Who it's for
Two people who want the business to work and the relationship to survive it. Starting out or years in.
You're thinking about going in together
You trust each other, which is exactly why nobody has asked the awkward questions yet. Who's putting in the money, and is it a loan or a stake? What happens if one of you stops pulling their weight, or takes a job, or moves? These are easy conversations now and brutal ones in three years. Go through them while you still agree about everything.
You've been partners for years
The business works, but the arrangement is a handshake and a few old emails, and you've both quietly built up assumptions you've never compared. Nothing is broken — you just want it on firmer ground before something forces the issue. This is the same process, and it usually turns up two or three surprises.
It works best when
- Both of you actually want to do it. One person dragging the other gets you nowhere.
- You're willing to write down what you really think, not what keeps the peace.
- You're prepared to find out you disagree about something, and to work it out.
When this isn't the right tool
If you're already in a dispute, or one of you is trying to get out, the ship has sailed on this. You need an attorney who can represent your interests, not a shared workbook. Same if there's money missing, or if you need a document you can enforce in court — this produces a shared understanding, not a filed legal instrument, and it isn't legal advice.