Questions regarding written agreements between parties business or otherwise.
2
votes
6answers
289 views
Best resource for finding and managing freelance workers?
As a solo-preneur one really needs outside support. Consultants, freelancers, etc. Challenge is finding them, qualifying their experience, and tracking their work; as efficiently as possible as you ...
2
votes
3answers
473 views
How to outsource a software development process?
We are having a good idea for a software product. Since its complexity surpasses the capacities for a one man army or perhaps of a small software team, it will be necessary to outsource software ...
2
votes
6answers
1k views
Reasonable budget to prepare a shareholder agreement
What's a reasonable budget for forming a proper shareholder agreement in a new start up, formed as a corporation to be owned between 4 founder/shareholders? I understnad there's some variation ...
2
votes
3answers
164 views
Non-compete clause in social media
I am in talks with one company (to be hired as a web developer) and looks like a contract is going to be signed soon. There are talks about non-compete clause that does not allow me to work in the ...
2
votes
3answers
484 views
How to protect yourself from a subcontractor taking your client?
If I sub-contract, what forms, or agreements I need to make sure that my subcontractors don't compete with me in the near future.
How do I make sure that my sub-contractor will not be hired ...
2
votes
1answer
958 views
Need a terms of service generator for a web design startup
Does anybody know a good terms of service generator? I need one that, besides inserting company name and etc, will outline my and my customers' rights so I don't have to read the whole thing. I'm only ...
2
votes
3answers
67 views
Is making your contract viewable online before purchase a good idea?
As part of being transparent, we're thinking of putting our contract up online in our services section. The idea is that people would be able to have a look, question us in advance, and overall be ...
2
votes
4answers
315 views
When do I need to register a company for my start up
I have an idea for a start up but would like to get a POC solution developed for feedback purposes before I spend time and money on the full product development.
Since I cannot develop the POC myself ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
Protections for minority shareholder in SHA (shareholders agreement)
We are in early startup phase. One founder has a big majority stake and we are co-founders with small 5 minority stake. We have good relations and we are happy with the stakes, but we would like to ...
2
votes
2answers
114 views
Ways to work around creating a startup when working a job with a restrictive contract
I am happily employed as a software developer currently and have no plans to leave.
An amazing opportunity presented itself to my dad that just screamed of a lucrative niche market with only a ...
2
votes
4answers
2k views
California law and sending “written notice” by email
I've decided to ask this question here, as there is no better StackExchange site to ask and it's also not that much off-topic for OnStartups.
I'm from Europe and I signed (by email) IT service ...
2
votes
1answer
169 views
Technical Co-Founder Contract
There are a couple startups I'm thinking about joining. They are in very early stages (seed round or incubation). I am interested in the position of technical co-founder.
They've all asked that we ...
2
votes
1answer
159 views
How do I protect myself contractually while providing software consulting services?
My partner and I are software developers. We have formed an LLC and are starting to take consulting gigs. We have spent most of our careers at larger companies and have never been involved with ...
2
votes
3answers
192 views
What to do with side projects when joining a startup on the same field
I am thinking about joining a startup and I have a question. I have been working on a side project for a couple months and I own it completely. This side project is internet related (so is the ...
2
votes
3answers
86 views
In B2B situations what do you clients mean when they ask to partner with you?
We have had a range of clients ask something like the following, we are looking for someone to partner with ...
How do you see this being different from a straight Client/Supplier style relationship? ...
2
votes
4answers
478 views
How to structure business relationship with a partner company/sales channel
We've recently started a service based software start-up.
We've developed a relationship with a company that sells software licenses such that they market us as their "software development ...
2
votes
3answers
241 views
Questions for outsourced projects
I would like to get the following information related to outsourced project.
What are the best practices to follow for the payment plan/structure when you are working with outsourced development ...
2
votes
2answers
378 views
Legal issues with contract labor?
Are there any legal pitfalls I should know about when creating a service where I pay users to provide a service to customers? The model I'm thinking about is like Amazon Turk for a certain vertical. ...
2
votes
4answers
100 views
Celeb endorsement deal for mobile app
I have a mobile app I'm working on. I developed a working mockup as a PHP site, and I have a friend that I can partner with to build an objective-c version who has a lot of experience with this sort ...
2
votes
3answers
163 views
First Software Contract
I currently write a lot of proprietary code that's buried away in some corporation and will never see the light of day (or another coder's eyes for that matter). But this will be my first endeavor ...
2
votes
2answers
70 views
How do you approach intellecutal property rights when developping general products for cilents?
We always "reserve the right to re-use any code written for this project" in our contracts with clients. With this in mind, if a later client needs a very similar web app, is it ethical to slightly ...
2
votes
2answers
319 views
How do I draft a letter of intent?
I have an idea I am working on that I believe will be useful. I have been told that verbally several times.
Rather than spend money on developing it to completion, I want my proposed ...
2
votes
3answers
621 views
Pooling money as a group to obtain and share resources
Are there cooperative groups who share the cost for a number of resources (ie media lists, CRM)? Have you ever used this model, and if, so, did you find it successful? How did you meet the ...
2
votes
1answer
54 views
Workers of a subsidary purely work on products of the parent company
If the parent company wholly owns the subsidiary, could the employees of the subsidiary work on products of the parent company? Are special contracts needed?
Thanks
2
votes
1answer
89 views
On working with consultants
I have been asked by many startups to help them with their core machine learning IP
Unlike outsourced software development, machine learning is difficult to outsource or even to specify because it ...
