eSign Word for Legal Myself

To clarify when to use the word myself, it's essential to recognize its function in a sentence. Use 'myself' for emphasis, reflection, or to indicate that the subject is both the doer and the receiver of the action. This understanding can greatly enhance your writing and communication.

airSlate SignNow empowers users to send and eSign documents seamlessly, which is crucial for maintaining clarity in communication. By ensuring that documents are clear and well-worded, businesses can avoid confusion regarding word usage, such as when to use the word myself.

airSlate SignNow features an intuitive document creation tool that allows users to customize templates easily. By focusing on clear communication and grammar, users can avoid misusing terms like myself, thus enhancing the professional quality of their documents.

Yes, airSlate SignNow provides highly cost-effective plans tailored for small businesses. Understanding when to use the word myself in professional communication can also lead to cost savings by reducing errors and misunderstandings in documentation.

Document security is paramount with airSlate SignNow; it employs bank-level encryption to protect sensitive information. Clarity in documents, including the correct usage of terms like myself, further builds trust and confidence in the legality of the signed agreements.

airSlate SignNow integrates with various applications to streamline workflows. Knowing when to use the word myself in your integrations can help in ensuring that your messaging is clear across platforms, enhancing collaboration and efficiency.

Absolutely! airSlate SignNow offers a free trial that lets you explore its features and understand how it can meet your business needs. During this time, you can also practice your language skills, including mastering when to use the word myself.

As a startup founder of three years myself, I can relate to how legal housekeeping can be messy. Once a year, I have our own lawyers go through and do an audit of all of our legal paperwork (which costs a couple thousand dollars to be extremely thorough, but it’s worth it). Luckily, there are now many ways to easily manage and track all of your legal, financial, and HR documents via third-party sites that specialize in these management proceedings. I wrote a blog post about this awhile back titled “5 Ways to Save Time Dealing With Documents” which highlights certain sites that can be very beneficial depending on what paperwork you’d like to track or manage. They are as follows:1. GroupDocsGroupDocs is a new, comprehensive online service for document creation and management. It has multiple features, including a viewer for reading documents in your browser, an electronic signature service, an online document converter, a document assembly service, a feature for comparing different versions of a document, and an annotation feature. An individual plan is $10 per month for limited storage and 500 documents, while a group plan for up to 9 people is $19 per user per month. Based on the number of features and pricing, GroupDoc is a good-value purchase for a small business. As you’ll see below, GroupDocs can be cheaper than a service that offers only one such feature.2. signNowWhen you’re closing a deal and need to get documents signed, the last thing you need is a slow turnaround due to fax machine problems or the postal service. The solution is to use an electronic signature service such as signNow, which is one of the most popular e-signature companies in the world. This service allows you to email your documents to the person whose signature you need. Next, the recipient undergoes a simply e-signing process, and then signNow alerts you when the process is completed. Finally, signNow electronically stores the documents, which are accessible at any time. As a result, you can easily track the progress of the signature process and create an audit trail of your documents. The “Professional” plan is recommended for sole proprietors and freelancers, and costs $180 per year ($15 per month) for up to 50 requested signatures per month. The “Workgroup” plan is geared towards teams and businesses, and it costs $240 per user per year ($20 per month per user), for unlimited requested signatures.3. signNowsignNow is another e-signature service. Similar to signNow, signNow allows you to upload a PDF file, MS Word file or web application document. Next, you can edit the document, such as by adding initials boxes or tabs, and then email them out for signatures. Once recipients e-sign the document, signNow notifies you and archives the document. signNow offers low rates for these services: a 1-person annual plan with unlimited document sending costs $11 per month. An annual plan for 10 senders with unlimited document sending costs only $39 per month.4. ExariExari is a document assembly and contract management service that assists in automating high-volume business documents, such as sales agreements or NDAs. First, the document assembly service allows authors to create automated document templates. No technical knowledge is required; most authors are business analysts and lawyers. Authors have a variety of options for customizing documents, such as fill-in-the-blank fields, optional clauses, and dynamic updating of topic headings. They also can add questions that the end user must answer. Once you send out the document, the user answers the questionnaire, and Exari uses that data to customize the document. Next, the contract management feature allows you to store and track both the templates and the signed documents. Pricing is based on the size and scope of your planned implementation, so visit their website for more information.5. FillanyPDFIt’s a hassle having to print out PDF forms in order to complete them. Fortunately, FillanyPDF is a service that allows you to edit, fill out and send any PDFs, while entirely online. This “Fill & Sign” plan costs $5 per month, or $50 per year. If you subscribe to the “Professional” plan, you can also create fillable PDFs using your own documents. With this service, any PDF, JPG or GIF file becomes fillable when you upload it to the site. You can modify a form using white-out, redaction and drawing tools. Then, you can email a link to your users, who can fill out and e-sign your form on the website. FillanyPDF also allows you to track who filled out your forms, and no downloads are necessary to access these services.  The “Professional” plan costs $49 per month, or $490 per year.Switching firms can be a hassle. As a former startup attorney, I have a bit of advice about finding the right attorney for your business: it’s best to focus on the specific attorney you’ll be working with. He or she should have a solid understanding of the ins and outs of your business industry, a deep knowledge of the legal issues your startup may face, and previous work experience with startups to ensure a quality and efficient work product. This is absolutely key when matching our startup clients at UpCounsel to attorneys on our platform who can perform their legal work and hash out their legal projects in a timely manner. We also allow clients to store any and all of their legal documents directly on UpCounsel so they don’t have to go searching in alternative places for the correct paperwork. It’s proven to be a free and lightweight way to store legal documents that our clients love. Here's what it looks like:As I’ve mentioned, it’s more important to find the right attorney as opposed to the right law firm. And seeing as you’re a startup, our own startup clients typically save an average of 50-60% on their legal work, since the attorneys don't include overhead fees (a.k.a. the fees included for doing business with the firm itself) in their invoices.Hope this gives you a deeper look into what other sites and services are out there. If you have any questions or would like more information on how best to handle your legal housekeeping/ attorney matters, feel free to signNow out to me directly. As a former startup attorney at Latham & Watkins, I’d be happy to give you some guidance.

