170 - Legal Pitfalls That Sink Small Businesses - And How to Avoid Them

170 – Legal Pitfalls That Sink Small Businesses – And How to Avoid Them

May 06, 2025

If you’re a small or medium-sized business owner, this episode could save you from costly legal missteps that threaten your business’s growth—or even its survival. Legal expert Matthew Fornaro joins the podcast to highlight the essential contracts and legal strategies that many entrepreneurs overlook in their rush to launch or scale. Whether you’re just starting out or already running a business, you’ll learn how to lay the legal foundation to protect your operations, reputation, and revenue.

What You’ll Learn:

Why your business plan is a legally powerful document—not just a planning tool
The 10 contracts every small business should have in place
How missing legal steps early on can hurt your chances of getting a loan or surviving an audit
What to know about doing business across state or national borders
The difference between minimum compliance and real protection
How to set up a business structure the right way from the beginning

Matthew also shares personal stories from his own transition from big law firms to running his own legal practice, plus practical insights from mentoring business owners like you. If you’ve ever wondered whether your contracts, agreements, and structures are truly protecting your business—you can’t afford to miss this episode.

Matthew Fornaro is a seasoned business law attorney and founder of Matthew Fornaro P.A., serving South Florida since 2003. He specializes in contract disputes, with expertise in intellectual property. Additionally, he mentors entrepreneurs, teaching programs like FastTrac NewVenture and the Jim Moran Institute.

Subscribe to the Fornaro Legal newsletter and get the eBook 10 Contracts Every Business Needs

www.fornarolegal.com

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What You’ll Learn:

Why your business plan is a legally powerful document—not just a planning tool
The 10 contracts every small business should have in place
How missing legal steps early on can hurt your chances of getting a loan or surviving an audit
What to know about doing business across state or national borders
The difference between minimum compliance and real protection
How to set up a business structure the right way from the beginning