Eric and Terry

May 2010

by Hardy Hasenfuss

Eric: skiing on a Wednesday (not even a holiday!)

Come to think of it, Eric had fun skiing most Wednesdays last winter.  And his partner Terry, who stayed behind minding the business, encouraged him to do so.

Riding the ski-lift with me several times in early March, Eric shared more wonderful things about his partnership. It all sounded so real coming from him, yet so unusual compared with most business partners I’ve interviewed. He appeared truly inspired by his work as a scientist, and totally satisfied by his business relationship with Terry. He quickly invited me to come to his place of business, and I did so about 3 weeks later.

A successful match

Eric’s business partner, Terry, turned out to be as friendly and welcoming as Eric. He was also completely genuine and happy. Together they proudly showed me around their extensive environmental testing and research laboratories.

Eric and Terry have been partners for 13 years, following other less-successful business partnerships. Terry handles the business and finance end, while Eric concentrates on technology and R&D; both handle sales. The company has grown steadily over the years, but their driving pursuits are happiness and meticulous attention to customer service. While Eric was giving me a tour of their facilities, I noticed his acknowledgment of and positive interactions with every employee we encountered.

Policies and Practices developed over the years

  • Eric and Terry have lunch together every day. That’s their time to communicate and also work ON the business.
  • From day one their policy was: Service first, Money second.
  • No wife or family member gets involved in the business or in decision making.
  • After 13 years, they still have NOTHING in writing about their partnership, ownership stakes, etc.

How they treat each other

These qualities showed through in every word, gesture, and all the other examples I witnessed.

  • They are very generous to each other, with no competition for power, control or attention. They do not measure each other’s contribution to the business. In fact, when Terry was absent from the business for quite some time because of a serious illness, there was no question in Eric’s mind that the business would continue to pay Terry’s full salary.
  • They respect and totally trust each other.
  • They enjoy each other’s company, driving Harleys and going on week-long motorcycle trips together.
  • They have fun together.

Is this a Thriving Business Partnership?

Can it weather major storms or adverse conditions?  I am absolutely convinced: YES. Because:

  • They are in the business for the right reasons: Happiness, Self-less Service, and the money will follow.
  • They care about each other, their employees, their customers.
  • They communicate often and well with each other.
  • They pursue balance between work and the rest of their life.
  • They continuously work on growing their relationship and their business.

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