Gabriel Riekhof
Photos: Newsmakers scoop awards at Startups to Watch celebration, teasing action ahead
The preview is complete; next comes the headline-grabbing startup activity, said Tommy Felts, voicing anticipation for the year ahead — months that promise Kansas City companies making good on their efforts to scale innovation throughout the region. An awards reception Tuesday evening served as the culmination of Startland News’ rollout for its Kansas City Startups to…
Executing a valuation cap SAFE: Why you should think about the employee equity pool
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Gabriel Riekhof is an attorney at Husch Blackwell, a leading law firm that provides unparalleled service and industry-specific solutions to clients nationwide. Earlier this year, I wrote about SAFEs (Simple Agreements for Future Equity), focusing on the importance of the defined term “Company Capitalization.”…
Exited founders: Face the tough conversations first; avoid a messy post-honeymoon breakup
Preparing for an exit begins with co-founder alignment at the startup’s launch, three veteran Kansas City founders agreed. “You are getting married to your founders,” explained Tony Caudill, who co-founded two tech startups with his best friend — including aware3, which was acquired in 2018 by Nelnet. “Just like when you find your mate of…
Company capitalization: The most overlooked definition in your SAFE
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Gabriel Riekhof is an attorney at Husch Blackwell, a leading law firm that provides unparalleled service and industry-specific solutions to clients nationwide. Introduced by Y Combinator in 2013 as an alternative to traditional convertible notes, a “Simple Agreement for Future Equity” or “SAFE”…
Looking for the right exit? Driven founders first must know their startup’s destination
Setting an exit goal early is crucial when founding a startup, shared Robert Zhou, a Kansas City serial entrepreneur-turned-angel investor. “Every startup I mentor, I ask the founder this from Day 1: ‘What’s your goal?’” he explained. “‘Are you trying to build a business that you ultimately sell for $10 million? Is it $1 million?…
