What parenting together taught me about business partnerships

Building a company with business partners is a lot like raising a kid with your life partner. Although the stakes are not the same, the base elements are very much alike.

In the same way as co-parenting, a business partnership needs to be built on trust. You have to depend on each other during times of uncertainty, make decisions that affect the whole “family”, and (even when you are not totally in agreement) stay on the same level.

The disagreements will always be there, but it is how you deal with them that will be the strength of the relationship. You learn the skills of expressing your thoughts, delegating tasks, sharing the responsibility, and providing each other with encouragement without losing sight of the common goal.

There is also the aspect of roles. Each parent might handle different tasks depending on their strengths, but both are equally engaged in the child’s welfare. It’s the same in business.

Yes, everyone is doing different things. But they’re also positive about the company’s growth in a way that warms and complements each other. The focus is not on workloads being shared in an equal manner. It’s the equal commitment that matters.

One of the clearest similarities is the long-term view, which is necessary to create something that lasts. With children, it is about building virtues, supporting progression, and preparing them to face the world.

With startups, it is about instilling culture, working on systems, and giving a product or service that can grow even after the founding team has left. In both situations, short-term wins matter a lot, but the final goal is to be sustainable and have an impact.

We started MAGIC AI from zero. Like parenting, it took a leap of faith. And funnily enough, those early days were both messy, emotional, and full of surprises. There were times when we were lacking sleep, making high-stress choices, and doubting everything.

However, I can say firsthand that when you get to witness those first indications of success, like a first product launch or customer, it is very gratifying. Not because the road was smooth, but because it was made by you, together.

About Varun Bhanot

Varun Bhanot is Co-founder and CEO of MAGIC AI, the cutting-edge AI mirror that makes high-quality fitness coaching more accessible. Under his leadership, MAGIC AI has raised $5 million in venture funding and earned multiple industry accolades — including being named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2024. As a new father as well as founder, Varun shares candid insights on balancing parenting and entrepreneurship in his bi-monthly guest column, Startup Daddy.

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