** This answer has been edited for clarity, and to include some additional information from those who have taken the time to share their comments.Also, our fellow Quoran Milt Rudy shared a fascinating video in his comment below. I encourage any member of the forum with interest in this topic to give it a look, as it contains some additional, and very helpful, advice from a law professor. It's 46 minutes long but, trust me, the knowledge you'll gain will prove extremely valuable when dealing with the police.New NMA membership fees have increased to $42, and gift memberships are now $25. My post has been corrected to include the updated rates. **__________________________I'm NOT a lawyer, but I'm going to pass along the advice I received from the late, great Howard Grimm, Esquire (Howard Grimm was, if not THE best, one of the best attorneys who ever practiced law).1). Never plead guilty to ANYTHING, not even a parking ticket.2). Force the prosecutor and police to do their jobs and PROVE you're guilty, and make it as expensive as possible for them to do so. File motions to continue, Change of Venue motions, writs demanding verification of sources or chains of custody for any evidence they claim to have against you, and pore through the Probable Cause Affidavit with a fine-tooth comb, challenging everything that's based on any police officer's “observations” or “beliefs” (i.e., “Officer Blowhard observed what he believed were green flecks of marijuana residue on the defendant's shirt …”).3). *(NOTE: This may no longer work in every state, due to updated legislation.) *At your arraignment, claim indigence; let the court appoint a public defender for you. Give him or her all the information pertaining only to the P.C. affidavit. Once a trial date has been set on a docket, you'll know the name of the judge. Fire your public defender and hire the best attorney in your area. Now that you have a trial date, most of the expensive stuff is already done, so except for the odd deposition or annoyance motion, you'll just be paying your new attorney's hourly rate.4). MAKE SURE YOU PAY YOUR LAWYER ON THE DAY OR DATE AGREED UPON. Don't make up excuses; mortgage your home, put off your other bills for a month or two, borrow from friends and family if you must, but make sure your lawyer is paid ON TIME. This is just cheap insurance; if you ever need a good lawyer in the future, he or she is more likely to take your case because he or she knows you'll pay your bill when it’s due. There are other benefits to this, too. Years ago, when I was a young man, I was pulled over for an expired inspection sticker (Indiana no longer requires annual vehicle inspections). The cop was being a real smartass, asking me if I was mentally retarded or just stupid, asking my then-girlfriend if she was my sister, just trying to make me angry to escalate the situation. I just smiled and chuckled a little. “You think this is funny?” he asked, and I nodded. “Okay, then; I'm also going to write you up for no brake lights and driving an unsafe vehicle. We'll see how funny you think it is when you pay the fine and court costs.” My brake lights worked just fine, and my inspection was scheduled for the following day at Campbell's Garage. “I'm sure my attorney will handle it,” I told him. “Oh yeah? And who's your lawyer?” he asked. “John Grimm,” I replied (Howard's son, an excellent attorney in his own right, who had a reputation for destroying police officers' testimony while on the witness stand. He even had a few charged with perjury although, to my knowledge, none were ever convicted or even went to trial). The cop tore the half-written ticket from his book, wadded it up and shoved it into his pocket. “Son of a … Forget it! Have a nice day,” he huffed. He got back into his car and sprayed gravel everywhere as he drove off. Incidentally, John really was my lawyer. He negotiated a very nice settlement for me in a landlord-tenant dispute, handled a Workman's Comp claim for me and had two frivolous speeding tickets dismissed (both were for less than five mph over). He charged me $75 for each of the tickets, but I figure I saved more than that in insurance rate hikes.5). NEVER go to trial with a P.D. (Public Defender). They make the same $240 per case whether you're convicted or not, so they have no vested interest in your exhoneration. Also, they'll try desperately to convince you to sign whatever plea deal the prosecutor puts on the table. Being tapped by the prosecutor is any P.D.’s ticket out of the public defender's office and their overwhelming caseloads; those who play ball are more likely to be hired as deputy prosecutors, which means regular hours, an actual paycheck and expense account, state-funded health insurance and prosecutorial immunity.6). If you're called to testify, answer the question that was asked, and then STOP ANSWERING THE QUESTION. Don't expound or volunteer additional details unless you're specifically asked to do so via another question. If you're asked a yes-or-no question, pause for a few seconds in case your attorney might make an objection, and then answer, “Yes,” or “No.” Force the prosecutor to drag every single tidbit of information out of you; this practice will eventually rattle most prosecutors, and when he's frustrated, he's more likely to overlook something or to make a mistake your attorney can exploit to your advantage. Even under direct questioning by your own attorney, you should pause for a few seconds before you answer; it makes you appear thoughtful.7). Be CONFIDENT, but not arrogant. Wear a jacket and tie to court; DON'T wear an Armani suit. Look the judge or jurors in the eye, and speak directly to them while testifying. Make eye contact with every juror on the panel. If you're asked to explain something, be sincere, and imagine you're telling your story to your best friend over a cup of coffee. It's okay to laugh or to chuckle during those times when it's appropriate while relating your account; it puts the judge or jury at ease, and makes your version of events more believable. Cops are always very