[deanp]

OK, so i've been a freelancer for a little while, however me and a good friend of mine have put our minds together and decided to do business together and start our own small company.

question 1:

For uncertainty of the future purposes, is it better to set up as 2 sole traders cooperating under the same company name, giving us the freedom to work together and progress the company, but if things aren't what we thought they would be still be able to make individual decisions.

OR

set up as a partnership and split everything down the middle, split decisions and all.

thing is, every single person i've ever heard of that has started a partnership at some point has come to a disastrous end or simply not worked the way they thought it would.


question 2:

as a commercial business to design are there any specific licenses needed in order to commercially create and sell websites?

e.g:

specific commercial license for photoshop
commercial license to sell art work
etc


Thanks for any input guys

Dean

[wildcard*]

Hi Dean,

It's best not to get into a partnership; it does not necessarily come to a disastrous end - however, difference of opinions can lead to problems and lower productivity... eventually split up

I would also recommend you start a LLC equivalent as partnership "firms" can lead you into trouble legally.

Faisal

[bpmills2001]

If you set up as a partnership I would fully recommend receiving legal advice, and draw up a contract as to what each persons responsibilites are and what would happen if the event of difference of oppionion and for amicable split. I've known people to have had differences of oppionion and ratehr than affecting productivity they have been able to resolve their differences.

Also, as Faisal, mentioned I would look at pursuing a Limited company as if your difference of oppinions affect productivy then if the client decides to sue for loss of earnings then only the businesses finances can be taken from, with sole trader and partnerships all your personal assets are fair game as well.

[ReaperWD]

bpmills2001, on Apr 15 2009, 16:33, said:

If you set up as a partnership I would fully recommend receiving legal advice, and draw up a contract as to what each persons responsibilites are and what would happen if the event of difference of oppionion and for amicable split. I've known people to have had differences of oppionion and ratehr than affecting productivity they have been able to resolve their differences.

Also, as Faisal, mentioned I would look at pursuing a Limited company as if your difference of oppinions affect productivy then if the client decides to sue for loss of earnings then only the businesses finances can be taken from, with sole trader and partnerships all your personal assets are fair game as well.

Out of experience, i have worked with a guy who wanted to join together and form 1 joint company, but in the end we decided to stick as freelancers and work under the same banner. It went bad, and luckily, i got to keep my company name (as i was the one setting taht up) and he kept his portfolio.

This is the way i recommend doing it. Although officially me and the others i now work with are all trying to get work under the banner of the same team name, we are all individuals, and are working as such, just collaborating when needed.

Reaper