Now that you have set your business startup goals, you can start working backwards to develop a plan. In this stage, it is extremely important to find a “brainstorming buddy”. It is impossible to see a situation from every angle, even for the smartest and most open-minded people. Two heads is better than one when it comes to developing creative ideas and problem solving.

Entrepreneurs are often reluctant to share their ideas with people. Fear of idea theft is reasonable, but if you want to succeed, you are going to have to share your ideas eventually. Still, you should make sure you trust the person you are brainstorming with. In your initial planning stages, keep your brainstorming partners to a minimum.

Seek out somebody who tends to sees things very differently. It would be to your advantage to look for somebody of the opposite sex. The whole point is to broaden your perspective.

Many people beginning their career as entrepreneurs want to have a business partner. The idea of having somebody to split the daunting amount of start-up work with is enticing. However, I personally don’t recommend this. It is very difficult to find people that are willing to “take the risk” of starting a new business.

Even if you do find somebody who is a good fit for you as a business partner, they will often have different and conflicting needs. The only person you can count on is yourself. I have had greater success hiring interns to work on commission. They don’t cost anything unless they are making you money and what they lack in experience they make up for with a drive to succeed. If you really need experienced help, get a loan and hire somebody. Despite all this, if you insist on working with a business partner, it is a good idea to follow the same formula that you would with a brainstorm buddy. Find somebody with a unique perspective.

Next up, the process of brainstorming.