clincal when testifying, using words like “vehicle” instead of “car,” “I observed” rather than “I saw,” “my assigned commission” in place of “the squad car” and “deadly weapon” instead of “sandwich,” “cell phone” or “toothbrush.” Jurors don't speak that way, and you shouldn't either, because they really aren't impressed when cops try to talk down to them. I once heard a police officer testify, “I placed the suspect in restraints for his own safety because, at that point in time, I couldn't be certain of the circumstance which had currently perspired.” [sic] What he meant was, “I handcuffed the suspect because I didn't know what had happened (transpired).” Don't try to talk like a cop; you'll only alienate yourself from the jury. Just be sincere and tell the court what happened in plain language.8). If a police officer lies on the witness stand, don't be afraid to point that out. When my brother was arrested for DUI, the cop said he failed his field sobriety test, and added “He blew a point one-two on the portable field breath test.” In fact, my brother and I each had ONE glass of wine with our steak dinner at Logan's Steakhouse so, when I was called to testify, I told the judge, “This guy missed his true calling, Your Honor. He should have been a writer, because that's some of the best fiction I've ever heard.” The judge actually laughed and asked me, “Was your brother drunk?” I replied, “Not even close. I spent thirteen years in the Navy, Your Honor, and a lot of my off-duty time was spent in various E-clubs. My little brother can drink me under the table, so I'm certain he was not impaired in any way by having one glass of wine with dinner. I had a glass of the same wine, so why did the officer ask me to drive Mike's car home without even smelling my breath?” After our server testified, my brother was found Not Guilty, because he KNEW the cop was lying through his teeth.9). NEVER consent to a warrantless search, neither of your vehicle nor of your home or property. If a police officer shows up at your door and wants to talk to you, speak to him through the locked screen door, if you have one. If not, speak to him (or her - sorry), through your locked door. If he or she says they can't hear you, just say, “Go around to the side of the house and I'll open the window a crack.” If you're questioned about anything, say, “I'll be happy to answer any questions you care to ask, but only in the presence of my attorney. I don't know why you're here, and I don't want to be misquoted. If you're going to ask me anything, I want my lawyer to witness my answers. Leave your card in my mailbox, and I'll call you with my attorney's address when I have an appointment.” If they approach you on the street and ask anything besides your name, don't answer. Instead, ask, “Am I under arrest?” If they say no, then tell them, “This conversation just came to an end. If you want to question me, you'll either have to arrest me now, or meet me at my attorney's office at his (or her) convenience.”Just as a quick sidebar, I should mention that I have six video cameras in my truck. Some are in plain sight; I have a dash cam in the windshield and one in the back window, and a pinhole camera in each of the back corners (which record to a hard drive, locked securely beneath the floorboard under the back seat). I also have two more in covert locations, just in case the others are confiscated and “accidentally” or “inadvertently” lost, damaged or erased. Two of those cameras stream live video to a web site on a dedicated server whenever I'm in the truck, even when the ignition is turned off. The cops might find all of my cameras if my truck is ever impounded, but they won't get the evidence. All have microphones, too (except the two pinhole cameras), and display the date and time on the recorded video. I have a camera in my sunglasses, and I carry a pen-camera in my shirt pocket, which is activated with a simple push of a button. I'm not a drug dealer or a criminal; I have a very good reason for this level of concern, which I might reveal in a future post.And finally …10). NEVER, and I mean NEVER, EVER, lie to your lawyer. Tell him or her EVERY LITTLE DETAIL, no matter how embarrassing it might be. It's his or her job to decide what to pursue and what to omit. Omitting any part of the factual details will likely come back to haunt you at the least convenient moment, and your credibility will be destroyed beyond repair. Your attorney doesn't like those types of surprises, because it makes you both look foolish. If your lie or omission is revealed in court, the jury (or judge) will have already convicted you before they even begin to deliberate your fate; if you lied about that, you're probably lying about something (or everything) else. They will prefer to err on the side of caution and find you guilty every time. Your lawyer isn't going to gossip about you (that's why the “lawyer/ client privelidge” is held inviolate), so come clean and spill your guts during your second meeting. The first, the initial consultation, should be a “broad-stroke” explanation of your case. Once he or she has accepted your case and you've signed the agreement, you should say, “I'd like the first available appointment so I can give you all the details.” In the meantime, gather up all your paperwork, write down the names and contact information of any witnesses you believe could help, and take pictures of the scene, any nearby landmarks and of anything else that might be considered material evidence (such as skid marks, tire tracks, damage to your car, visible footprints or whatever might help to reinforce your version of events). Print those pictures, write the details in block letters on the back of each image and give them all to your attorney. Again, let him or her decide which ones will be used in court. If he or she doesn't use some, or even any, of them, that's okay; it's better to have them and not need them, than to need them and not have them.Howard taught me a few other secrets, which I'll keep to myself for the time being (I don't want to give away the