EC Roundup: Legal screw-ups and the value of founders

Here’s the latest from VentureBeat’s Entrepreneur Corner

The six biggest legal mistakes startups make – There’s a lot that can go wrong in the early days of a startup. Attorney Scott Edward Walker runs down six things you need to keep an eye on from a legal prespective.

5 ways your employees can boost data security – Securing your company’s data goes well beyond having a secure Web host. Your employees are both an easy way for hackers to gain access and your best line of defense, says Chris Drake, CEO and founder of FireHost, Inc., a secure Web hosting company.

How important can you be? You’re just the founder – Venture capitalists can be your startup’s savior, but not all of them value your contributions. Serial entrepreneur Steve Blank tells the tale of how he and a partner learned the hard way what their backers thought they were worth.

How to choose a collections agency – Securing bad debt takes time and energy. Today, many businesses are turning to professional collection . Brian Cutler, senior director of product management with Ontario Systems, gives five tips to ensure you find a good one.

Three Necessities for Start-up Success – Serial entrepreneur and Netscape founder Marc Andreessen says there are a trio of requirements entrepreneurs must meet if they want to succeed. One is a product that’s vastly better than anything else on the market. The other two are a little harder to achieve.