Finding someone interested in starting a business is a critical step in any new venture. One person can rarely handle the large workload that comes with a new business alone, so having a partners is helpful. There are a number of ways to find business partners.

Join online forums and message boards that are dedicated to linking business partners. Be active once you have joined--write posts and reach out to potential business contacts via email and messages.

Talk to your professional colleagues about your business ideas. Ask for referrals if they aren't personally interested.

Contact the professional organizations of the industry you want to start a business in. Ask them for referrals and for events you can attend. At the events, try to meet and start building professional relationships with as many people as you can.

Engage in networking whenever you can. Actively meet new people and try to gain introductions into their social circles. A friendly smile and "hello" is all it takes to start conversation with someone new.

Follow up with your referrals and new contacts. Slowly start to bring up business ideas and gauge their interest levels.

Tip

When networking and attending events, avoid coming off as needy or having an agenda. Just meet people for the sake of meeting people and let the rest happen naturally.

Warning

If you have an original business idea, be careful how much of it you reveal before you have entered into a legal partnership or corporation.

Avoid friends and family members as business partners, many business relationships turn sour.