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Look for some life advice

Blog Last Activity 11 years ago 378 views 6 comments
Hey guys, I know there's a variety of people on this site so everyone once in a while I see people getting some pretty good advice.

I wanted to ask those on here with a bit more life experience if you regret not taking chances in life or was it more rewarding to play it safe and take the more secure road.

I'm turning 20 this month and at the moment I work a part time job at a computer/ electronics store and go to college studying applied sciences.

I have an opportunity to join a friend in a business venture. I know how to program in a few languages and can make decent apps. He would like me to set up something for him (an app plus a website connected to the app) but he would also like me to be part of the business as a whole. His idea does sound like it would make a great business model if applied correctly but the work required to get this off the ground is looking like it could take a lot of time and effort, especially because its just us two.
I'm unsure if I should take a year out of college I'd be keeping my part time job and be working on this with him for a year or so. I can always resume my studies since this is my last year for my current course. If I get the marks I need this year it means I can go onto a different course when ever I want.
But it's that risk of taking a full year out of my studies to essentially work in a start up with a close friend. I have my worries about leaving school for a year and also I'm a little worried about working with a really close friend, to him it sounds like a great idea. But I'm concerned it'll add stress to a close friendship.

Anyway, I digress. It's more about the taking time off my studies than adding pressure to close friendship but advice on any of this would be greatly appreciated.

Comments

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11 years ago

Thanks a lot, guys! This was genuinely helpful. I talked with my friend and he agreed that the contract idea was smart, I was concerned he'd see it as a lack of trust but he totally agreed something like this was needed.

I've decided once my course finishes this year I'll take a year long break and work with this. The opinions and advice you guys gave really did help a lot so thanks again :D

It's very much appreciated that you guys took the time to reply at all, let alone read my rant of a blog :P
thanks :D

Biway
Biway
11 years ago

I regret not taking the chance with guy I knew a while ago when we were both around 17, he was really cute but I wasn't sure how he would react if I tried something. We lost touch and I often think about him and wish I had taken the chance.

11 years ago

There is some good advice below. But I have read your post several times. And you already know what the risks and the possible rewards are. The biggest risk I see is your friendship. Whether the business venture succeeds or fails, you are young and from what I can discern a smart young fellow, so you will or can recover from a business failure. And while a contract is a good idea. You need to put the friendship cards on the table, and the two of you have a real conversation about what your friendship means to each other, and how you can manage your way through it. It isn't enough to just define responsibilities and things. It is a conversation about how you manage and work through the emotional stuff that will happen. I hired my best friend to work for me, not with me at a time in my career. He was the perfect person for the job. But we had to take several months to figure out how to keep the friendship and not let the new work relationship damage it. It took a lot of work and talking to make it successful. But it took upfront honesty about us as friends to do that. If the two of you can find the way to be clear and honest, then I would say take the risk. If you have any doubts about being able to keep the friendship, my rule is friends are more precious than any job or business, and friends are harder to come by, and take a pass. So you have my 2 cents worth. Good Luck...Thomas

stargeeyzer
stargeeyzer
11 years ago

the first two comments count too....but, Microsoft and FaceBook started the exact same way...if you don't ever take a chance, by the time you get older, you won't be able to....

11 years ago

If you are going into a business venture with a close friend, best to get a contract signed up, this will set the boundries on who does what, whose responsibility is this and that and so on, and who gets what on money matters. You can enquire about an enterprise scheme that might help you set it up, and they can give you sound advice, hope this helps. Best wishes on whatever you decide to do.

11 years ago

maybe adding some other folks to the new venture....slow down the expected completion date..stay with college..maybe reduced hours /courses..an independent oppinion of situation by someone you trust might help...good luck