farm, so to speak).I guess I should add this disclaimer:The above is not intended to be, nor should it be taken as, legal advice. I've simply shared some of the things I learned from a man who knew his way around around a courtroom. Howard Grimm never tried to sugar-coat American jurisprudence, and he had three sons who were also very aggressive in matters of law. Police officers do not exist to protect us from harm. American courts all over the nation have long held that a police officer has no duty or obligation to put himself in harm's way to protect a citizen. In my opinion … I'll repeat that more loudly for those who are already upset from reading this post … IN MY OPINION, the police in the United States comprise the best-equipped, best-organized and largest criminal gang our nation has ever produced, and they only exist to protect each other from civilian redress when we're victimized by them. To be fair, this is a general, albeit personal, observation; I'm sure there are a few out there who believe themselves to be “good cops.” However, I believe that if any police officer has been on the force for more than a week, then he has either committed a violation of statutory or constitutional law or, if he hasn't done so personally, he knows of someone on the same force or within the same precinct who has committed such violations.Again, I'll point out that my opinions aren't borne out of something I heard Rush or Hannity say on the radio; these are my own beliefs, borne from my own bitter and disheartening experience with law enforcement officers, so don't waste your time or mine writing comments telling me how wrong I am or how tough your job is. Such comments will be deleted immediately. Want to change my mind? Give me my $80,000 back and I'll consider it. Short of that, I have no interest in reading any defense you might offer here on the forum, so you may direct your comments to my attorney of record. Your job is tough because you (or your colleagues) have made it that way, and now, with the advent of smart phones that ensure most citizens have a means to record what you're really up to, the blue curtain you've hidden behind for decades is finally being lifted.TL;DR:Bottom line? Don't trust police officers, prosecutors or elected officials. If any of the aforementioned tell you, “I just want to help you,” they're most likely lying to you, because it's perfectly legal for any of them to do that. If you lie to them, though, it's a criminal offense. That alone should illustrate the one-sided “us vs. them” environment they've created in this country.I'll wrap this up with one final recommendation for my fellow Quorans: Join the National Motorists Association (just Google motorists.org). It's $42 a year ($25 for a gift membership), they're non-profit and they REALLY look out for their members. If you get a speeding ticket, they have tons of reference materials they'll loan you for free that will help you prepare and win your case (or you can buy them if you want to keep them on hand). If you take a speeding ticket to court and lose, the NMA will reimburse you up to $150 in cash (one ticket per year). Don't take my word for it; just check out their web site - it's all there in writing. Another thing I like about the NMA is that they answer their own phones! When you call them, you won't get a call center rep who routes your call back to someone who will pass along your message; you'll be speaking with someone who is actually sitting in the NMA office, and prepared to answer your concerns or to help you decide how to handle that traffic infraction. I've been a member for nearly twenty years, and I donate to them whenever I can.Sorry for the long-winded diatribe; this is the longest answer I've ever posted on Quora, so thanks for letting me vent, and good luck to all.*EDIT:Okay, first of all, I just got off the phone with Kelly at the NMA. Membership fees have increased to $42, and gift memberships are now $25. I often give away gift memberships (10 in 2017), and the NMA extends my membership by a few months for every gift I make to someone. When I first joined many years ago, it was twenty bucks a year, but I guess everything is more expensive now than it was back then. I apologize for this oversight, and I've made the necessary correction in my post above (although it might still be incorrect in some of my responses to a few commenters).Moving on …While most of the comments I've received from those who have read this post have been positive, I'm catching some flak from a few others who have correctly pointed out that some of the above recommendations won't work out for everyone in every state. For example:If you live in one of the Commonwealth states (Kentucky, Virginia, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania), some of these strategies may not be available to you. Claiming indigence, for example, apparently doesn't work in Virginia, according to one commenter.Also, I want to emphasize that I am not an attorney, and this post is intended only to outline various tactics I've employed in my personal legal proceedings, both civil and criminal, which were related to me by a very successful attorney.I don't have a criminal record, although I was arrested for two felony counts in 2006 (I was acquitted of all charges at trial, and I have since had the arrest expunged).As one commenter (a practicing attorney) pointed out, there ARE times when a defendant should consider accepting a plea bargain. For example:I worked at a liquor store here in Fort Wayne when I was young. One night after closing, a burglar chopped a hole in the roof and became wedged in a ventilation duct. I heard him calling for help the next morning when I opened the store, called the fire department to have him extracted, and then called the owner of the store and apprised him of the situation. The owner arrived with the police in tow, and the would-be burglar was arrested the moment his feet touched solid ground.Under similar or comparable circumstances, of course, it should be obvious that any offer the prosecutor might