For early-stage startups, offering employee stock options can be a key part of attracting and keeping key talent. A stock option is an agreement that gives an employee the right to buy shares in the company at a discounted rate. For the employee on the receiving end, making sense of a complex, jargon-heavy stock option offer can be daunting. Given…
Dan Martell is someone whose work I follow closely. If you’re new to Martell’s work, the Canadian-born entrepreneur and angel investor produces a seemingly endless stream of quality content – all aimed at entrepreneurs carving their way. Having launched two companies of my own, Martell’s wisdom and advice has been an invaluable resource for me. If you’re after an introduction…
Recruiting talent was a big topic at this year’s Vancouver Startup Week. Providing employee stock options is one way to attract great people to your company and can be a powerful incentive that rewards retention and drives performance and loyalty. I sat in on Faskin Martineau’s talk on Equity Incentives for Employees, and thought I’d share some tips for getting your…
As part of Vancouver Startup Week, Chris Hobbs shared his journey from President of UBC Ski Club to President of Vancouver-based software development company, Two Tall Totems, and a number of important business lessons he learned along the way. While at university, Hobbs actually launched his own venture, LiftPasses.com – a kiosk system that allows customers purchase tickets, and tells…
As part of Vancouver Startup Week, Two Tall Totems hosted a series of workshops where the Vancouver-based software development company talked bleeding edge technology and product launch strategy. To me, a lot of their advice had cross-industry appeal, so I thought I’d share three of their tips for flawless client communication and planning a smooth product release. 1. visualize your…
Spent a lot of money on your business’s website? By including legal documents on your website you can make sure it doesn’t cost you more than it should. You may be surprised to learn that investing in those fine-print documents many of us do not read, may actually save you a lot of money down the track and can be…
Having a registered trademark can be a powerful way to safeguard your company’s competitive edge and future growth in a crowded market. If you’re still deciding whether you need one, this post will help you understand the advantages of registering your company’s branding as a trademark. A trademark is a type of intellectual property that allows you to protect your…
Getting a business off the ground can be a significant investment. A shareholders agreement is the strongest legal protection you can have to safeguard your investment and relationship with your co-founders, investors and ultimately your employees and customers/clients. If you haven’t invested in a Shareholders Agreement yet, consider the following: 1. What you put in your shareholders agreement will have…
Should you pay yourself in salary or dividends? There’s a lot to think about when you are getting your incorporated company up and running. As a founder, one of the first issues you are going to want to deal with is how to pay yourself. This was certainly at the front of my mind when I launched my property company…
I often get asked when is the best time for a business to incorporate. The truth is there really isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to this question. The decision will be as unique and individual as your business and what you decide will depend on your future plans and how you are performing. The good news is that you are not…