Re: How much investment do i need to get started ?

[Tim Kolb] "Partnerships are a slippery slope. I'd set up in two independent offices next door to each other and call on each other as subcontractors when necessary, but that way you have a chance to each succeed on your own merits instead of inevitably failing together.
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This is an excellent post. I once had a collegue who like myself ran a business in a commercial office. We were both young, single guys and began to hang out a various coffee bars after late nite stints at the office. We would discuss buisiness, problems and share ideas. He was always suggesting we amelgamate our buisinesses but I always resisted. After about 2 years I was able to pin point that a large number of complications I had had in life and business all stemed from him. I now believe he was practising the age old adage "keep your friends close and your enemies closer" and he was merely attempting to "eliminate the competion" a slogan I've heard him utter many times. He also used to brag about what he called "Hong Kong Gorilla Business Practices". One I recall is when a compeditor disguised as a new client would appear and start giving you a lot of work until you really liked them. They would then tell you they were looking for someone with said equipment who could handle 50 times this work flow. After the $$$$$ signs cleared from your eyes and you took the bait they waited till you geared up with large expenditures on equipment so you could handle the type of work and then they would stop all the business they had been giving you. They would show up at your bankruptcy sale and buy everything at 10