make would be in the defendant's best interest.However, if you're ever arrested for a crime for which you KNOW you're innocent, I remain adamant that you should NOT accept a plea bargain. While it's possible you might be convicted at trial, even when you're innocent, it's just as likely that you will be acquitted.When a defendant's trial begins, his chances of conviction or acquittal are exactly 50/50. As the trial progresses, the pendulum will swing both ways during witness testimony. There are two major factors which will ultimately decide your fate:1). The eveidence against you (including witness testimony), whether it's bona fide or manufactured and,2). Which attorney's argument the judge or jury finds more convincing or credible.Before the attorneys here tear me a new one, I will state that there ARE other factors which come into play, but those two are the major ones.Most members here, I hope, will never face a criminal trial. Even so, most of you will receive the occasional parking ticket or traffic citation (speeding, dim license plate light, headlight/ brake light out, no seat belt or similar nonsense).Lawyers will tell me I'm full of it but, personally speaking, I NEVER just whip out my checkbook and pay the fine without forcing the prosecutor to relinquish a signNow amount of his annual budget to prove I'm guilty; I'll waste as much of the state's money as I can. Since 2006, the police have mostly left me alone, because they know I’M GOING TO FIGHT BACK. The few times I have been stopped, they immediately dropped their adversarial attitude the moment I pointed out the video system I've installed in my truck which, incidentally, I keep in excellent repair.I have successfully utilized EVERY SINGLE ONE of the tactics I've outlined above at different times in my life, and I STILL recommend them. However, please use your God-given common sense to realize the laws may be different where you live, so some of them might still work for you, while others may not apply.If you get a traffic citation, do yourself a favor and call the National Motorists Association at (608) 849–6000. You'll be required to join for a year, but that'll be the best forty bucks you'll ever invest. The NMA will do everything in their considerable power to help you fight that ticket yourself and WIN, without having to hire an attorney.Also, I hope you'll read the input from other Quorans who have taken the time to comment on this post, as you'll find some very valuable information there. I'm not ashamed to admit I've learned a few things from them, and I'm grateful to all of you who have shared your knowledge and experience.Fred

(I started to answer a very short answer and ended up with a long entry. I hope you find it useful.)As Richard Tuisk said, it depends a lot on where you are from. However, let me tell you what my experience has been so far in Estonia, what I think it is good and what I would see as a downside of living here. Of course, I need to qualify my answer by saying that I am Latin American, but also have lived in four other countries (including the US where I went to college).A quick introduction: Estonia is a small country located in the Baltic Sea next to Russia and Latvia and very close to Finland. It is part of the European Union. The area of the country is roughly the same as Switzerland or as Maryland and Massachussets combined. There is about 1.3 million people living here which means it is not densely populated. The country is essentially flat, except in the south where you find the highest point at 318 meters (1043 ft). The main city and where I live in is Tallinn. The population is about 400,000 people. Tartu is the second city with about 100,000 people and all the rest of towns are smaller than that.Immigration systemIf you are European, moving here is no problem as you enjoy all the benefits of any country within the European Union. If you are not European, the main reasons people immigrate here is to work which would guarantee a working visa or if you are married to an Estonian citizen which allows you to apply for a visa as long as you have enough funds to live here.Overall, the process to get a short-term visa is straight forward. Obtaining a long-term visa is more complicated as you have to speak the language at a relatively high level. Obtaining a citizenship requires that you give up your own citizenship.JobsAlthough Estonia suffered also during the 2008 crisis, there is enough jobs in areas of business and technology for people to move here. One of the problems Estonia faces is that it does not have enough people to fill all jobs in IT areas as I hear.There is a few big companies who recruit people from abroad, but if you don't speak the local language, your opportunities are reduced to the IT area (I work for Skype which originated here in Estonia which was acquired by Microsoft in 2011). You can see a list of notable companies here: List of companies of EstoniaSocial interactionEstonians tend to be reserved in comparison to other Europeans. I suggest to foreigners who come here to be aware of differences so they are not taken by surprise. Some examples of faux pas I have encountered:Using smalltalk in a conversation.Saying good morning when coming to office or good bye when leaving.Smiling with no reason (I have to accept that this could be awkward in Northern Europe and some parts of the US, but it is totally normal in Mediterranean or Latin American environments).Being noisy. People love their quiet here.However, it is totally Ok to try to make a conversation in English especially with young people. I am learning Estonian and try to use the language when I can, but in some occasions (say, at the pharmacy), I need to switch to English and have never found anyone being annoyed by that.The exception to all of this is if you meet young people. They tend to be more open and curious (especially women). I am speaking about more casual environments such as a cafe or a restaurant, but a bit less at work. Another obvious exception is if you are in a touristy area (such as the Old Town in Tallinn), but