Incentive Stock Options v. Non-Qualified Stock Options
November 7, 2018 | By Vela Wood
For cash-starved startups, compensating employees with options can be a great way for founders to motivate the employees to increase the company’s worth, and to remain with the company. However, the differing vehicles to issue options can be confusing. Often, … Read More
Bringing Startup Culture To Law In Brazil
October 29, 2018 | By Vela Wood
For the second year in a row, our firm participated in the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) Professional Fellow Program. YLAI seeks to empower entrepreneurs from Latin America and the Caribbean to launch and advance their entrepreneurial ideas in order to contribute to … Read More
How Much Equity Should We Get?
October 12, 2018 | By Kevin Vela
From time to time we’ll get a client who asks us to help determine the equity split between co-founders. As attorneys to the company, it’s not our place to say who should get how much equity. But we can help … Read More
How to Angel Invest: The Process
October 1, 2018 | By Vela Wood
After you’ve determined whether you’re accredited, discussed angel investing with your investment advisor, created systematic deal flow, and put your expectations in check, it’s finally time to begin the process. Here is an outline of what that looks like. Once … Read More
Understanding Basic Contracts: The (Ir)Relevant Title
September 18, 2018 | By Kevin Vela
A client reached out yesterday to ask what the difference was between an independent contractor agreement and a master services agreement. He had two sitting in his inbox – different titles, though they were for the same project. At their … Read More
How to Angel Invest: How Much to Invest
September 14, 2018 | By Vela Wood
Disclaimer: This blog post should not be viewed as investment advice. Investors should speak to their investment advisor before making any investments. The ideas in this post are a summary of ideas presented by David Rose in his book, Angel Investing. … Read More
How to Angel Invest: Understanding Risk
September 7, 2018 | By Vela Wood
Before you begin throwing money at startups, it’s important to understand the risk involved with investing. Venture capitalist, Sammy Abdullah, believes “angel investing is the absolute hardest thing to do in investing.” Angel investing can be fun and exciting, but … Read More
How to Angel Invest: Where to Find Deals
August 30, 2018 | By Vela Wood
After confirming your accredited investor status, the next step is to find promising companies. Serendipity is definitely a factor; however, you can approach finding deals in a systematic way. Identify Local Angel Networks Local angel networks are the safest and … Read More
Three Things with Michael Walsh
August 29, 2018 | By Vela Wood
In this episode, Kevin interviews Michael Walsh, the founder of Cariloop. They discuss the difference between raising capital from private equity vs. traditional venture avenues, the sales cycle of B2B companies, the importance of establishing a culture, and asking for help from mentors and advisors. You can connect with Michael on Twitter @WalshMichaelR. Read More
How to Angel Invest: What is an Accredited Investor?
August 20, 2018 | By Vela Wood
Who can play the game Angel Investors are individuals who provide seed or startup financing to entrepreneurs. If you give your little brother a few hundred dollars to start a business, technically, you’re an angel investor. However, the more intricate … Read More
How to Angel Invest
August 20, 2018 | By Vela Wood
You’ve noticed it everywhere. Whether you see Mr. Wonderful grilling someone on Shark Tank, hear about Kevin Durant building a tech empire and basketball dynasty in California, or read about George Clooney selling a Tequila brand for $1 billion, everyone … Read More
Understanding Basic Contracts: The Payment Provision
August 16, 2018 | By Kevin Vela
I know, it seems like a simple contractual provision. It can be, but a lack of detail in the payment section of a contract can be disastrous. Take the following provision for example: Payment: “Contractor shall be paid $40,000 for … Read More
