Regardless of where you pick up the stress you take out on the weights or treadmill, sweating together breeds a unique sense of camaraderie. If I trust someone to spot me when I’ve got a few hundred pounds hovering above my chest, chances are I’m bullish on them replying to emails on time. Small talk proliferates between sets and reps, so getting to know your partners in fitness — including their professional lives — is all part of the game. With the right pieces lined up, making the leap from fitness friends to business partners isn’t at all farfetched.

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