Author Info for Pillsbury - Propel

Derrick Earl Anderson

Don’t Be Fooled: Employers Cannot Circumvent Wage and Hour Rules by Classifying Workers as Contractors!

Although companies may be tempted to classify workers as contractors to circumvent wage and hour rules, this is the classic example of penny-wise and pound foolish. Misclassification of employees as contractors can lead to…more

Department of Labor (DOL), Economic Realities Test, Employee Definition, Employer Liability Issues, Employer Responsibilities

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Joshua Becker

How This Multimillion-Dollar Tax Benefit Can Slip Through Your Fingers: Don’t Miss Out!

The Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) status under Section 1202 of the Internal Revenue Code provides a significant tax advantage for small business owners (i.e., Founders) and investors. It allows for a 100% capital gain…more

Business Ownership, Founding Members, Internal Revenue Code (IRC), Investors, Qualified Small Business Stock

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Tess Beimler

Crowdfunding: What It Is and When to Utilize It for Your Business

Crowdfunding emerged as a popular and innovative method of fundraising for startups, providing a platform for entrepreneurs to raise capital through soliciting relatively small individual investments or contributions from a…more

Business Development, Capital Raising, Crowdfunding, Early Stage Companies, Entrepreneurs

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Nora Burke

Qualified Small Business Stock: Tax Benefits for Startup Investors are Bigger and More Beautiful

In a move to bolster investment in small business, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (“OBBBA”), signed into law on July 4, 2025 (the “Applicable Date”), introduced significant changes to the Qualified Small Business Stock…more

Capital Gains, Internal Revenue Code (IRC), Investment, Investors, New Legislation

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Taviea Carey

Don’t Be Fooled: Employers Cannot Circumvent Wage and Hour Rules by Classifying Workers as Contractors!

Although companies may be tempted to classify workers as contractors to circumvent wage and hour rules, this is the classic example of penny-wise and pound foolish. Misclassification of employees as contractors can lead to…more

Department of Labor (DOL), Economic Realities Test, Employee Definition, Employer Liability Issues, Employer Responsibilities

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Paul Casas

Should I Incorporate on My Own?

Formally incorporating a company is a significant milestone in a founder’s journey. What may have begun as an idea doodled on the back of a napkin is now an official legal entity. Given the mass availability of “do-it-yourself”…more

Articles of Incorporation, Business Development, Business Formation, Corporate Governance, Entrepreneurs

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Bryan Collins

Maximizing Intellectual Property Protection: Balancing Patents and Trade Secrets for Startups

Founders and their startups are typically at the forefront of ever-evolving fields, from space exploration and satellites to life-saving medical devices and medicines. Safeguarding intellectual property is critical for startup…more

Business Strategies, Confidentiality Agreements, Emerging Growth Companies, Intellectual Property Protection, Patent Applications

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Chase Dietz

The IP Landmine That Can Kill Your Startup’s Exit: Avoiding Common Ownership Pitfalls

Unclear intellectual property (IP) ownership can pose significant challenges for startups, especially during a sale process (i.e., M&A) or investment rounds. Investors and buyers meticulously examine the chain of title for IP…more

Acquisitions, Contract Terms, Copyright, Due Diligence, Intellectual Property Protection

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Patrick Dolan

Equity Compensation Primer: ISOs v. NSOs

Many early-stage companies give employees, consultants, advisors, board members and other service providers (referred to as “service providers”) an opportunity to own a stake in the company through the grant of compensatory…more

Compensation & Benefits, Employee Benefits, Employees, Executive Compensation, Incentive Stock Options

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Pranav Gangele

Choosing the Wrong Business Structure: A Startup’s Death Sentence?

