Your potential partner has everything you need. They know the market, have government connections, speak the language, and promise to handle the complexities you can't navigate alone. The deal looks perfect on paper. They're offering access, credibility, and operational support in exchange for equity, revenue share, or exclusive rights. You sign quickly because opportunity windows close fast, and you don't want to lose momentum. Six months later, you realize you can't operate without them, they're not delivering what they promised, and the terms you agreed to make it nearly impossible to exit or bring in alternatives.
This pattern destroys businesses quietly. The partner who seemed essential becomes a bottleneck. Decisions slow because everything requires their approval. Costs rise because they control vendor relationships. Revenue suffers because they're prioritizing their other interests. You try to renegotiate, but they hold all the leverage—they know you can't replace them quickly, and they've structured the relationship so separation would be expensive, time-consuming, or legally complex. What started as a strategic alliance has become an extraction relationship, and you're stuck.
This briefing teaches you how to evaluate partners before dependency sets in. You'll learn which red flags signal future problems, how to structure agreements that preserve your independence, and when a seemingly perfect partner is actually a trap. Some partnerships are essential. Others are conveniences that become liabilities. The key is knowing the difference before you sign, and building exit options before you need them.
