Highlights of these stories included startups that failed to secure their IP, or were a bit too generous with who they added to the payroll. Not everyone gave the same advice, which was a great reminder that different funders will have different goals, and be looking for different things in a startup. But everyone agreed that having a solid plan, and speaking to professional advisors early can save a lot of pain down the road.
Another common theme from all of our panelists was trust. Being able to trust your investors and advisors, and being trustworthy as an entrepreneur and as an organization, are keys to the relationships which you will build. Not every relationship meets the marriage analogy, but every one of value requires trust.
Stay tuned for future events from the Startups @ McMillan team!