to partner or not to partner

Today was a very tough day for me.

My business is a social network catering to talent, focusing more on the aspects of helping the talent find work and getting exposure than just being another site with pretty pictures of models and actors. I have a business partner.

My business partner is a very nice guy. He has great ideas.

That's about it.
He just doesn't work... he has so many idea and good intentions... But nothing ever comes from it. I am doing all the work... pulling for both of us and I can't take it anymore.

My heart says that he's a nice guy and we are in this together, but my brain tells me to ditch him, to ask him to just drop it as he's obviously too busy with something else. The good thing is that I own 51%, so worse case scenario I will always have the power to make executive decisions... the bad thing is that he is a friend as well.

I don't like confrontations with people that I care about, but I do know when something isn't right or needs to change.

I am scared that he's going to ask a ridiculous amount of money to 'buy him out', or that he simply refuses and makes a promise that he'll start doing his share of the work, but meanwhile continues to do nothing and therefore making me even more upset and frustrated.

We are in two different States, so face to face meetings are tough. Phone calls with him are tough too, so today I sent him an email to ask him about what his vision was for the company and if he's willing and able to do his job if still wants to be part of our team.

I feel relieved that I made the first step and am waiting for his answer.

Sometimes I wonder if I should be more direct or harder on people. I mean, would that make me a better business woman? How do I want to be treated and how do I want to represent myself and my company to the world?

I don't know. Today was just a bad day.