http://startitup.indieword.com/person/4028 Tue, 17 Apr 2007 14:58:30 GMT Comments on stories by Mable Yee <p>Mable &#8211; this is very useful advice. As a bootstrapped start-up we don&#8217;t yet require VC input. I shall ensure that we we do, we source them directly or from one of my existing contacts.</p> <p>There is a natural inclination to use your lawyer, which I shall avoid.</p> http://startitup.indieword.com/view/the-two-degrees#content_6322 http://startitup.indieword.com/view/the-two-degrees#content_6322 Tue, 17 Apr 2007 14:58:30 GMT Matt Rogers <p>Like it or not, business is personal.</p> <p>Whenever possible, I try to find advisors with whom I have a meaningful personal connection of some sort. For instance, our corporate counsel is a fellow parent at my kid&#8217;s school who I see all the time. While I don&#8217;t expect special favors per se, I do hope it helps make the difference to take my call on a busy day. And it can&#8217;t help but offset the long-term commercial bonds he has with investors, big companies or institutions we may be dealing with.</p> http://startitup.indieword.com/view/the-two-degrees#content_6241 http://startitup.indieword.com/view/the-two-degrees#content_6241 Mon, 16 Apr 2007 05:35:35 GMT Thor Muller <p>Agreed! This is a very subtle point that is rarely discussed, but often occurs. On my 1st venture, I retained my lead investor&#8217;s attorney, &#38; 6 years later, it really came back to haunt me when I was pushed out of the company. Founders need to be bold &#38; position the use of indie counsel as a mature way to avoid conflict of interest. Great article and advice!</p> http://startitup.indieword.com/view/the-two-degrees#content_6171 http://startitup.indieword.com/view/the-two-degrees#content_6171 Sun, 15 Apr 2007 07:04:26 GMT Jonathan Tanner <p>Agreed! This is a very subtle point that is rarely discussed, but often occurs. On my 1st venture, I retained my lead investor&#8217;s attorney, &#38; 6 years later, it really came back to haunt me when I was pushed out of the company. Founders need to be bold &#38; position the use of indie counsel as a mature way to avoid conflict of interest. Great article and advice!</p> http://startitup.indieword.com/view/the-two-degrees#content_6170 http://startitup.indieword.com/view/the-two-degrees#content_6170 Sun, 15 Apr 2007 07:04:17 GMT Jonathan Tanner <p>Agreed! This is a very subtle point that is rarely discussed, but often occurs. On my 1st venture, I retained my lead investor&#8217;s attorney, &#38; 6 years later, it really came back to haunt me when I was pushed out of the company. Founders need to be bold &#38; position the use of indie counsel as a mature way to avoid conflict of interest. Great article and advice!</p> http://startitup.indieword.com/view/the-two-degrees#content_6169 http://startitup.indieword.com/view/the-two-degrees#content_6169 Sun, 15 Apr 2007 07:02:43 GMT Jonathan Tanner <p>Agreed! This is a very subtle point that is rarely discussed, but often occurs. On my 1st venture, I retained my lead investor&#8217;s attorney, &#38; 6 years later, it really came back to haunt me when I was pushed out of the company. Founders need to be bold &#38; position the use of indie counsel as a mature way to avoid conflict of interest. Great article and advice!</p> http://startitup.indieword.com/view/the-two-degrees#content_6167 http://startitup.indieword.com/view/the-two-degrees#content_6167 Sun, 15 Apr 2007 06:50:05 GMT Jonathan Tanner