Tonkon Talk Helps Founders Avoid Common Mistakes

During the May 3 Tonkon Talk, business attorney Leon Simson and guest Jim Huston, co-managing director of Portland Seed Fund, shared a blueprint to help founders build a healthy startup while avoiding common mistakes.

A key takeaway of the presentation was the importance of the pre-organization phase, and taking advantage of that time to really define the company’s purpose, develop a business plan and define founder roles. Other topics that Leon and Jim covered include entity structuring, capitalization, the importance of input from a board or advisors, employee and management issues, and protecting intellectual property.

Leon is a member of the firm’s Entrepreneurial Services, Corporate Finance, and Mergers & Acquisitions groups. He is an experienced corporate and business restructuring attorney who represents corporate clients in a wide range of business matters.

“Tonkon Talks in the Pearl” is a series of lunch-hour presentations hosted by the firm’s Entrepreneurial Services Group. They are held on the first Wednesday of each month at the firm’s CENTRL Office location in the Pearl District. The talks provide an overview on legal topics that impact entrepreneurs and startups.

The Portland Business Journal did a write-up – “From Portland Startup Experts: Eight Small Things to Think About When Starting Up, and One Really Big Thing”  – on the May 3 Tonkon Talk, which can be read here.

Posted in
Filed under