Often, you will overhear a group of Sauder students discussing their future partnership plans together.  Whether it’s starting up a clothing company, or a phone application, the idea will always be circulating around the room.

However, after visiting Michael Fertik’s blog, I was intrigued by his opinion regarding a start up businesses and university friends.  In his opinion, co-founding a company with your business school friends is a very big mistake. He claims that until you start a business with your peers, you are unaware of their work habits and values, and as a result students should avoid starting up a business with their peers at all costs. Although there may be some truth behind his reasoning’s, past history has demonstrated that co-founded corporations can be successful; therefore, I disagree with his argument.

Given the success of Cathy Han’s company, 42, and the success of Eugene Dong’s company, Procurify, it has been proven that student co-founded company’s can be successful.  As said in COMM101, anyone or group of people with a great start up idea can become a successful entrepreneur; therefore, students should not be discouraged when it comes to starting a business with their peers.

References:

http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/11/dont-start-a-company-with-your-business-school-pals/