The divorce rate in Canada is about 40%. If you are among this number, you likely find yourself questioning the decision.

There’s always that nagging doubt, could I have made it work? Am I better off now? Getting into a marriage is the easy part. It’s all visions of romance and white dresses and picket fences with perfect children running around.

Well, the same could be said of business partnerships and contracts.   It is very easy to get into a marriage or a business arrangement, and not always so easy to get out of them.   Getting into them is the exciting, seductive part. And yet, it should be the part where we have all our senses on high alert and examine the fine print very carefully before we enter into a contract. It is so important to see clearly at this stage. But few of us do.

If you are an independent travel professional you will have a contract with a host agency or company. When you joined your host agency/company you may or may not have shopped around to see what was available elsewhere. You may or may not have really read your contract carefully to understand exactly what the benefits were. And you may or may not have given any consideration to the ‘out’ clauses.

Few of us do. When we’re getting married, we’re not thinking about that. And when we’re entering a business partnership, we’re also in the so-called honeymoon period and we’re not thinking of getting out.

But a few months or years down the road, we often start to think about getting out, wondering if the grass is greener elsewhere. If that describes you right now, then please consider the following:

Have you identified what you are dissatisfied with and what you need?

Have you investigated other options thoroughly?

Have you investigated how you can exit your current contract?

Have you sought legal advice?

Are you staying in a less-than-satisfactory situation because it’s easier?

Maybe it’s time to look around, check out other options and make sure you know the terms of cancelling your current contract. Is there a time frame? Is there a penalty? Are you automatically renewed and on what date? Make sure you are in a happy business ‘marriage’ and don’t stay for the wrong reasons.