

Ask HN: I'm a startup founder with 2 near deaths, what do I do? - anononyc

http://inetpro.org/pastebin/10964/view/raw<p>Expires on may 11th
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ColinWright
<http://inetpro.org/pastebin/10964/view/raw>

I've been trying to work out how I can best help, what advice I can offer,
because I'd like to help. However, I hesitate because I've never been in your
position. I've never had seed or angel funding, and I've never fallen out with
colleagues. My funding situation has been significantly different, and my co-
founders and over 20 employees have always got on well.

But I can offer some advice. I think you need to explain your case and
situation much, _much_ more coherently. You need to separate independently
verifiable facts from feelings and opinions, and you need a better narrative,
a better presentation of your quandry.

I suspect that those who are genuinely in a position to help will simply give
up part way through and find themselves unable to care, but you need to give
yourself the best chance you can.

Good luck, I hope it ends well.

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sandyc
Get a lawyer - thats what you really need by the sounds of things.

~~~
ColinWright
Lots of people say that in all sorts of situations, but it never seems to me
that it ever helps. It seems that lawyers always make things more adversarial,
they extract money whether they make things better or not, and there's rarely,
if ever, any way to change your mind once you've got them in.

When I was a part of a semi-hostile management buyout the lawyers only ever
made it worse. Things were rescued more than once by talking directly with the
other parties despite the lawyers' advice.

But if it seems irrecoverable, usually I'd rather just walk away. YMMV.

~~~
JoachimSchipper
Knowing that "if he doesn't give in, I'll take him to court and take
everything he owns" can be a real advantage in negotiations. For that matter,
"she's totally within her rights" or "that clause is not enforceable" are good
to know too.

This is more about a BATNA than about letting lawyers negotiate for you,
though.

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pclark
Could you just walk away from this company and launch a competing one? It
sounds like you've had a terrible run of luck with jerk investors/business
people, and sometimes a clean cap table and such is just what you need.