this should go without saying.It is totally Ok to be in a group of people and be totally silent. For example, you can have lunch or share a cab with Estonians when no one is speaking, but there is no awkwardness on it. Another thing is that people do not demonstrate much through their expressions which is one of the difficult things to deal with for me. Remember, I come from a country where you smile or frown or show your teeth if you want someone to understand you clearly.When having a conversation with an Estonian, you should say what you mean and mean what you say (remember what I said about smalltalk?). For example, if you ask "how are you?" to an Estonian, do it only if (a) you really want to know how the other person is, and (b) don't ask it if you don't know the person well. I value that Estonians take your word at face value and you should do the same with them.One word of advice is that Estonians can be very critical of others, but they are mainly critical of themselves. Someone told me once that complaining is a national sport, and I have to agree with that. In other words, when they tell you that something is truly bad here in this country, you have to take it with a grain of salt.Because of this, you should also expect that people are straight forward with you. In some cases, this borders on rudeness if I measure by my home country's standards, but here is totally Ok. I have seen a few foreigners getting shocked by that, but you get used to it. In other words, they are not politically correct (this I like very much).Also, because people are economical with the language, you shouldn't expect what I would call, a "warm" communication most of the time. As a latin person, I need to say and hear things on a beautiful way, but this doesn't happen here much. It is different when you start to get to know locals.Which brings me to the last point. It takes a while before you break the ice with an Estonian, but it is worth waiting. I have had the chance to establish a closer link with some locals outside my wife's family and I find an honesty and sincerity that I haven't seen in other places. If you get to that point, congratulations, as you have made it through this journey. By this time, you should also be an expert on sharing saunas with people you don't know (and yes, naked) and have had your share of vodka.Quality of life, services, infrastructureWhen compared to other places where I have lived, I have to say that Estonia still doesn't signNow the level of living in Germany or the US, but it is getting closer by the day. However, I would say that Estonia is already at the level that I would call it first-world country in most aspects.Infrastructure and services need some improvement, but they provide the minimum level of service. For example, if you don't have a car, you can use public transportation everywhere even if buses, trains or trams are sometimes old. Roads in Tallinn are Ok, even if you find potholes in some places. Services such as schools and hospitals are public which means that there is always a waiting list. If you need to visit a specialist doctor, you have to wait. On the other hand, the wait is not as bad as in third-world countries (like where I come from). Also, those services are basically free. The downside is that there is almost no private service, and even the ones there are rely partially on the public health system for some aspects.I have had two children born here and had no complaints about the process. In fact, I felt that everything was very professional and that they always try to do their best. However, when I spoke with Estonians, some of them were very surprised that I spoke highly of the hospital system. I guess it's up to my personal point of view in this case.Taxes are low. Personal income tax is 21% flat for everyone. If you live here and your visa allows it, you can create your own start-up in no time which is prevalent among young people in IT.By the way, unemployment was at 8% at the end of Q3 in 2013. I am no economist, but I understand that this is still considered high. However, it came down from 10.2% at the end of 2012.Food, shoppingEstonia has the typical supermarkets like any other European country. There is also local markets, but you probably need to speak Estonian or Russian. Typical food you find are potatoes, wheat-like grains, oats and so on. Pork meat and fish are eaten often here, but beef is not yet too common. Vegetables and fruits tend to be expensive. I miss having international food though. There is one supermarket in town (Stockmann) that carries some international products, but it is very expensive. I was used to visiting Oriental-type shops in Ireland and Germany, but there is none here that I know of.There is a few shopping centres, but the variety is not wide. I am in favor of buying local to support businesses here, but in many cases, we end up buying from abroad because of the lack of options or because we would have to wait for too long. For example, my wife and I love movies (yeah, still buying old-fashioned DVDs), but there is no shop that fills our expectations. Because of that, we buy everything from Amazon.ActivitiesIf you love nature, you are in luck. There is a lot of natural areas in the country and they are a short drive away. There is plenty of sea shores, forests, rivers and lakes. In the Summer you can do hiking, camping, canoeing and you can add cross country skiing in the Winter. Estonians love nature in general.If you are a city person (like myself), then that's another story. There is a few theatres, cinemas, galleries and so on, but everything is limited. Tallinn itself has the most interesting activities in the center. There is plenty of good restaurants though.Cinemas show the popular movies like everywhere else and you can find some artsy type of cinemas for alternative movies. No movie is dubbed here, but they usually carry subtitles in both Estonian and Russian.What is impressive about this countryThere is a few good things that I haven't seen outside Estonia. The first one is the electronic system