Get down to nitty gritty

The end should be happy (...contd.)

Finally, before entering into any partnership, do some due diligence. It might be awkward, but even if you get along fine, ask for financial statements and a resume that includes the names and phone numbers of past investment partners. Then start dialing. ATM's Clark even suggests that potential partners take a personality test, then compare the results.

Get down to the nitty-gritty. In the early '90s, Ambuehl and Clark were college friends who owned a piano-moving company. They formed that first partnership with little more than a handshake and a slap on the back. But when they founded ATM in 1999, they decided to establish a more formal structure, partly because they intended to drum up outside investing. They hired a lawyer and formed a C corporation. (...contd)


By: Dimitra Kessenides