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What is a business partner and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
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A business partner is an individual who collaborates with a company to achieve shared goals. They provide expertise, guidance, and resources while sharing in the risks and rewards of the venture. A business partner manages various aspects of the company, such as marketing, finance, or operations. They may also bring in clients or help expand into new markets. Overall, a business partner provides valuable support and contributes to the growth and success of the company.

ScoreBusiness PartnerUS Average
Salary
7.5

Avg. Salary $96,324

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.5

Growth rate 10%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.23%

Asian 8.15%

Black or African American 3.04%

Hispanic or Latino 8.67%

Unknown 5.32%

White 74.58%

Gender

female 43.76%

male 56.24%

Age - 38
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 38
Stress level
7.5

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
9.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
3.5

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a business partner?

Pros

  • Access to additional expertise and resources

  • Opportunity for complementary skill sets

  • Ability to bounce ideas off someone else

  • Potential for increased profitability

  • Built-in support system

Cons

  • Differences in work style and approach

  • Risk of unequal contribution or effort

  • Difficulty in decision-making when partners have differing opinions

  • Possibility of unequal financial contributions or rewards

  • Risk of partnership dissolution leading to legal and financial consequences

Business partner career paths

Key steps to become a business partner

  1. Explore business partner education requirements

    Most common business partner degrees

    Bachelor's

    65.1 %

    Master's

    16.8 %

    Associate

    9.4 %
  2. Start to develop specific business partner skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Analytics8.30%
    Project Management7.11%
    Customer Service5.57%
    Human Resources5.09%
    Performance Management4.85%
  3. Complete relevant business partner training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New business partners learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a business partner based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real business partner resumes.
  4. Research business partner duties and responsibilities

    • Manage publicity online, in medias such as Facebook and Instagram.
    • Negotiate and manage vendor relations using SLA's and metric management.
    • Lead the establishment of key ERP, database and java applications environments.
    • Implement and manage social media strategies and blog content as well as customer relationships on Salesforce.com.
  5. Prepare your business partner resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your business partner resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a business partner resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable business partner resume templates

    Build a professional business partner resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your business partner resume.
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    Business Partner Resume
  6. Apply for business partner jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a business partner job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first business partner job

Zippi

Are you a business partner?

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Average business partner salary

The average business partner salary in the United States is $96,324 per year or $46 per hour. Business partner salaries range between $66,000 and $140,000 per year.

Average business partner salary
$96,324 Yearly
$46.31 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do business partners rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Business partner reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2021
Cons

Juggling multiple tasks and projects was always a constant struggle. I also felt very frustrated at times working with third party vendors and consultants remotely.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020
Pros

Helping people throughout the organization

Cons

Lack of control over certain areas of HR


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019
Pros

B2B Communication and Building Relationships, Product\Strategy Development and Implementation, Solving Problems


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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