AntGalvin’s Blog

Anyone who has actually gone out and started a business will be well aware of the wonderful feeling of independence, the rush of doing something new for one’s self and the market, the hunger to do it all as fast as possible. Unfortunately it is the last point that can often lead to tears later on.

This morning I attended a presentation at the Cork OCC given by David Reilly, Solicitor, on some legal issues that face new businesses, especially those involved in software. It was illuminating and depressing simultaneously. And that is because starting a business, losing your entrepreneurial virginity, can be a harrowing exsperience.

It would be great to maintain the enthusiasm and avoid the boring work : finance, tax, compliance, legal and so on. But in so doing, you are only creating larger problems that will have to be dealt with later. As David put it so well, “I would prefer to get all the fights out of the way at the start, than have to deal with them later”.

A major point that David brought up was that of Copyright and Software. You may have a brilliant idea, and hire a contractor to express that idea through software – In which case, the copyright is with the Contractor. Try selling that amazing web app a few months down the line and see how far you get in Due Diligence without the appropriate agreements having been signed by the contractor. Messy!

Photo owned by Jesse Michael Nix (cc)

David has a load more good information on his site on Intellectual Property, Contracts etc… Good stuff.