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September 23, 2025 35 mins

Legal surprises derail growing businesses — Jon Hood helps you avoid them with predictable, flat‑fee legal counsel.

Jon Hood used to be the general counsel at an ed‑tech startup. He saw first‑hand how legal bills stacked up when issues were ignored until they got big. He decided there must be a better way. Today he runs Hood Venture Counsel, where he offers fractional general counsel services: proactive legal support, flat‑fee billing, and guidance built for growing businesses.

In this episode, Jon walks us through his journey—why reactive legal help is risky, how flat fees can give you breathing room, and what it really takes to protect a business before trouble starts. He’s not just telling you what to do; he gives concrete examples, lessons from real startups, and ways you can start taking control of your legal landscape now.

 

Key Topics Covered:

  • What fractional general counsel means, and why it works better for many small and mid‑sized businesses
  • The ways unpredictable legal costs hurt you: cash flow, stress, stalled growth
  • How flat fee billing brings clarity and confidence
  • Legal issues you should fix before they become emergencies
  • Real examples of companies who avoided disaster by being proactive

 

Guest Links & Resources:

 

Sponsors & Best Matches for This Audience:
These are sponsors especially relevant for entrepreneurs, founders, and small business growth:

  1. Descript – Smarter Content Creation
    Struggling to keep up with content? Descript saves time by making audio and video editing as easy as editing a document. Perfect for podcasts, promos, and training videos. 👉 Descript
  2. Freshly Brewed Coaching
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  3. @Hive – Real‑World Business Networking
    Feeling stuck behind a screen? @Hive is where you build real connections and partnerships — in person and online. Great for freelancers and growing teams. 👉 @Hive

 

Acknowledgments & Other Key People:
Thanks to:

Hosts:
Bernie Franzgrote (Bernie’s LinkedIn) & Wayne Pratt (Wayne’s LinkedIn)

Sponsor Details & Contact Information:
We are proud to bring you tools and communities that help SMBs grow. Each sponsor below supports this podcast and could support you too.

Descript – Smarter Content Creation
  Struggling to keep up with content? Descript saves time by making audio and video editing as easy as editing a document. Perfect for
  podcasts, promos, and training videos. 👉 Descript

Freshly Brewed Coaching
   Brew insight, not just espresso. Freshly Brewed Coaching brings sharp coaching strategies straight from Wayne Pratt and Matt Hawksley 
   — ideal for professionals ready to rise. 👉 Freshly Brewed Coaching

@Hive – Real‑World Business Networking
    Feeling stuck behind a screen? @Hive is where you build real connections and partnerships — in person and online. Great for freelancers
    and g

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