounds and history – have they been successful? How do they handle their employees? Are they in other partnerships and will they be detrimental to your interests? Talking it over with the company or person face-to-face is a good idead; it gives you a good gauge of their intentions and how they play the game.

When you've settled on your partner, it's time to get into the nitty-gritty. Drawing up a cooperative business plan should be first priority – remember to get them to contribute so that your operation runs smoothly. A good business plan can assure that you both profit. After that is the legal details – jointly retaining a good lawyer to draw up the agreement is a good idea so that everything is balanced. Checking on the contract with your own lawyer is a good idea, too, just to be sure.

And after that, it's putting ink to paper and you've got yourself a joint venture. Simple and direct, but it will require a lot of work – but the profits can be great. 
