51/49 Partnerships Video (2024)

Dealing With Control in 51/49 Business Partnerships

Hi everyone, this is Brett Cenkus, the right-brained business lawyer and business consultant. Today, we’re going to continue our series of mastering business partnerships. It’s a series of videos that’s based on my book, Partner Proofing Your Partnership.

In the last video we talked, we dove right into structuring partnerships from a high-level – structuring the equity distribution, who owns what? And, we talked about 50/50 partnerships, which a lot of lawyers don’t like. They don’t like them because there’s a risk that the parties will get sideways and there’ll be a stalemate, they won’t be able to make decisions. Now, we talked about ways to mitigate that and we also talked about the risk of other types of partnerships. Nothing is without risk. These things carry pros and cons each, but I am a firm believer that the 50/50 partnership works great for some partnerships.

Today, we’re going to dive into its corollary, 51/49, another common business type of partnership. So, to reiterate we’re talking about equity distribution and equity matters for two broad reasons. One is economics. How much money do you make? The other is control. We’re not talking here about the economics. Now, if I own 51% of a partnership and you own 49% – corporation LLC, whatever, we’re at a business – I make 2% more, or actually, if you work the math it’s something like 4% more, right, but the point is, I make more money than you do (assuming we don’t do something different with bonuses and salaries and stuff like that). That’s straightforward, you understand that that’s something you would negotiate.

What we’re talking about here are the nuances about control and those are really big issues to get into the weeds on. Much more important, in my opinion, for successful business partnerships than strictly the economics, because you’re never going to be a successful company (have a lot of money to split up) if you don’t get this other stuff right and make it work for you.

So, we talked about 50/50. 51/49 is a situation if there’s a majority-voting standard throughout. So majority, which is 51% usually, I mean, majority can mean different things, but, generally speaking, when you hear that word, it means 51%. So, if that’s the standard vote that’s required to take an action, it means that the 51% holder has all the power to make all the decisions. And, that’s what we’re talking about here. Now, we’re oversimplifying things. I understand many of you might be in 4 person, 4 founder startups, you know things like that, but we’re just using 50/50 and 51/49 to kind of get the understanding about how important the issues around control are.

In a 51/49 with a majority-voting standard the 51% owner makes all the decisions. Now, that carries a lot of risk. If you’re the 49% owner, the risk is that you get railroaded, that the 51% owner makes all the decisions, doesn’t even hear you, doesn’t pay attention to what you want, takes that extra 2% and just rams it down your throat with every decision. If you’re the 51% owner, now you’ve got control, your lawyers will generally be very happy – there’s not going to be a stalemate – but you have a risk of the opposite, which is that your 49% owner may become very disillusioned.

A lot of times, two people who think they ought to be equal decide based on someone else’s input that one should be 51 and 49. Well, that’s a well-intended piece of feedback but you have to be very careful about its risks.

Ultimately, I believe that 50/50 businesses come down to relationship and knowing the party you’re with, and 51/49 comes down to trust. What do I mean by that? With a 51/49, you really have to trust – particularly if you’re the 49% person – that the 51% is going to hear you. That’s a massive degree of control for what is ostensibly two peers being in business together. You really have to trust that that person’s going to treat you right and handle things correctly.

Then in a 50/50 deal, I say that’s about relationship because I would be very, very hesitant to strike a 50/50 deal with anyone I didn’t know really, really well in the world – that I didn’t feel very comfortable with. Now, there’re ways to mitigate all these things. There’s dispute resolution mechanisms, there’s eject buttons if things don’t work out. We’ll talk about those in other videos. But fundamentally, I think you’re deciding here, when you think about just these two things, between “how well do I know this person? Can we work through all the gray areas?” and, in the case of 51/49, “do I really trust this person to treat me okay in their decision making?”

Now, again we are oversimplifying everything. For any startup, any business venture that’s got more than two people, obviously, 51/49 or 50/50 don’t work. There are other things we can talk about.

Then there are all sorts of nuances. You could have a 51/49 percent standard but the 49% owner may negotiate for all sorts of decisions to be unanimous which would require that they approve those decisions. So, we’re back around, in that case, to a situation where you have a possibility of a stalemate. So, the takeaway from that is there are a thousand different ways to structure your business partnerships and you really want to get into the weeds and work through these things and work through it with a corporate attorney.

If you don’t yet have an agreement, you should contact me and we should work through it and figure out what works for you. Part of that process is figuring out the right custom deal for you. How do we strike this? There are a lot of different ways that we can do that. And exactly what’s right for you, again I’ve got a process and questions that we can work through and I can help you make that decision. But ultimately, you and your other partner or partners/founders will need to make that decision.

