Thread: Business partners working remotely

I see all the time on business forums where members are trying to connect and partner with strangers online.

This may seem like a completely stupid question, but does this ever turn out successfully?

putting all personal stuff aside, and assuming both partners are motivated to make the best of things, from a pure business standpoint, can a business be run when partners are from different locations/ time zones?

..or is this just a failure to happen from the get go?

Has anyone here successfully partnered with someone over the internet that they NEVER met in person prior to partnering?

Adrenaline981 and I have partnered up, been working for the past couple months, been going great soo far.

I don't know if I would call it "partnership" or "alliance", but in the past I have worked with another business for over a year before I actually saw him in person. My company helped supply his with hard to get items to be distributed in his state. We made moves together and used each other to further our companies. We shared orders, combined to get volume discounts, and cornered specific markets for months before competition entered; by then we were creating the next big thing and competition was sunk. Fun times.

Unfortunately, his business grew and mine shrunk. I don't blame the partnership/alliance, I blame my lack of properly managing my business.

So yes, they do work out but you have to focus on your own company as much as the partnership, assuming it's two companies working together. I don't have any experience with partners working for the same company.

I have partnered with a few people across the world. The only reason I went through with most of them was due to the amount of trust and passion each of them had.

Also, I never rely on email since it gets so easily "misplaced" or "forgotten." All communication is via cell or skype.

Jason, and these were guys you never met before? How did you judge their level of trust and passion simply from a chat room or phone call?

I wouldn't share my business information with a "stranger". But yes I would do it partnerships and work together.

Originally Posted by Stance

Jason, and these were guys you never met before? How did you judge their level of trust and passion simply from a chat room or phone call?

Never physically met them. I would listen to their pitch via Skype then due my own due diligence on "WHO" they are, who they've worked with, and their level of expertise. I use a pretty unique approach when interviewing someone over Skype, just to see how they react to certain questions or phrases...

I also offer reputation management services, so I have tools that enable me to access and research certain information about an individual. If I find one problem then the deal is off but that's a rule that I've created for myself.

PM me if you have any specific questions!

- J

I know a guy that does psychometric testing (the math behind someone's thinking). He creates tests for companies hiring process and things of that nature.

What your saying sounds similar to that.

So far, posters have had decent success though, which is good to see.

Originally Posted by Porsche996GT2

Adrenaline981 and I have partnered up, been working for the past couple months, been going great soo far.

This^

As long as your communication remains unaffected by the distance (and your partner is compatible) things will go fine.

I too am working with a member on this forum, two different states separated by well over 900 miles. Still a great asset to my growing company and a hell of a dude.