Sooner or later, every startup struggles with the issue of how best to offer healthcare benefits to their employees. In a recent StartupLounge.com podcast, we were joined by Angus Mcrae, a guy who does a ton of consulting and brokering for healthcare benefits for Atlanta-area high-tech startups (for companies like N2 Broadband/Tandberg, ViTrue, etc.)

As an added bonus we toss (under the bus) the knuckleheads holding up SB80 (the legislative bill that would allow the Georgia teacher’s pension fund to be invested in private equity). We also provide an update on our upcoming Capital Connections and PitchCamp events (as well as TAG & ATDC’s upcoming CapVenture program) here in Atlanta.

This was another solid show with some great nuts and bolts content for entrepreneurs. How do healthcare benefit brokers work? What are the warning signs of unethical brokers? What about PEOs? How expensive are healthcare benefits for startups? Can they afford to do it? Should they? How big does a company have to be to offer benefits to employees? What are the key considerations in selecting a benefits program for your company?

Enjoy!

Cheers.

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If you are a Georgia-based entrepreneur seeking to raise capital for your venture, check out the new program put together by TAG and the ATDC. Called “CapVenture”, it offers a 5 week training program to help prepare you for a capital raise.

Click here for more info …

And speaking of the ATDC, I’d like to state publicly that I think the state of Georgia should overfund the ATDC’s seed fund, and give them a very strong mandate to drive regional investment. I think it is time for the State’s economists and business development leaders to put their (our) money where their mouth is.

Cheers.

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The next quarterly StartupLounge.com Capital Connections event will be held on August 29th here in Atlanta.

If you are a fast-growth entrepreneur in the Southeast U.S., or an investor who’d like to network among such innovators to scout for new deals, head on over to StartupLounge.com and sign up. If you missed the last event, you can read the wrap up and check out the photo gallery over here. We had about 180 folks last time - we’re estimating 250-300 this go around.

For this next event, there will be some changes to the format:

1. First and foremost, we are opening it up to entrepreneurs across the Southeast United States (not just those located in Georgia). We are doing this because Atlanta really, truly should be the hub of entrepreneurship in the region. Several investors that attended the first event also made this suggestion, and we think this move will benefit investors (more deal flow) and entrepreneurs (more regional connections).
2. We are going to cap attendance at some point, so if you have an interest in attending, it would probably be wise to sign up sooner rather than later.
3. As before, companies will be limited to sending no more than two (2) representatives (investors may send as many representatives as they’d like, though).
4. We’re encouraging more entrepreneurs to bring demos, laptops, etc. (especially on the technology side)
5. We’ll be providing some free coaching for entrepreneurs prior to the event (how to craft a solid pitch, investor strategies, etc.)
6. We’ve expanded our RSVP form to capture additional information that will help us better serve attendees.
7. If you attended the first event, don’t apply again - you’ll receive the event code in your email very soon.

The cost is still free, of course, and the room will be free of job-seekers and service-providers. However, we are seeking a few more sponsors to augment the sponsors we currently have. If your firm (or someone you know) is interested in helping us sponsor this event each quarter, please have them get in contact with us. Service-providers are welcome sponsors – in fact, it is the only way they can get in the room.

Cheers.

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I saw an announcement by Atlanta law firm Morris Manning & Martin that they are launching a new “Web 2.0″ group.

The changing face of the Web and new ways people share information online has ushered in a new crop of legal issues. Attorneys with Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP are responding to that by starting a new “Web 2.0” legal group. The team focuses on the legal implications of the growing business uses of social networking and content provided by those who are not controlled by the business.

There are certainly a morass of legal issues lurking within the corners of social media - we’ve probably only begun to see the applications of law in the space. Too bad there are only a handful (if that) of social media companies in the southeast that are capable of paying MMM’s bill rates.

I am on the fence with this one. Is this simply a case of “deep south big law” chasing a buzzword three years too late? Or is this something that has the potential to be a catalyst for change in an under-served startup market?

Another aspect of this is that one of the primary reasons a startup entrepreneur would choose a big law firm would be the opportunity for assistance with a capital raise. Given that many Web 2.0/social media plays are fairly easy to bootstrap potentially diminishes the likelihood of needing to go with a larger law firm. My 2 cents. I suppose that larger clients (such as a Fortune 500 company) that are experimenting with social media may find value in the service, however.

On an unrelated note - a local entrepreneur recently signed up with a big law firm, with the promise that they would bring his deal to investors. Not only did the investor introductions not materialize, but the firm ran up initial legal fees of well over $20K. I advised him to change legal firms, which he did. Unless you are filing heavy intellectual property (patent) claims, there are very few situations where initial legal fees are going to run that high.

Cheers.

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