prevalent in this country. When you are a foreigner and get your Estonian ID, you are also getting your electronic identity. With that, you can file taxes online, access information about property, bank accounts, mobiles, whatever services you need. When you get your local ID number, you automatically get a local e-mail address at the eesti.ee domain that you can redirect to your personal account. With that, you never miss an official communication (such as whenever is time to file your taxes).That ID has also legal validity and you can sign documents electronically anywhere in the world. For example, if you apply to get a car leasing, you don't have to show up at the bank necessarily. They send you some forms, you put your ID card in your computer reader, sign the document electronically, and send it back and that's it. It is the equivalent of putting your signature on paper in front of the bank official or lawyer. Estonian citizens and permanent residents are even allowed to vote online with their ID.A second impressive area is bureaucracy: it is a well-oiled machine. One recurrent example is taxes. You get the notification that your taxes are ready to file, you login to the tax office site, sign in, check that they have the correct information that they have collected from your company, employer and so on, sign with your ID card, and that's it. It might take as little as five minutes. My wife and I file jointly, so it takes us much longer: twenty minutes (and that's because we always forget to do one crucial step so we are delayed).The government doesn't even use paper for their minister meetings. They file everything electronically which is made available so you can follow up agendas, minutes and whatever happens there.You want to open your own company? It might take literally twenty minutes to do that too. All of this thanks to the frictionless bureaucratic system they have here. You want to park? Send a text to the number 1902 with your plate number and where you are parking and it will be charged to your mobile.One more impressive part: internet. Besides having decent speeds, there is practically free access points everywhere through the country. I personally have witnessed free available working access points in national parks and public beaches. You can read this article that talks about this (read the date: 2005!): Estonia sets shining Wi-Fi exampleIn my case, I don't use access points much because I have a decent LTE connection with my mobile. Mobile companies have good coverage and relatively good service. I remember that when we got our internet when we moved here, it took only one day to install it. When I measured the effective speed a few months later out of curiosity, it was 50 Mbps. Not bad.The downsidesAs anywhere else, there is a few things that you need to be aware of that could be difficult to adapt to.The first part for me is the social interaction which tends to be dry and quiet. I mentioned that above, so not much more to say here.Another one is the weather. In Winter, the sun might rise at 9:30 in the morning and set at 3 in the afternoon. That's just about six hours of sunlight. If you add that it is cloudy most of the time during the Winter, then you realise how dark it might be. As counterposition, Summers are amazing (up to 20 hours of sunlight and clear skies easily).Winters are relatively long. It gets cold around the end of October and stays that way until around April. It varies from year to year, but sometimes the temperature drops to -30 degrees Celsius (-22 F). Life rarely stops here because of the cold or snow though. I have taken the bus at -30 degrees Celsius. It makes for an interesting ride.One more problem for a foreigner to live here is that you feel a bit isolated from the world. Flights are available mainly to neighbouring countries plus Germany, UK and the Netherlands. If you are from another country, you always need to make connections which makes it longer and more expensive to go back home.Last, if you are from a big city, you might find even Tallinn a bit provincial. It is changing as of late though. On the other hand, there is some positive things out of this too: less crime and virtually no traffic jam as I know it (I live 20 km. from work and make it in 30 minutes on a good day and 45 on a bad one).If you are thinking to move here, I definitely recommend this place.

I am banned from:All San Jose Sharks games for screaming "kill the fucking frog, you fucking weak piece of shit" in 2000 in a game between the Sharks and the Leafs. It didn't help that I was hanging 8ft up on the top of the plexiglass barrier.All KFC in the country for calling KFC "the disease ridden whore of fast food after a night of shagging a pile of chicken feces" and demanding to see the rotting carcass of "the Colonel" to compare its edibility with that of a six piece all white bucket - during a panel discussion about food at a food service show. I got the letter three weeks later.All "Twin Peaks" locations in the greater Dallas area for making hand motions simulating oral intercourse in front of a camera that live-streamed into the main dining hall. When challenged on the frivolity of my actions I responded that a place that uses every sexist trope under the sun to attract frat boys and idiot bankers trying to fill their wank bank has no standing in this debate - and got banned.Two Megachurches in Dallas for wearing a Gay Pride t-shirt and entering their merchandise and sermon-on-DVD store inquiring about incense and myrrh flavored condoms.Calling the Rush Limbaugh show for telling him that draft dodgers and drug addicts have no standing in criticizing our Commander in Chief.A few bars and restaurants in San Jose and around for starting fights or being involved in them.Edit: yes, I am a rude, undesirable, morally depraved and pretty ugly human being. I enjoy it. I also don't ever want to eat at KFC or Twin Peaks, I don't live in San Jose anymore, and I am not usually calling Rush Limbaugh or go to church, so none of those bans really affect me other than cementing my reputation.

