Working with friends

Thank you for rocking with this Friendship series! 

We’ve talked about finding your people, what support looks like, and a few things in between. You can find all those right here on the blog.

But…have you ever thought about working with friends?

We’ve talked about finding your people, what support looks like, and a few things in between.

Have you thought about working with friends?

Like I said last week, we don’t make it through this life alone. Sometimes, we just need help! If you are in a position where you can hire, contract, recommend someone, or even if you have a project that is still in development, you will have opportunities to bring in someone who might be in your circle.

I am a fan of working with friends, however let me be the first to share that I’ve gotten this very wrong before. But, in the words of Pops from Friday, “You win some, you lose some. But you live. You live to fight another day!”

In my best experiences when working with friends, I made they were a good fit for me to work with them and vice versa. Now, “fit” can mean a variety of things depending on the culture of your company or project (temperament, personality, skill level, and more). It’s up to you to critically assess before you do anything. Here’s my very short cheat code:

1. Identify the areas that you need help with. Be specific and prioritize your real need. Don’t try to hire someone for marketing when your finances are in shambles.
2. Create a job description. Be smart about this one! Using ChatGPT or googling “XYZ job description” can give you insight on the role you desire to fill.
3. Answer this question: How does friend’s skills / characteristics fit this role? Don’t be afraid to pull out resumes, have conversations, etc.
4. Keep the friendship a priority. Sometimes friendships can get sacrificed in the process of working together, but it’s oftentimes not because of the work. The work might have just magnified an issue that was already brewing. Be sure to keep the friendship over the money. Money comes and goes, but true friends will get you through some things!

I won’t get into the paperwork you might need (check out The Client Series on my YouTube Channel for all that). Working with friends can be a lot of fun as long as everyone is on the same page. Lead with discernment and identify the areas you need help with. When you get ready to bring in the best person for the opportunity, be honest with yourself before you hire your bestie!