[vincentdm]

My experience is the reverse: I started a company with my 10+ years best friend, and it has been great. We even hauled another friend on board (he bought some shares, but we still have most of them).

Most people I know complain that they don't see enough of their friends due to increasing family commitments, but I'm spending most of my working time in the office having fun with my best friends. It's absolutely great and all the shared experiences also nurture the friendship.

I guess it all boils down to being really really honest about your assessment of each other's character. I couldn't have done it with most of my other friends. We also wrote out rules up front about all kinds of possible issues and determined who would arbitrate, so that we would have clarity before everyone is entrenched in a POV that coincides with their interest.

And our #1 rule is: if anything bothers you, you have to be explicit about it or accept your grievances will be ignored.