Off Balance #54

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👋🏾 Hi friends!

Another week, another panel 😜

This week - actually scratch that - TODAY, I’ll be moderating a panel for the London Venture Capital Network exploring Opportunities for UK Aerospace & Spacetech.

If you’re curious about how the UK might be able to add its own value to the growing spate of spacetech ventures out there or if you’d just like to get a better grounding around what spacetech actually is and how to understand the upstream as well as downstream opportunities in the sector, then join me and the incredibly thoughtful panel of experts we’ve got together to shed some light on the vertical today (22nd October) at Level39, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5AB from 1800!

Get your tickets here and come say hello to me, Ana Raposo from the European Space Agency, Lucas Bishop, investor at Seraphin Space Fund, Dr Junayd Miah, Head of Space Science and Innovation at Deloitte and Kerri Mertz, Director of International Business at Slingshot Aerospace as we chat all things spacetech 🚀

I’m well underway writing about all the things I’ve learned from the last couple of decades as founder, CFO and CEO, so sign up for early access to Off Balance - The Book and feel free to share with anyone else you think might enjoy it 😄.

Now let’s get down to business…

In this weeks Off Balance:

🎙️ Helen Goldberg from LegalEdge on Nothing Ventured
👩🏾‍💼 How CFOs and GCs can help ensure the best outcomes for your startup

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗹𝗮𝘄𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 👩🏼‍⚖️

In this week’s episode of Nothing Ventured, I sat down with friend of EmergeOne and the podcast, Helen Goldberg, Co-Founder and COO of LegalEdge which provides flexible in-house legal counsel services to fast growth companies.

Prior to founding LegalEdge, Helen spent over a decade focussed on M&A with Eversheds Sutherland and Baker McKenzie and as Sole Counsel and European Legal Director at Espotting / Miva and then headed up the international legal team for all activity outside the US at CBS / Viacom Outdoor.

In this episode, we talked about:

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲:

↳ Helen introduced the concept of the "Goldilocks legal principle," noting the importance of finding the right balance in legal resources. Many startups either over-rely on tech templates or rush to engage big law firms, often leading to inefficiencies and unnecessary costs. Instead, Helen advocates for a tailored approach—using in-house counsel for ongoing legal needs while leveraging technology and law firms appropriately for specific tasks. This strategy not only saves money but also ensures that legal work is handled effectively.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲:

↳ One of the most critical points Helen made was the necessity of obtaining good legal and financial advice from day one. Founders often overlook the significance of a well-structured cap table and intellectual property management, which can lead to major complications down the line. Helen stressed that these foundational elements are not just administrative tasks; they are essential for securing investment and ensuring a smooth exit strategy. As she put it, "Don't mess up the things you can fix early on."

𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹:

↳ Helen discussed the rise of the fractional model in both legal and financial services, highlighting how it provides flexibility and expertise without the overhead of full-time hires. This model has gained traction, especially among startups that need strategic roles like general counsel or CFOs but may not yet be ready for a full-time commitment. By embracing this approach, businesses can access high-quality legal and financial support while maintaining agility in their operations.

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Now let’s get into it.