Partner Perspective

Om the left side of the Business Model Canvas you have customers to. They are called "Partners", but like customers, we need to cater to their needs, wants, anxieties and desires as well.

A partner is anybody who is willing to invest in the future of your business or who are important stakeholders, without whom's support you have no future.

Partners could be:

- Partners:
  - people that will become your co-founders,
  - people that will work with you for the promise of future revenues,
  - co-creators / co-makers that will invest in the development for your product or service,
  - launching customers that pay you and allow you to test your product in their business.
- Investors:
  - investors (parties that provide equity or loans without collateral),
  - launching customers that pay you in advance you for the development of your product,
  - suppliers that provide extended credits,
  - crowd funders.
- Stakeholders:
  - government officials that need to provide you with permits or favors,
  - the big man, that rules the place and needs you to do business on his turf,
  - strong competitors that might become your distributors.

Parties that you pay for their services are NOT partners, but suppliers. Banks that you pay fees and interest, suppliers that supply you for cash or limited suppliers credit or personnel that receives regular salary are not partners.