Why does everyone think a 50/50 revenue split is the only fair way to partner?

I see agencies in Chicago pushing this split like it's a law, but it ignores the real work. If my shop handles all the client onboarding, project management, and support for a year, a 70/30 split in my favor is fair. I had a partner agree to this after seeing our detailed time logs, and the project ran smoother than any 50/50 deal I've done. How do you structure your deals when the workload isn't equal?

3 comments

3 Comments

ellis.hayden6d agoMost Upvoted

That's smart to track the actual work. My last deal fell apart because we never talked about who was doing the grunt work upfront.

amy1546d ago

Overthinking the grunt work can kill the vibe before you even start. Sometimes you just need to jump in and figure it out as you go, because listing every single task feels like you don't trust your partner. That upfront talk can make a simple deal feel like a huge legal contract and scare people off. The best partnerships often come from a bit of chaos and just pitching in where you see a need.

cameronschmidt5d ago

Oh man, that's how you end up doing all the work while they "figure out the vision". Been there.