Small businesses are, by definition, limited. One person, or a handful of people, with a finite set of skills, hours, and contacts. That’s not a criticism. It’s just the math.
Collaboration is one of the most practical ways around that math. Two or three small businesses working together can take on projects, reach audiences, and offer services that none of them could manage alone.
What collaboration can look like
It doesn’t have to be a formal partnership. Some common forms:
- Referral partnerships. You serve the same clients at different points. A brand designer and a web developer. A bookkeeper and a tax preparer. You send each other work.
- Joint offers. Two complementary services packaged together. A copywriter and a designer offering a complete launch package.
- Co-hosted events or content. A workshop, a webinar, a podcast episode, a guide. You split the work and share the audience.
- Subcontracting. Bringing in a trusted peer on a project that’s bigger than you can handle alone.
- Shared resources. Splitting the cost of a VA, a booth at an event, or a piece of software.
Why it creates bigger opportunities
You can say yes to bigger work
A client who needs a full rebrand, website, and launch campaign probably won’t hire a solo designer. They might hire a designer, developer and copywriter who already work together. Collaboration lets small businesses compete for larger projects.
You reach new audiences
Every collaborator brings their own clients, followers and network. A co-hosted event puts you in front of people who already trust your partner, which is a big head start.
Your clients get a better experience
Clients love it when you can say “I know exactly who you need for that.” It makes you more valuable, even when the work goes to someone else.
You learn faster
Working closely with another business owner shows you how she runs her business: her systems, her pricing, her client process. That’s an education you can’t get from a course.
How to collaborate without regret
- Start small. A referral or a joint webinar before a joint business.
- Choose partners you trust. Your reputation is attached to theirs. Know their work and how they treat clients.
- Put it in writing. Who does what, who owns what, how money is split, and what happens if it doesn’t work out. Even a simple agreement prevents a lot of awkwardness.
- Make it fair. Lopsided collaborations don’t last.
- Communicate early and often, especially when something’s going wrong.
Where to find collaborators
The best collaborators are usually people you’ve gotten to know over time, which is why community matters. You need to know what someone does, how she works, and who she serves before you can see the opportunity.
That’s a big part of what happens at WEN Round Tables: women hear what each other do and start spotting overlaps. On Thursdays in the WEN Facebook group, members share who they’d love to collaborate with. For more on building lasting partnerships, read How to Build Partnerships That Last.