In the next video we’re going to move back out of these nuts and bolts structure issues to get back around to the question: how do you know you have the right partner? I’m going to give you a very, very handy tip for making sure that you have the right partner. We’ll jump back into that philosophical, relational and some of that softer stuff next in the next video.

Thank you for joining me this week. If you’ve got a comment, if you agree and even if you disagree, I want to hear from you. Reach out! That’show I’m building out this series, based on your feedback. If you remember, that’s what it’s all based on is getting feedback about the book and people wanting to go a little bit deeper and get more to the nuances of this stuff. So, join the conversation. I appreciate you stopping by.

51/49 Partnerships Video (2024)

FAQs

What does a 51% to 49% partnership mean? ›

What Is a 51-49 Operating Agreement? A 51/49 operating agreement names one person as the majority owner in the company and the other as the minority owner. This means that the majority owner has the final say in decisions related to the company, including issues like: Prices for products or services.

How do I get rid of a 49% business partner? ›

According to FindLaw, if the majority partner is not fulfilling his duties according to the agreement, you can file a lawsuit seeking to remove the majority partner from the business. Some common reasons to file a lawsuit against a partner include a breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and conflict of interest.

What does owning 51% of a company mean? ›

A majority shareholder is a person or entity that owns and controls more than 50% of a company's outstanding shares. As a majority shareholder, a person or operating entity has a significant amount of influence over the company, especially if their shares are voting shares.

How do you get out of a 50 50 partnership? ›

One method to get rid of a 50/50 partner is to file a business partnership dissolution in the state your company was formed to end the partnership.
...
For example, partners might ask:
  1. Why should the partnership be dissolved? ...
  2. Review the Partnership Agreement. ...
  3. File Business Dissolution. ...
  4. Notify other Parties.

Should husband and wife LLC be 50 50? ›

There's typically an additional tax form required on income taxes when you have 50/50 ownership. So usually the best practice is for a business to be owned by one spouse. It just simplifies taxes and there's really no reason to have both on there typically.

Should I sell 51% of my company? ›

Selling 51% of your company can bring big rewards for businesses. With recapitalization as the strategy to sell part of your business, business owners can: Minimize their business risks and liabilities. Acquire new capital through a cash pay out.

How do I force my partner to buyout? ›

Many times, you can only push them out if:
  1. The operating or partnership agreement says you can under specific circ*mstances,
  2. The business partner is engaging in illegal activity concerning the business,
  3. The majority interest holders in the company vote to remove the partner, or.
  4. The partners dissolve the business.

Can you force a buyout? ›

Absent breach of a contract or the law, a shareholder can't typically force another shareholder to sell. But a shareholder can seek to enforce the terms of a buy-sell agreement, a shareholder agreement, or another valid contract.

Can a 51 shareholder be ousted? ›

Without an agreement or a violation of it, you'll need at least 75% majority to remove a shareholder, and said shareholder must have less than a 25% majority. The removal is accomplished through votes, and the shareholder is then compensated upon elimination, according to Masterson.

What rights does a 49% shareholder have? ›

A minority shareholder is a shareholder who holds 49% of a company's voting shares or less. As a result, a minority owner does not have control over the company. In contrast, majority shareholders control 51% of the vote or more, giving them decision-making power over how the business is run.

What happens if you own 5% of a company? ›

Key Takeaways. When a person or group acquires 5% or more of a company's voting shares, they must report it to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Among the questions Schedule 13D asks is the purpose of the transaction, such as a takeover or merger.

Can I own 10% of a company? ›

A principal shareholder is a person or entity that owns 10% or more of a company's voting shares. As a result, they can influence a company's direction by voting on who becomes CEO or sits on the board of directors. Not all principal shareholders are active in a company's management process.

Is 50 50 partnership a good idea? ›

Without certain provisions in an operating agreement (if the company is an LLC) or By-Laws (if the company is a corporation), a straight 50/50 partnership could cause more problems than it solves. This is because deadlocks on important matters can occur when you and your partner disagree.

Is a 50 50 partnership worth it? ›

People will often say, “We are true partners. We are 50/50 in everything we do, so that's the way we want it to be reflected in the operating agreement. We feel like we are equal partners on this.” However, a 50/50 partnership is never a good idea, even if (and often especially if) you are a married couple.

