Helping Founders Navigate the Challenges of Building a Business

Building a successful company means making many important decisions, which will shape the long-term trajectory of the business. While every company is unique, many of the underlying challenges are remarkably similar.

Having advised founders through company formation, venture financings, acquisitions, governance matters, public company transactions and strategic exits, we help clients anticipate common challenges before they become distractions, allowing founders and management teams to remain focused on building exceptional businesses.

Formation

Starting on the right foundation.

Key decisions include:

  • Choosing the appropriate corporate structure

  • Founder ownership and equity splits

  • Vesting arrangements

  • Building the initial cap table

  • Shareholder agreements

  • Protecting intellectual property

  • Bringing on advisors

  • Early commercial agreements

Raising Capital

Preparing for institutional investment.

Key decisions include:

  • SAFE vs. convertible note vs. priced round

  • Preparing for due diligence

  • Determining how much capital to raise

  • Identifying the right investors

  • Understanding investor expectations

  • Negotiating financing terms

  • Managing dilution

  • Building relationships with investors

  • Ongoing cap table management

Building & Scaling

Growing the business.

Key decisions include:

  • Hiring executives

  • Employee stock option plans

  • Option grants and ongoing option pool management

  • Governance

  • Board formation

  • Strategic partnerships

  • Customer contracts

  • Commercial negotiations

  • Expanding internationally

  • Corporate development

  • Building management teams

Strategic Growth

Executing transformational opportunities.

Key decisions include:

  • Acquiring another business

  • Selling part of the company

  • Strategic investments

  • Joint ventures

  • Preparing for public markets

  • Raising institutional growth capital

  • Board evolution

  • Scaling internal governance

Exit

Creating long-term value.

Key decisions include:

  • Evaluating exit options, including company sale or going public

  • Preparing for acquisition

  • Strategic sale processes

  • Public company transactions

  • Succession planning

  • Founder liquidity, including secondary offerings

  • Post-closing transition

  • Legacy planning

What We’ve Seen Before

While no two companies are identical, founders often encounter many of the same questions throughout the business lifecycle.

We've advised companies through these situations many times before, allowing us to identify issues early, anticipate challenges and provide practical advice informed by real transaction experience.

Questions We Help Founders Answer

✓ Should we incorporate now or later? What jurisdiction should we incorporate in?

✓ How should we structure founder ownership? How do I plan for co-founder disputes?

✓ Should we bring on this investor? Are the investor’s demands reasonable?

✓ How do we prepare for due diligence?

✓ Should we complete a SAFE / convertible note offering or issue shares?

✓ Are we ready to raise a priced Seed or Series A round? How do we connect with investors?

✓ Do we need an independent board? How does board formation and governance work?

✓ Is it the right time to give our employees equity? How do we set up an option plan and make grants?

✓ Should we acquire or transact with our competitor? How should we structure the transaction?

✓ Do we have the structure in place to exit? Should we sell the business or go public?

✓ Is our company ready to go public? What do we need to do to be prepared? How do we go about doing so?

✓ Should we sell now or continue building? How does the sale process work?