The case study guide for "Fashion and Quality" at Nicole Miller with Nicole Miller and Bud Konheim in NYC as seen on Small Business School, the series on PBS member stations.

The Case Study Guide

last update: September 2006

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Being fair throughout life

There's Power in Partnerships

Lightbulb: We do not suggest here that you take a partner because more fail than succeed.

Topic for discussion: Why does the partnership work for Bud and Nicole?

Answer: They started right. They had clearly defined roles. Nicole would design the new and Bud would get it made and sell it. Now they say they could switch roles but they don't.

There's a big clue to the answer to this question in what Bud said. When trying to describe why their partnership has made it through thick and thin, he said, "a partnership is not meeting somebody 50-50. A partnership is meeting somebody 90-10."

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Key Ideas of this episode


1.		Sell Happiness
2.		Pricing is Art
3.		Feed and Trust Your Instincts
4.		There is No Place Like Home
5.		Create a Win-Win
6.		You Can Stumble into Millions
7.		Staying Small is a Strong Position
8.		There's Power in Partnerships
9.		Multiple Sales Channels Work
10.		Internship Programs Work
11.		Make Organization Charts circular
12.		It Never Gets Easy

We've heard others say, "When you don't care who gets the credit, you can make plenty of money." Deferring to the other person, respecting them and putting their thoughts and feelings ahead of your own has worked for these two because they both do it!

We believe that these are both very strong, independent people who do not give up any part of themselves in negotiations with each other. While both of them could probably make it alone, they don't want to. Today they are in this partnership by choice not by necessity so no one feels trapped. This feeling of "I want to be in this together" is essential for creative juices to flow and for the entire team to enjoy a corporate atmosphere of genuine collegiality.

What do you think? Can the way Nicole and Bud treat each other be a model for the way you treat every person on your team? Does every person have your deep respect? Are you happy with every person on your team? Can those you are not happy with change? If not, why are they on the payroll?

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