When you start your own business, no matter what structure you choose, protecting the value of the company can be as important as protecting your own personal interests. Since you are the founder, there are a lot of people who will want to jump on board with your idea and ride your coattails.

Do you know how to value your company?

Have you determined how much of the company you should give up?

Did you consider what type of people are critical for you to bring inside the company at this early stage?

Are the people you are brining in worthy of equity?

Should the people that you bring in just be employees?

These answers could be among the most important answers that you get in this early stage. Many good ideas and many strong leaders are brought down because they did not make the right decisions at this level. They did not surround themselves with the right types of people and they did not understand what their real needs entailed.