Business is all about creating personal connections. Whether it’s meeting face-to-face at networking events, following each other on Twitter or sharing your experiences in a mastermind or workshop – it’s all about connections.

As an entrepreneur or indie business owner, you’re also likely connecting with people that share similar outlooks on business and life – these are folks that just ‘get it’.

Doing business with a friend can be an opportunity to help each other out or to collaborate on an exciting project. Your work together may feel more like a passion project than real business. Which is why breaking up the fun with a – gulp – negotiation may be something you try to avoid.

But you don’t have to.

Negotiation and friendships can (and should!) co-exist, and having one in your life doesn’t have to mean rejecting the other. It won’t always be easy – but here are my top 4 tips for how you can make this work. You can have your friendships and your great business deals too.

Small Business, CorporateDevon SmileyMarch 6, 2017article, negotiation consultant, contracts, relationships, communication, strategy