How does a 70 30 partnership work? ›

An example is when Individual #1 and Individual #2 form a partnership company, and Individual #1 runs firm and is responsible for its daily operations, thus they receive 70% of the profit while the less active Individual #2 gets 30%. Often partners invest different capital amounts to launch the company.

How does a 50 50 partnership work? ›

A 50/50 partnership agreement is made between two or more business partners. Under the agreement, each partner has equal share in any profits or losses. The agreement also specifies each partner's responsibilities, rules about the partnership, and how profit and loss is distributed among the partners.

Should partners of an LLC take a salary? ›

If your LLC is taxed according to the default rules the members cannot be considered as employees and cannot receive a salary. However, if you choose to have the LLC taxed as a corporation, the members who actively work for the LLC can be considered employees and can receive a salary.

What is the best business structure for a married couple? ›

A limited liability company (LLC) can be a great way to organize your business. “Setting up an LLC with a spouse is one of the easier and more flexible entities you can establish," says John Blake, CPA, a partner with the New Jersey-based accounting and advisory firm Klatzkin.

What is a fair percentage for a partnership? ›

Partnership Percentage means the interest of the Partners in the Partnership and the interest of the Partners in the profits and losses of the Partnership. Initially, the Partnership Percentage shall be 99% to the Limited Partner and 1% to the General Partner.

How much is a business worth with $1 million in sales? ›

The exact value of a business with $1 million in sales would depend on the profitability of the business and its assets. Generally, a business is worth anywhere from one to five times its annual sales. So, in this case, the business would be worth between $1 million and $5 million.

Should I sell at 20% profit? ›

Here's a specific rule to help boost your prospects for long-term stock investing success: Once your stock has broken out, take most of your profits when they reach 20% to 25%. If market conditions are choppy and decent gains are hard to come by, then you could exit the entire position.

What happens if one partner wants to leave an LLC? ›

When a partner of a partnership or a member of an Limited Liability Company (LLC) wishes to leave or withdraw, the resolution and departure of the partner or the LLC member may be resolved by reference to a dissolution agreement previously embedded in the partnership agreement or the company agreement (operating ...

How do I get rid of a lazy business partner? ›

Here are some ways to remove a business partner.
  1. Negotiate a buyout. A buyout is a process where the business purchases the ownership interest of a partner. ...
  2. Begin formal removal. If a buyout does not work, the company can formally remove the partner. ...
  3. Ask a court for help. ...
  4. Plan Ahead.
Jun 21, 2019

Does a spouse have to agree to a buyout? ›

Here's the thing about house buyouts: they have to be a mutual agreement. If you have a spouse that is adamant about staying in the house and they don't want to move, you can't force them to accept the offer. That being said, you can always negotiate around the offer that you want to give them.

What percentage is a buyout? ›

Buyouts occur when a buyer acquires more than 50% of the company, leading to a change of control.

Can a company deny a buyout? ›

The pay and benefits last for a specified amount of time to help employees live comfortably while finding a new job. Employees have the option of refusing a buyout offer or negotiating some terms of the package with their employer.

What is a typical buyout? ›

A buyout package generally consists of severance pay, benefits, pension and stocks, and outplacement.

What rights does a 51 shareholder have? ›

Majority shareholders have the right to vote for and elect members of a company's board of directors, which means majority shareholders have a direct say in how the company is run.

How do I remove a 50% shareholder? ›

Minority Shares

The company can be wound up (voluntarily). If the minority shareholder holds less than 25% shares, a vote can take place and so long as there is a 75% majority, the company can pass a special resolution to wind up the company.

How does a partner exit a partnership? ›

In California, the partnership must file a Statement of Dissolution with the Secretary of State. The partnership is then responsible for distributing or liquidating the partnership assets. It must also inform all known creditors, vendors, suppliers, and customers that the partnership is being dissolved.

What is the 10% shareholder rule? ›

What does it mean to be a 10% shareholder? Special conditions are required for individuals who own (or are treated as owning) stock accounting for 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the corporation employing the optionee.

How do I remove a minority partner? ›

Common Options for Removing a Minority Shareholder. The most common options for removing a minority shareholder include buying them out or asking them to sell their shares. Regardless of which of these two common options you choose, you should consult your company's shareholder agreements and bylaws first.

Can shareholders tell directors what to do? ›

Shareholders can have some power over directors' actions by the exercise of their voting rights in a shareholder's meeting. To dictate the direction of the company, shareholders (jointly, or a majority shareholder) with more that 50% of the voting powers must vote in favour of taking action at a general meeting.