Starting a business is a thrilling journey filled with excitement, innovation and the promise of potential success. However, choosing the wrong business structure to reach your objectives can set your business on a path to…more

Business Development, Business Entities, Business Formation, Business Ownership, Business Strategies

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Avigail Goldglancz

Preparing for the Unthinkable: Treatment of Compensation and Benefits on Death of an Employee

When an employee unexpectedly dies, companies often want to act quickly so as to minimize disruption to the deceased employee’s family. While that is an important goal, companies need to ensure that they follow federal and state…more

401k, Beneficiaries, Compensation & Benefits, Death Benefits, Employee Benefits

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Michael Grosso

Protecting IP During Joint Development Projects: Agree on More than Non-Disclosure

As industry and markets have progressed, the technology they create has seen a commensurate increase in complexity. In practice, this results in the hyper-specialization of businesses so that they may continue to innovate at the…more

Business Development, Business Strategies, Confidentiality Agreements, Information Sharing, Intellectual Property Protection

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Jon Jekel

Trademark Fundamentals: Likelihood of Confusion

A core concept in trademark law that every startup founder should understand is “likelihood of confusion.” This legal standard plays a pivotal role in both trademark registration and enforcement. It’s essential for protecting…more

Business Development, Entrepreneurs, Intellectual Property Protection, Likelihood of Confusion, Startups

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Mark Jones

Savings Plans for Startups

Opening a retirement savings plan for employees (including founders!) is often a low-priority issue for startups and small businesses, but several states, including California, are trying to change that. In 2016, the Department…more

401k, Business Development, Early Stage Companies, Employees, Employer Responsibilities

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Steven Kaplan

Founder Secondary Sales: A Primer

Increasingly, founders desire liquidity with respect to a portion of their equity stake before the company goes public or completes a complete exit event (like an M&A sale). Liquidity is desired for many reasons, including (but…more

Board of Directors, Corporate Governance, Initial Public Offering (IPO), Investors, Liquidity

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Ann Kim

Privacy Breach: The Silent Killer of Startups

A privacy breach can have detrimental consequences for startups: A privacy breach may trigger legal consequences and regulatory scrutiny, especially for a startup that operates in areas with stringent data protection laws and…more

Cyber Attacks, Cybersecurity, Data Breach, Data Management, Data Protection

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Jean Kuei

Don’t Be Fooled: Employers Cannot Circumvent Wage and Hour Rules by Classifying Workers as Contractors!

Although companies may be tempted to classify workers as contractors to circumvent wage and hour rules, this is the classic example of penny-wise and pound foolish. Misclassification of employees as contractors can lead to…more

Department of Labor (DOL), Economic Realities Test, Employee Definition, Employer Liability Issues, Employer Responsibilities

See all updates »

Colleen Lamarre

Equity Compensation Primer: ISOs v. NSOs

Many early-stage companies give employees, consultants, advisors, board members and other service providers (referred to as “service providers”) an opportunity to own a stake in the company through the grant of compensatory…more

Compensation & Benefits, Employee Benefits, Employees, Executive Compensation, Incentive Stock Options

See all updates »

Stan Lewandowski

Privacy Breach: The Silent Killer of Startups

A privacy breach can have detrimental consequences for startups: A privacy breach may trigger legal consequences and regulatory scrutiny, especially for a startup that operates in areas with stringent data protection laws and…more

Cyber Attacks, Cybersecurity, Data Breach, Data Management, Data Protection

See all updates »

Sam Lipson

Equity Compensation Primer: ISOs v. NSOs

Many early-stage companies give employees, consultants, advisors, board members and other service providers (referred to as “service providers”) an opportunity to own a stake in the company through the grant of compensatory…more

Compensation & Benefits, Employee Benefits, Employees, Executive Compensation, Incentive Stock Options

See all updates »

Lindsey Livingston

Protecting IP During Joint Development Projects: Agree on More than Non-Disclosure

As industry and markets have progressed, the technology they create has seen a commensurate increase in complexity. In practice, this results in the hyper-specialization of businesses so that they may continue to innovate at the…more

Business Development, Business Strategies, Confidentiality Agreements, Information Sharing, Intellectual Property Protection

