Who needs partners?

If you can do it on your own, don't give up a piece of your business and take on a partner. If you can't do it on your own, then hire someone, or outsource the work. Do anything you can to avoid giving up a stake in your company to a partner or partners.

Don't hire family or friends to work for you, because if you have to fire them... they will not be your friends anymore. If you keep them on, even though they suck at the job and don't produce, but feel obligated to keep them on the payroll, then your company suffers and you are just wasting payroll that could be better spent on hiring someone that will actually produce results for you.

Family is family, friends are friends, and business is business. Keep your friends and family out of your business, and nobody gets hurt, and relationships stay intact. Mix them together, and it's a time bomb just waiting to explode.