2
votes
2answers
156 views
What are good sites for finding CMS data entry sub-contractors?
I prefer to do work on my own sites, but I occasionally take one-off small business website jobs where I work with a designer, who owns the client relationship. Most of these sites are content ...
2
votes
2answers
184 views
Online contract management solution? [closed]
Anyone know of an ONLINE solution for managing contracts, legal forms, etc? Something where I could generate, send, sign, and store legal contracts online- so that both parties would never need to ...
2
votes
1answer
233 views
Necessity of a Tag-Along Right
Can anyone point me at a true story where someone was bitten by not having a Tag-along clause? Can that really hurt startups/startup-employees on acquisition?
Definition: "The Tag Along Clause is ...
2
votes
1answer
107 views
What should go in a contract for desktop software?
When I release my desktop application in a few months, I'm hoping that after some demos that I will get some interest in the product! The application is B2B and the software price will be $5000. ...
2
votes
4answers
246 views
Can you be forced out before the cliff?
If your founder's contract has a "cliff", can the other founders decide to force you out before that cliff or do you have to quit to lose all your equity?
2
votes
1answer
931 views
How do I find an electrical engineer for a contract job?
Im trying to find a place (either online or somewhere else) where I can hire an electrical engineer for a small contract job. I don't want to go post a "job" on craigslist or anywhere else, simply ...
1
vote
2answers
102 views
Contract jurisdiction venue
I'm in the process of closing a somewhat sizable deal with a new client, and the only sticking point with the contract is the choice of jurisdiction.
I am located in state A, the client in state B. ...
1
vote
1answer
162 views
How to deal with a contract for a job that is over-due and out-of-scope?
I executed a contract at the end of May for a relatively small web application. It listed 3 main features/requirements and a due date of July 15th. It is October 8th and it is still on-going. I ...
1
vote
1answer
58 views
Typo in contracts
I have found a typo in a contract that we are currently disputing with one of our service providers. The typo seems to change the implied meaning of the paragraph:
... fees and expenses, including ...
1
vote
2answers
29 views
Notarizing signitures for the official business contract?
I was just wondering if it is common to ask your co-founders to get their signitures notroized? I trust these people as we are good friends so I don't want to offend them if I asked to get it ...
1
vote
4answers
109 views
Verbal Partnership Agreement Binding?
I have a provisional patent for a product that I have been developing. I had a meeting last weekend with two individuals and we have verbally agreed to form a partnership. The partner who will be ...
1
vote
5answers
164 views
Is it better to have a formal contract on ownership prior to accepting external investment?
Not assigning anyone any equity until we get funding, despite that fact that I am the tech.-cofounder i need to start developing a demo to show investors.
Should an actual contract really be worked ...
1
vote
2answers
43 views
Non disclosure agreement for concierge early adopters?
I want to be extra careful and publish my first MVP to a concierge early adopter. I would like to know if it is common to ask her to sign a non disclosure agreement.
1
vote
1answer
99 views
Best way to propose web designers to work in your website with income proportional to the success of the project
We are going to create a biotech spin-off from our University, now we need a website, with professional design and flyers and the like. Right now we are negotiating some contracts but still do not ...
1
vote
2answers
89 views
Contract signing and signature forgery
When signing a contract, how can we make sure the other party's signature is real? what if that person scribbles some random signature? And if disputes arises he can claim that it was a forgery.
What ...
1
vote
2answers
83 views
Convincing a customer about a right decision
Just had an experience in my startup about a customer in my software start up. I develop server based software products for the past year and have a few customers for the same.
A new customer came ...
1
vote
2answers
3k views
Startup CFO contract / stock compensation?
I am looking for a sample contract for a CFO position in a startup company. Also, What is an appropriate amount of compensation to give a CFO in terms of stock.
Thanks!
1
vote
3answers
453 views
Technical writing/Online help for web application
We have developed a web application. Now I am looking for freelancers who can write the online help and technical manuals for parts of it. However, I am not aware of the way these services are ...
1
vote
2answers
92 views
Protecting oneself from a Technology Assignment Agreement
I am an independent developer (non-employee) who is coding a product for a startup. I have other sub-contracting agreements with other clients.
The 'Technology Assignment Agreement' that the startup ...
1
vote
1answer
170 views
Non-compete clause for a early employee
Is it common to ask early employee of a startup to sign a contract containing non-compete clauses?
I am against our employee, but I have a little concern on our competitor as they have money to lure ...
1
vote
2answers
189 views
Does Company Equity Entitlement need to be in your employment contract?
Should a company equity entitlement be stated in your employment contract?
If not, what entitlement to any equity do you have?
Particularly if you're already employed there?
1
vote
1answer
74 views
Software Company Drops Our Company From Service
We have a contact with a software company that is becoming a hot issue -- it's renewal time.
The contract allows the 3rd party to drop us at will after we've paid our licensing fees for 5 years in a ...
1
vote
2answers
43 views
Contract employee and IP in a not so related business
If I create an application for a client and I am employed as a contactor to the client by a contracting firm in a different capacity, who owns the copyright?
1
vote
1answer
92 views
Sample partnership/cofounder contract clause for force-out payment schedule
I'm altering a contract between myself and another individual. The contract defines clauses for forcing another partner out but does not define how percentage of ownership shall be handled. I.e. how ...
1
vote
1answer
96 views
contract after work has been done in good faith
I have been developing software with a company owned by my cousin and others for the past 7 months. The most recent software I developed over the past 4 months was based on my own ideas about how to ...
