A common misconception about entrepreneurs is that they are wild risk takers. In actuality, the most successful entrepreneurs are experts at calculating and minimizing risk wherever possible. Minimizing risk isn't just about protecting your company -- it's about increasing your value and improving your attractiveness to investors. In this presentation, Mary Juetten, from Traklight (www.traklight.com) and EGFS (www.earlygrowthfinancialservices.com) provide an in-depth look at the greatest risks threatening your company, and how to best manage these risks. Topics covered include: - Choosing the best business entity for your company - What patents really are -- and aren't - Best practices for co-founder agreements - Employees v. Contractors - what you need to know - Risks of crowdfunding - Avoiding litigation - And more!

1. Disclaimer: This presentation is intended to be general information. Nothing in the presentation constitutes legal advice. Please consult with
an attorney before making any intellectual property protection decisions.
Is Your Business at Risk?
TEN TIPS
TO MANAGE RISK AND MAXIMIZE VALUE

2. Mary Juetten
Founder & CEO Traklight
@traklight
@maryjuetten
mejuetten@traklight.com
• CEI Incubator Graduate
• Forbes, ABA LegalTech Contributor
• 30 years business experience
• J.D., CPA, CA
• MSNBC, AZ PBS, SXSW V2V,
LAUNCH Speaker
• SUCCESS Magazine Start Small,
Win Big 2013 winner

3. Business World

4. Competing Daily Tasks

5. IS YOUR BIZ AT RISK?
1. Entity
2. Co-Inventors
3. Co-Founders
4. Employee v. Contractor
5. Disclosure
6. Fundraising
7. Records
8. IP Strategy
9. Financial Projections
10. Pending Litigation

6. QUESTIONS WELCOME
HROUGHOUT

7. #1 - Don’t go it alone –
get an entity!

8. • C Corp
• S Corp
• LLC
Limit personal liability

9. Patents
(Utility & Design)
#2 – Co-Inventors

10. Copyright
©
A patent is not:

11. Trademark
A patent is not:
Image courtesy: Shelby Asistio
™ ℠ ®

12. Who: IP Ownership
Challenges
Multiple Inventors

13. When: Key Dates to
Remember
• Date of Idea/Inventions (First to
Invent → First INVENTOR to file)
• Date of Use
• Date of Filing
• Date of Conversion
• Renewals

14. #3 - Co-Founder

15. Handshakes = Headaches

16. #4:
Employee
v.
Contractor

17. Who: IP Ownership
Challenges
• Who are you? Employee of another
company
• Proper assignment of IP rights —
personal vs company
• Assume that ownership extends
outside the US

18. Software Work for Hire

19. Fines, Penalties
(don’t forget interns)

20. #5 - Disclosure

21. Enabling Public Disclosure

22. Homepage
INTERNET IS PUBLIC DISCLOSURE

23. #6 - Fundraising
Careful re new rules
Solicitation

24. Start on the right Trak
Do NOT start with creating a
campaign, pitch, or business
plan.
THIS APPLIES TO ALL FINANCING!

25. 80% of a business’
value is in their IP.

26. Identify IP
Protect IP
Pick a Platform
Build Social Capital
Create a Pitch
Practice Safe Crowfunding

27. Fundraising options

28. Crowdfunding
Federal Securities Equity is
not yet legal instead:
states,
- Reg A+ (June 2015)S

29. #7 - Records

30. #7 - Records
Filing for business is
imperative – investors,
banks and IRS
(Don’t forget to keep
records too)!

31. #8 - Got intellectual
property? Why care…
100% of all companies have IP.

32. Avoid IP loss,
infringement,
or business failure.
When do you need
an IP strategy?

33. Exclude competition:
Attract investment (including crowdfunding);
Leverage and license.
When do you need
an IP strategy?

34. IP theft costs US
companies $300 billion
annually

35. Trade Secrets—
unsung heroes
Not always patents:
Image courtesy: Beverley Goodwin

36. Five IP Mis-steps

37. IP is just for tech startups or
tech companies, and patents
are the only IP for inventors.
IP Mis-steps

38. You can copy anything
without a copyright ©
IP Mis-steps

39. Domain = TM
IP Mis-steps

40. If I pay for it, I own it.
IP Mis-steps

41. Patents mean right
to make or sell.
IP Mis-steps

42. Strategies to Protect IP
Secrets:
- Notary
- IP Vault
- Copyright software
Hire a Professional:
- Attorney, Consultant,
- LegalZoom, Rocketlawyer
Do It Yourself:
- USPTO.gov
- copyright.gov

43. #9 FINANCIALS
• Realistic
• Detailed
• Know your numbers

44. #10 PENDING LITIGATION
Disclose it!

45. Ignorance Is NOT A Defense

46. Read, Read, Read
Read contracts, licenses, and
permission to use

47. Read, Read, Read
Check out CreativeCommons.org

48. Traklight’s Software Platform

49. Traklight’s Software Platform

50. Questions?
www.traklight.com
Free Business Risk Assessment
Mary Juetten
mejuetten@traklight.com
@traklight
Slides available on slideshare.net/Traklight
@maryjuetten