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Jessica Lutrin

Preparing for the Unthinkable: Treatment of Compensation and Benefits on Death of an Employee

When an employee unexpectedly dies, companies often want to act quickly so as to minimize disruption to the deceased employee’s family. While that is an important goal, companies need to ensure that they follow federal and state…more

401k, Beneficiaries, Compensation & Benefits, Death Benefits, Employee Benefits

See all updates »

Lewis McCorkle

Founder Secondary Sales: A Primer

Increasingly, founders desire liquidity with respect to a portion of their equity stake before the company goes public or completes a complete exit event (like an M&A sale). Liquidity is desired for many reasons, including (but…more

Board of Directors, Corporate Governance, Initial Public Offering (IPO), Investors, Liquidity

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Drew Reitz

Estate Planning for Founders - Part II: Planning with Qualified Small Business Stock

This is the second of a four-part series focusing on estate planning fundamentals for founders. This article will address an important topic for owners of Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) as defined in Section 1202 of the…more

Beneficiaries, Business Development, Business Ownership, Business Strategies, Capital Gains Tax

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Anne Reyna

Next Steps for Startups: Post-Incorporation Checklist

Congratulations on incorporating your startup! Now that your business is officially on the map, it is time to take the next crucial steps to ensure a solid foundation for growth and success. This checklist provides new…more

Beneficial Owner, Best Practices, Business Development, Business Entities, Business Ownership

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Rebecca Carr Rizzo

Moonlighting: When Should I Quit My Day Job?

A founder’s eureka moment may come at any time, and commonly occurs while employed by another company. Sometimes the kernel of an idea is a result of something the founder encounters in their day job—an ancillary problem that…more

Business Development, Early Stage Companies, Fiduciary Duty, Intellectual Property Protection, Moonlighting

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Steve Ryan

Convertible Notes vs. SAFEs: Choosing the Right Pre-Seed Financing Tool

For many early-stage startups, choosing between a convertible note and a SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) is one of the first critical legal and strategic financing decisions. While both instruments allow companies to…more

Convertible Notes, Financing, Investment, Startups, Venture Capital

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Sandro Serra

The Devil’s in the Details: How a Bad Contract Can Ruin Your Startup

In the high-stakes world of new business ventures, overlooking the smallest detail can have catastrophic consequences. This is particularly true when it comes to contracts, the very backbone of business operations. A poorly…more

Business Development, Contract Terms, Early Stage Companies, Entrepreneurs, Non-Disclosure Agreement

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Tara Shankar

Disclosure Schedules: What Are They and How Do They Fit into My Deal?

Disclosure schedules are arguably one of the most arduous and time-consuming deliverables on the company-side or seller-side of any transaction. Whether, as part of the management of your startup, you are tasked with driving an…more

Business Ownership, Buyers, Disclosure, Due Diligence, Investors

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Lacey Sun

Crowdfunding: What It Is and When to Utilize It for Your Business

Crowdfunding emerged as a popular and innovative method of fundraising for startups, providing a platform for entrepreneurs to raise capital through soliciting relatively small individual investments or contributions from a…more

Business Development, Capital Raising, Crowdfunding, Early Stage Companies, Entrepreneurs

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Carolyn Toto

Trademark Fundamentals: Likelihood of Confusion

A core concept in trademark law that every startup founder should understand is “likelihood of confusion.” This legal standard plays a pivotal role in both trademark registration and enforcement. It’s essential for protecting…more

Business Development, Entrepreneurs, Intellectual Property Protection, Likelihood of Confusion, Startups

See all updates »

Josh Tucker

The IP Landmine That Can Kill Your Startup’s Exit: Avoiding Common Ownership Pitfalls

Unclear intellectual property (IP) ownership can pose significant challenges for startups, especially during a sale process (i.e., M&A) or investment rounds. Investors and buyers meticulously examine the chain of title for IP…more

Acquisitions, Contract Terms, Copyright, Due Diligence, Intellectual Property Protection

See all updates »

Pillsbury - Propel

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