Transcending Lawyerlyness and One Reason Why Lawyers Just Don’t Get Entrepreneurs

The other day I had a conversation with a friend of mine, who happens to be a patent attorney, about some of the books she was reading.  They primarily consisted of patent law related nonfiction titles.  I found myself getting a little jealous that she had time to read for pleasure as I sat reading through entrepreneurship related blogs and articles.  Of course, I enjoy reading about anything related to entrepreneurship, just like my friend probably enjoys reading about anything related to patent law. So, as I sat there reading about how to use publicity to get investors and how to build a business that lasts longer than a Twinkie, a light bulb went on.  This is…

4 Reasons Why You Suck at Email

Let’s face it, email is the prevalent communication medium of our day.  Whether you are an entrepreneur, a small business owner, an investor, or a lawyer, you have to come to terms with your inbox.  But the sad truth is that you don’t and your reputation, business opportunities, and customer relationships suffer.  Here are the four habits that are most likely the main culprits and some ideas to fix them: 1. You use your inbox as your task list. How do you know if you are one of the millions of people who do this?  Just check how many messages you have in your inbox right now.  100?  500?  More?  Of those, how many are…

Mentorship or Money?

There are a lot of things you need to think about as a first-time entrepreneur at the head of new startup, but most entrepreneurs have been conditioned to reflexively gravitate to speaking to investors first.  While it’s very important to start thinking about money and where it’s coming from as part of the ideation stage, i.e. your business model, the notion that you should pick money first isn’t always the right answer. There are many cliches floating out there surrounding startups and money, such as “Entrepreneurs launch new ventures because they either want control or money” and “As an entrepreneur, you should always follow the money.”  There’s more than just money and control though and…

Be A Badass Through Influence, Not Authority

I just finished reading Donald Desantis’ article, “Everything I Need to Know About Startups, I Learned from a Crime Boss.” If you haven’t read it, you need to read it.  It’s flat out awesome.  Of all the great advice that Don passes on though, there is one thing that really resonated with me the most and that is being a badass by influencing others. Let’s face it, the tech startup world is noisy.  There’s lots and lots of noise in all types of spaces — from social apps to cloud analytics, games to dating sites.  So, how can you be a badass startup?  Well, as Don points out, you want to influence; you want others…

What Do You Do?

When you meet someone new, a very typical entry point to the conversation is the question, “What do you do?”  Many see this as casual and friendly conversation; however, entrepreneurs should see this is an opportunity.  This very simple question is the introduction to your elevator pitch and is the hook that will bait the listener — who could be a Google or Microsoft exec, an investor, or someone able to connect you to strategic resources — into a longer discussion about your startup.  So, how do you answer this question? First, you have to seize the opportunity.  You need to realize that no conversation is a casual conversation.  As a startup, you have to…

How Paying Your Lawyer With Equity Works

I get asked a lot about whether I accept equity for legal services,as I’m sure many other startup lawyers do. In this article, we explore the equity-for-legal-services phenomenon by looking at how it came to be, why it’s used and how it works.

The Basics of Non-Disclosure Agreements

The acronym “NDA” is commonplace in most technology circles. Many entrepreneurs use them but often times with out knowing why. In this post we review the basics of non-disclosure agreements — what they are, what they’re for, why they are important and the different types.

3 Key Elements of a Healthy Startup Ecosystem

Creating a relevant, sustainable, and successful startup ecosystem, i.e. a healthy startup community, is a very delicate balancing act amongst numerous sometimes competing interests. In this article, I discuss the three key elements for creating and sustaining a healthy startup ecosystem.

What is Traction?

Traction, traction, traction. Are you tired of hearing that term but not getting a straight answer about what it really means? Well, you came to the right place! In this article we discuss “traction,” what it is, what it means, how to use it and why it’s important.

How to Deliver the Perfect Elevator Pitch

Everyone knows that if you are a startup, you have to have your elevator pitch down cold. It’s what entices prospective partners and investors. Deliver a good one – you’re on your way up. Deliver a bad one and it’s the basement for you. This post presents the elements and content of the perfect pitch so you can make a great first impression.