Business vs Friendship

As most of you know, a few years ago I became partners with my friend Italia, to start a company based on a t-shirt idea I had...we came together to create a fun and inspirational brand we called RubyLove. It's been quite a tough learning experience, but all along the way we supported each other and grew together. Our friendship really developed through the business. We had to fully trust each other, and gave our 100% to make a company the way we imagined it to be. For the most part, our skills really complimented one another. And if we ever disagreed (which we rarely do), we had total respect to trust the other's instincts.

Maybe that was the "best" thing that eventually ended our partnership last month. Our mutual respect and support for each other, and the need to not let the other one down, kept us from express ourselves...about the financial and emotional stress of owning a business.

We had a very long, open, and honest conversation. And came to the conclusion that parting ways was the best thing for both the business and our friendship. We are believers in things happen for a reason. We trust in our hearts that our friendship will survive this and so far it's been wonderful.

I am now the sole owner of RubyLove, and Italia has found a great job as a project manager at a design firm downtown. We both are enjoying our new identities and new responsibilities. Like true RubyLove girls, we are feeling positive about what our future brings.