Meet two award-winning, Dallas-based marketing and communications agencies that embody a diverse and mutually beneficial power partnership, EJP Marketing Co. LLC and CONNECTIVE Agency. Together, they have diversity in expertise and professional skills, as well as racial, geographical, language, and cultural diversity. How do they do it? We asked them for tips on creating business partnerships that drive success, and also mutual enjoyment.
6 Tips to Creating Powerful Business Partnerships
- Have clear expectations – “As professionals with collectively more than 40 years of experience, we’ve seen what happens when teams don’t clearly define expectations. I don’t expect my business partners to read my mind, so I speak up and listen, and vice versa. At the beginning of a project and through frequent check-ins in the middle, partners should clarify expectations and ensure everyone is on the same page. This fosters efficiencies and productivity.” – Ayona Anderson.
- Communicate regularly – “This piece of advice seems obvious, but it’s so important. When do you communicate? Email, phone, or text? Is it working for both of you? Setting a recurring time and date will help facilitate such productive discussions. We’re so lucky to the office together at Common Desk, so seeing each other frequently, brainstorming on the fly, and even just laughing together at the coffee bar helps us maintain open lines of communication.” – Jacqueline Chen.
- Motivate partnership and individual success – “Business thrives on connections. Connective and EJP care about the success of our partnership, as well as our individual agency achievements. We’re always sharing business tips, contacts, or networking event updates that can help us all be successful together. Success should never come at the expense of a partner.” – Manuel Valencia.
- Respect one another – “We all have strengths and weaknesses. We make a point to listen to one another. We respect where we come from, as well as the ideas that we all bring to the table at that moment. We know the power of respecting diverse thinking because the results are profound for us and our clients.” – Whitney Allen.
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Foster non-work connections – “We make a point to go to support local Oak Cliff restaurants, like Oddfellows, and chat over a frose, or talk over the dinner table while eating Manny’s famous lasagna; we make a point to build personal connections. One of the clearest signs of a long-term partnership is whether you get along with your business partner. And that starts with knowing them on a personal level, their kids, and pets.” – Ayona Anderson & Jacqueline Chen
- Alignment of values – “Working with people who share your core values creates alignment and camaraderie that can be powerful. When you have teammates, clients, and partners whose values are aligned and in sync, things line up more effectively, and obstacles are easier to work through because you come from a shared foundation. Working with Staff Retreat Co., a local leadership culture firm, we’ve identified our individual values and are working to define the values that will be the foundation for our partnerships.” – Manny & Jacqueline.
