Strategic Partnerships
Why Strategic Partnerships (Even With Competitors) Can Be a Win-Win
- Markus Pichorner
In business, we’re often taught to guard our turf, outpace competitors, and “own” the entire customer journey. But more and more, the most forward-thinking companies are doing the opposite, they’re building intentional partnerships, even with businesses in similar or overlapping fields.
Why? Because collaboration often creates more value than competition ever could.
What makes a great business partnership
A strong partnership isn’t just about shared interests. It’s about:
Complementary strengths: One focuses on strategy, the other on execution. One builds, the other markets.
Mutual trust and openness: Sharing knowledge, resources, or even clients only works when both sides feel safe.
Clear roles and expectations: Ambiguity kills momentum. Great partnerships are well-defined and mutually beneficial.
Shared values: Working with people who believe in what you believe makes every decision easier.
- Clear communication: as with everything, clear and uncomplicated communication builds the foundation of any partnership.
Whether it’s a development agency teaming up with a designer, a video team collaborating with photographers, or two marketing agencies dividing regional focus, partnerships often result in more comprehensive, better-quality work for everyone involved — including the client.
Why partnering with “competitors” makes sense
You don’t have to do everything. And you shouldn’t.
Working with peers in your own field can feel strange at first, but the benefits are real:
Overflow work: When your pipeline is full, a trusted partner can take the load without compromising on quality
Specialisation: You do what you’re great at, they do what they’re great at
Shared learning: Tactics, tools, and trends move fast — and partners help each other stay ahead
Bigger projects: Together, you can tackle jobs you might not win alone
Instead of fighting over slices, you’re growing the pie.
Real partnership, real growth
The best partnerships aren’t transactional. They’re relational. Built on honesty, mutual support, and a shared desire to do good work with good people.
When you collaborate with others who share your values and care about outcomes, everything becomes more rewarding, the process, the results, and the impact.
Our partners
At this point we would like to give a quick shout-out to our partner, with whom we love to work on different projects:
TL;DR
Business partnerships work best when built on trust, clarity, and complementary strengths, even when it’s with someone in a similar field. Done right, these relationships unlock new opportunities, improve delivery, and bring more meaning to your work. You don’t need to go it alone to grow. In fact, you’ll probably go further together.