---
title: Working With Friends? Don’t Let Familiarity Make You Complacent
description: Working with friends can be rewarding. Learn how clear expectations, honest feedback, and thoughtful boundaries help protect the work and your friendship.
---

[From Stuck to Unstoppable Blog](https://ksl-coaching.com/blog)

# [Working With Friends? Don’t Let Familiarity Make You Complacent](https://ksl-coaching.com/blog/working-with-friends)

 Written by [Katie Scullin Long](https://ksl-coaching.com/blog/author/katie-scullin-long) | Sep 30, 2026, 1:30:00 PM

Last month, I attended a women’s leadership network event where a friend was moderating. I sat in the front row with five other friends, all of us moms whose elementary-school-aged sons play sports together.

I love this stage of life, when the relationships we’ve built through work, parenting, and everything in between start to overlap. My friend Jenny said she aspires to work with more friends. I couldn’t agree more.

Over the years, my personal and professional circles have crossed in plenty of ways. A reporter I knew through my PR work ended up in the same boxing boot camp class as me. Over years of classes, we became friends, perhaps bonding over each hard-earned set of burpees.

I pitched a branding project to a friend, and although my agency didn’t win the business, I appreciated being considered. I’ve also made referrals and interviewed candidates on the recommendation of friends whose judgment I trust.

Since becoming a coach, that overlap has grown. Friends sponsored my first few client engagements, and many of my clients today have connections to my network.

I find it deeply fulfilling to make a difference in the professional lives of friends and friends of friends. There’s something special about supporting someone’s growth when you already care about them personally.

 

We’ve all heard horror stories about mixing friendship and business, though. Doing it well takes thought and care. Here are the principles I follow.

## 1. Make sure you’re on the same page.

Have a conversation about the work, followed by a written agreement, before you begin. Talk through the scope, fees, expectations, and how you’ll know whether the engagement is working.

Friendship can make it tempting to skip this step because you already trust each other. However, clarity about what you’re trying to achieve and how you plan to get there is important. Give yourselves room to ask questions and surface assumptions so you can avoid future misunderstandings.

## 2. If you’re getting paid, take the lead in asking for feedback.

A friend may find it especially difficult to tell you something isn’t working. Ask regularly, and make room for an honest answer. How is the work going? What would they like you to adjust?

Talk about how the engagement might end, too. It’s a good idea to bring this up right from the start and then revisit it throughout the working relationship. Make it clear that your friend can raise concerns or end the work without feeling obligated to continue for the sake of the friendship. Then follow through by responding openly when they do.

## 3. Pay attention to shifting boundaries.

Agree on things like availability, confidentiality, and whether you’ll discuss work when you’re together socially. The ease of a friendship can make it natural to ask a question or request a favor without considering how it fits with your professional standards or agreement.

Assume good intentions, and gently clarify when a request crosses a boundary. If the scope or expectations start to change, discuss them and decide together how to proceed.

## 4. Address issues early and directly.

If something feels off, bring it up. Ask about a confusing comment or clarify a missed expectation. Say when a request falls outside what you agreed to do.

You can be warm and direct at the same time. Giving each other timely, honest feedback helps keep small misunderstandings from growing into awkwardness or resentment.

 

Working with friends can make work feel more meaningful. You get to use your skills to help people you already care about, often with trust and shared history as a starting point.

That familiarity can also make it easy to become complacent. You may assume you know what the other person needs, skip a check-in, or leave something unsaid because you’re sure they’ll understand.

The opportunity comes with added responsibility for both people. The relationships that work best are the ones where both friends stay engaged, ask questions, and take care with what they’re building together.

I want more opportunities to work with friends. I want us both to feel proud of the work we’ve done and glad we chose to do it together.

[View full post](https://ksl-coaching.com/blog/working-with-friends)

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