Choosing the right lawyer for your startup can be overwhelming, given the important role that relationship will play in the evolution of your company. However, finding the right fit at the earliest stages can save you lots of pain (and cost) down the road. Accordingly, I thought it would be helpful to share my observations on how to optimize the selection process and ensure a strong long-term relationship with your lawyer.

While all of the below considerations are obviously important, in my experience, individual founders put different weight on each
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Although entrepreneurs and venture investors typically drive the negotiation of the term sheet for a venture financing, once the term sheet is executed, the commercial parties (especially those who have not been through the process many times) often feel sidelined in the ensuing process to close and uncomfortable with their lack of visibility into and control over the timeline. Accordingly, I thought it would be helpful to provide a high-level overview of a standard venture financing timeline.
Continue Reading How Long Should it Take to Close my Venture Financing?

By Tyler Hollenbeck and Cisco Palao-Ricketts

Although there a number of web resources regarding the distinctions between “incentive stock options” (ISOs), which can only be granted to employees, and “non-statutory options” (NSOs)[1], which can be granted to employees, directors and consultants, these resources are often heavy with tax jargon that is difficult to understand.  To help entrepreneurs focus on what should be most important to them, we have put together the below quick reference guide[2].

I.  TAX CONSEQUENCES – TO THE INDIVIDUAL

A.  NSOs

  • At date


Continue Reading Understanding the differences between an ISO vs. NSO