Business partnerships can be more emotionally taxing than you could ever believe. Hewlett and Packard. Sears and Roebuck. Johnson and Johnson. These names so quickly conjure up images of corporate success that it's easy to forget they were once little more than two entrepreneurs and a dream.

Finding that second person to help build your business idea into the next household name is no easy task. A good business partner shares your vision and enthusiasm, bringing expertise in the areas in which you are inexperienced. It's someone who understands the legal and financial responsibilities endemic to sharing a business. Most importantly, it's someone with whom you get along.