uSAOver the last few months I have had the chance to speak to entrepreneurs from Brazil, China, Estonia, France, Germany, Guatemala, Israel, Norway, Singapore and Ukraine seeking to operate and solicit investment here in the U.S.  As an attorney, I’m expected to focus on best legal practices.  They’re indeed important, but perhaps not worth quite so much energy if the company isn’t on a course to succeed as a business.

Among my first questions, I’m curious to know what a company has, why it’s great, who’s willing to pay, and how much.  Then, I explore other challenges facing the business.

For start-up companies that still want to talk, here’s my simplified rundown of business and legal items (for information purposes only, not legal advice):Continue Reading U.S. Market Entry Top 10

Migration is already underway, but some of the world’s largest organizations are still reluctant. They handle proprietary data and a staggering volume of transactions.  They want to marshal information and deliver nuanced results.  But a lack of appreciation for the Cloud’s promise, together with questions surrounding security and cost, make many CTOs and COOs cling to legacy systems.

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At the surface, the Cloud is seemingly straightforward even for occasional users; using encryption and/or password protection, individuals log on to a website, smartphone app, or similar “thin” interface. They may send an email, manage ‘Internet-of-things’ controls, reserve a seat, store a document, access a data base, or subscribe to an online tool for accounting or lead tracking.  While it’s clear that the “back office” intelligence sits someplace else, users probably don’t appreciate the architecture.

Understanding the Cloud’s capabilities and shortcomings is key to a thoughtful migration strategy. Can organizations really save money by replacing their on-premise solutions?  How do they comply with regulations around the world addressing the collection, use and transfer of personal data?  When migrating, do they retain control of their systems?  What about cyber security?  Here’s a simplified description for non-technologists!

Continue Reading Cloud Migration Demystified