Having to negotiate and formalize a contract is great news for a startup. What it means is, we’re in business! But it also means you’ve come to a place where your choices and actions have real consequences. Make no mistake, one badly constructed contract absolutely has the power to undo every minute of work you’ve … Read More
When I read Startup CEO by Matt Blumberg, it made me think about a question that often comes up when I think about startups. Namely, what is a startup? Matt Blumberg is the CEO of Return Path, a company with more than 400 employees. The majority of CEOs that I work with in early-stage startups … Read More
When you first started your business, it was just you, and you formed it as an LLC. Now, the Foundry group, or a finicky Angel has come calling, and they want you, an LLC, to convert to a corporation. How big of a deal is it to change from one to the other? Today, this … Read More
The vast majority of early-stage businesses operate in what I like to call “the hairy netherworld of in-between.” This is the stage where the founders have developed a fledgling concept, generated some excitement, done some early developmental work, but not all the founders have committed to the idea full time yet. This is a natural … Read More
By combing the Interwebs, poring through my personal library, and applying my own experience in working with more than 100 startups, I’ve compiled this checklist of 25 items to review and consider as you launch your startup. I hope you find it useful. Decide whether starting a business is right for you and what kind … Read More
Henry David Thoreau once famously said that, “most men lead lives of quiet desperation.” That statement is likely more true today than it was in the 1840s, when he said it. With increased specialization, many adults sleepwalk through their professional years, operating on a level of minimum consciousness, never fully engaged or alive. They’re just … Read More
The most important legal consideration when you are starting a business is to make sure that everyone knows where they stand with the company. The next step is to make sure that there is clear, written documentation of everyone’s status in the company. To do this correctly, first you have to consider all the relevant … Read More
More often than not, most startup founders agree on some sort of equity allocation very early on in the process. Whether it’s a 50-50 split among two, or a 60-20-20 among three, or some other variation, the first thing most founders contemplate when they’re starting a business is who gets what. But this conversation – … Read More
Recently read an article about a teenager whose Facebook status update cost her father the $80,000 settlement he won in an age-discrimination lawsuit. The facts are simple. Father signed an agreement for an $80,000 settlement in an age-discrimination case. The daughter bragged about the award on Facebook. The employer sued to get the settlement award … Read More
