It Takes Two

If your business seems like the only bachelor out there, it's because a growing number of business owners are seeing the importance in pairing up. Entrepreneurs are finding they can do so much more--and on a greater scale--by combining resources and efforts with other institutions, says David Maurrasse, founder and president of global consulting firm Marga Inc. "Partnerships let entities gain visibility they may never have been able to achieve alone."

As somewhat of an institutional matchmaker, Maurrasse has witnessed a lot in the dating scene. He points to the move toward multi-institutional and global partnerships. Several parties are coming together around common interests, which are sometimes shared on a global scale--look at the musicians, politicians and companies getting together for environmental initiatives. "There is so much less any singular institution can do in this day and age because of scarce resources," says Maurrasse. "And in today's globally integrated society, people are needing to engage across boundaries like never before."