Can one person own 100% of a company? ›

A corporation is owned by shareholders. If you are the sole owner of the company, then you own 100 percent of the shares. If there are other owners besides yourself, the ownership position of each is based on the percentage of the total shares owned.

Can 2 people own 100% of a business? ›

A partnership is a business where two or more individuals operate the company as co-owners. Share of ownership can be split 50/50 or at any percentage, as long as the total adds up to 100%. Partnerships are relatively easy to set up.

Can a business be owned 100% and 50%? ›

The parent company has at least a 50% stake in a subsidiary and a 100% stake in a wholly-owned subsidiary. Subsidiaries generally answer to their own management teams and directors while parent companies are normally in control of wholly-owned subsidiaries.

How many stocks should I own with $100 K? ›

A good range for how many stocks to own is 15 to 20. You can keep adding to your holdings and also invest in other types of assets such as bonds, REITs, and ETFs. The key is to conduct the necessary research on each investment to make sure you know what you are buying and why.

What percentage is a beneficial owner of a company? ›

Under financial regulations, a beneficial owner is considered anyone with a stake of 25% or more in a legal entity or corporation. Beneficial owners can also be considered anyone with a significant role in the management or direction of those entities, or any trusts that own 25% or more of an entity.

Can I start my own business with 10k? ›

You can set up small local businesses with 10k or less with the right knowledge and business model. The internet has made connecting with potential clients more straightforward than ever. Additionally, there is a range of free software tools that make it possible for small businesses to thrive with limited capital.

What is the 80 20 rule partnership? ›

The 80/20 rule — a.k.a. Pareto's Principle — is alive and well in partnerships. Historically, 20% of your partners have likely driven 80% of your leads, and 80% of your partners have driven 20% of your leads.

How should a partnership be split? ›

In a business partnership, you get to decide how you split the profits but all partners must agree on a profit-sharing ratio. You can choose to split the profits equally, or each partner can receive a different base salary and the remaining profits will be distributed evenly.

What is the 60 40 rule partnership? ›

But, the most successful entrepreneurs practice the 60/40 rule in every interaction. The rule is simple — in any conversation, as the person who is conceptualizing, developing, selling or optimizing an idea, you should listen at least 60% of the time; and talk no more than 40% of the time.

What does it mean to own 49% of a company? ›

A minority shareholder is a shareholder who holds 49% of a company's voting shares or less. As a result, a minority owner does not have control over the company. In contrast, majority shareholders control 51% of the vote or more, giving them decision-making power over how the business is run.

Is a 50 50 partnership a good idea? ›

Without certain provisions in an operating agreement (if the company is an LLC) or By-Laws (if the company is a corporation), a straight 50/50 partnership could cause more problems than it solves. This is because deadlocks on important matters can occur when you and your partner disagree.

Is a 50 50 partnership good? ›

What are the Pros of a 50/50 Business Partnership? In a 50/50 business partnership (two equal cofounders), the partners benefit from: diversification of ideas and talents. greater stability in business vitality (partners feed off each other's energy)

Who owns 100% of a company? ›

A wholly-owned subsidiary is 100% owned by the parent company, with no minority shareholders.

What percentage do silent partners get? ›

The silent partner steps back and lets you run the business. Once your business turns a profit, the silent partner receives 20% of the net profit. The profit is what's left after you subtract business expenses from your total sales revenue.

What is a fair percentage for a business partner? ›

You might start out distributing 25% of the quarterly profits to each partner, over and above your monthly salaries. Keep in mind if you distribute too much money and you have a slow quarter, than each of you will have to put an equal amount of money back in the company to get by, so be conservative!

Can you own 100% of a partnership? ›

There are two key differences between an LLC and a partnership: how they are formed and liability. A partnership is a business where two or more individuals operate the company as co-owners. Share of ownership can be split 50/50 or at any percentage, as long as the total adds up to 100%.

What is the ideal number of business partners? ›

That being said, here are three important questions you should consider: Small businesses do not need more than a few partners. In fact, according to Paul Graham, the co-founder of Y Combinator, a seed capital firm, two or three business partners works best.

How do you negotiate a partnership percentage? ›

To get the business started, the amount needed for the total investment must be calculated. To figure your fair percentage of ownership, divide the amount you are contributing by the total estimated investment amount. Use this figure when negotiating with your proposed partners.

Is a relationship 50 50 or 100 100? ›

“Relationships are 100/100, not 50/50.” He was referring to a business dynamic between two people, but it applies to any relationship and any number of people. It's a simple idea, but a great one.

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