Posts Tagged ‘Husch Blackwell’
Their brands survived legal bruises; here’s what still keeps these founders up at night
A brand worth building is worth safeguarding, said Bo Nelson, joining a chorus of battle-tested entrepreneurs at GEWKC who encouraged emerging business owners to trademark their own peace of mind early by locking down intellectual property — like designs, names and unique processes — from the start. “If you do have something that you genuinely,…
Read MoreExecuting a valuation cap SAFE: Why you should think about the employee equity pool
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Gabriel Riekhof is an attorney at Husch Blackwell, a leading law firm that provides unparalleled service and industry-specific solutions to clients nationwide. Earlier this year, I wrote about SAFEs (Simple Agreements for Future Equity), focusing on the importance of the defined term “Company Capitalization.”…
Read MoreExited founders: Face the tough conversations first; avoid a messy post-honeymoon breakup
Preparing for an exit begins with co-founder alignment at the startup’s launch, three veteran Kansas City founders agreed. “You are getting married to your founders,” explained Tony Caudill, who co-founded two tech startups with his best friend — including aware3, which was acquired in 2018 by Nelnet. “Just like when you find your mate of…
Read MoreCompany capitalization: The most overlooked definition in your SAFE
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Gabriel Riekhof is an attorney at Husch Blackwell, a leading law firm that provides unparalleled service and industry-specific solutions to clients nationwide. Introduced by Y Combinator in 2013 as an alternative to traditional convertible notes, a “Simple Agreement for Future Equity” or “SAFE”…
Read MoreLooking for the right exit? Driven founders first must know their startup’s destination
Setting an exit goal early is crucial when founding a startup, shared Robert Zhou, a Kansas City serial entrepreneur-turned-angel investor. “Every startup I mentor, I ask the founder this from Day 1: ‘What’s your goal?’” he explained. “‘Are you trying to build a business that you ultimately sell for $10 million? Is it $1 million?…
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