“I was meeting with your ex-partners,” Mike said to me. “Their slide deck seemed the exact same as yours. I was waiting for the inverted triangle (a graphic we had in our deck) then, sure enough, there it was.”Mike was telling me about meeting with “Jim” and “John”. Jim and John were the two original cofounders of my company. Right before we were about to get funded, they quit and stole the company’s IP right down to my slide deck.Jim and John thought I would just give up. But I persevered and found better cofounders to replace them with.I started raising money again once I had my new cofounders in place. At the same time Jim and John were raising money too.It was scary because it felt like only one of us was going to funding, and there was no guarantee that justice would prevail.I’ll never forget Gill asking me, right before he gave us a term sheet, “I was meeting with Jim from Scale Ventures, and he said he met with a really good Analog team. Was that you?”Fortunately it was us. And I told Gill about the meeting. We were too early for Jim because he preferred investing in B rounds.Then Gill said, “I’m ready to give you a term sheet.”If Jim had met with my ex cofounders, then I don’t think Gill would have invested in us. It was that close.The biggest chance of someone stealing your ideas will come from within your company.Over 50% of founder relationships end with one or more cofounders not working out. You need to protect yourself just in case things don’t work out.Here are eleven conventional and maybe unconventional ideas to protect yourself:A. Don’t bother suing because it’s a waste of your time.It pisses you off that there is someone out there who stole your IP and is attempting to make money with it.I’ve been there, but suing is just a waste of energy and money because the other side typically has no money and no assets to go after. The best thing you can do is kick their ass in the market place. However…B. Sue them if they succeed and you don’t.You have the PIIA agreement and a lot of evidence. And there is a lot more money at stake. To protect yourself going in…C. Have all your co-founders (and Future Employees) Sign a Proprietary Information And Inventions Agreement.The PIIA is a standard agreement that most employees sign when they join a new company. Have everyone, including yourself, sign one once they become part of the company.The PIIA is an insurance policy for you (and a reminder to your ex-employees) that ex-employees are legally bound to not steal information. You can find example PIIA's on line.D. Obey the Nine-Month Rule.Or maybe we should call it the three-month rule. All relationships go through phases. And your cofounder relationships will go through phases too.You will go through the honeymoon phase for the first three months or so. Don’t launch anything until you are through this phase.Months three through nine are where the conflicts arise and motivation wanes for some. So…E. Talk Through the Key Issues Early.Make sure you and your cofounders are in basic agreement about the strategy, recruiting, and funding needs of the company. This was the mistake I made with Jim and John.My cofounders, especially Jim, had a different set of beliefs regarding how we should raise money. And Jim had a different thought process on the strategic direction we should pursue.I assumed these disagreements weren’t that major, and that Jim and John would just follow my lead. They didn’t, and that leads to the next key point…F. Don’t assume conflicts will resolve themselves.Many won’t. In fact, the conflicts are likely to get worse. Talk things out between you and your co-founders and see if you can work through the issue(s).I don’t think talking would have kept Jim and John from leaving, but at least I would have forced myself to be honest about what was going on.Then...G. Don’t try and stop your cofounder from quitting.This may seem harsh, but you are better off letting your cofounder leave.Why? Your cofounder is likely to quit again. It’s painful to lose a key person so early, but you can survive it. And…H. Remind your cofounder who is quitting they are privy to proprietary information.They will not like it, but it’s a not so subtle reminder that you are watching. I told John this and he hung up the phone on me. Again, that's why it's important to have your cofounders and employees sign a PIAA. And that’s why it’s important to…I. Make sure your equity agreements have stock vesting over a four year period, preferably with a one-year cliff.Let’s say you have two cofounders and each of you have 33% ownership of the company. Six months in it's clear one of your cofounders isn't working out.Have a vesting agreement for the stock, so you haven’t just given 33% of the company to someone who has just left. The one year cliff means that no one vests any stock (including you) until 12 months have passed.Now you haven't given up any equity in your company when your cofounder leaves. And...J. Get rid of your bad apples.Sometimes things don’t work out. It’s normal to have let a cofounder go.The other employees will be relieved that you took action. Just handle yourself with class and grace when you do. And…K. Move fast.Okay, a cofounder quits and starts his own company with your stolen IP. Short term, there’s nothing you can do except move quickly to get yourself to market.In other words, you should be doing what you are already doing. One more thing...I know what you’re thinking: This sounds like a lot of extra work and possibly money.Yes it is some extra work. You can find many of the agreements online. The one that I’ve seen burn people time after time is equity:Equity (including your equity) needs to vest over time!I am not a lawyer (even though I’ve been accused of being a rather good jailhouse lawyer), but I strongly suggest that you have some agreement stating that the new cofounder or employee’s equity will vest over a four-period. The first 25% will vest after one year, and the remainder will vest on a monthly basis over the next three years. And...Bonus tip: Have an experienced startup lawyer draw up the agreements.Seriously. Get a lawyer to help you! I know you may not have a lot of money, but co-founder agreements are one thing you shouldn't scrimp on.So get your cofounder agreements done right! You will not regret it.It doesn’t need to be complicated. Just remember that cofounders leave companies. And you need to be protected just in case one of your cofounder’s leaves.For more, read: www.brettjfox.com/what-ar...

“I was meeting with your ex-partners,” Mike said to me. “Their slide deck seemed the exact same as yours. I was waiting for the inverted triangle then, sure enough, there it was.”Mike was telling me about meeting with “Jim” and “John”. Jim and John were the two original cofounders of my company. Right before we were about to get funded, they quit and stole the company’s IP right down to my slide deck.Jim and John thought I would just give up. But I persevered and found better cofounders to replace them with.I started raising money again once I had my new cofounders in place. At the same time Jim and John were raising money too.It was scary because it felt like only one of us was going to funding, and there was no guarantee that justice would prevail.I’ll never forget Gill asking me, right before he gave us a term sheet, “I was meeting with Jim from Scale Ventures, and he said he met with a really good Analog team. Was that you?”Fortunately it was us. And I told Gill about the meeting. We were too early for Jim because he preferred investing in B rounds.Then Gill said, “I’m ready to give you a term sheet.”If Jim had met with my ex cofounders, then I don’t think Gill would have invested in us. It was that close.The biggest chance of someone stealing your ideas will come from within your company.Over 50% of founder relationships end with one or more cofounders not working out. You need to protect yourself just in case things don’t work out.Here are eleven conventional and maybe unconventional ideas to protect yourself:A. Have all your co-founders (and Future Employees) Sign a Proprietary Information And Inventions Agreement.The PIIA is a standard agreement that most employees sign when they join a new company. Have everyone, including yourself, sign one once they become part of the company.The PIIA is an insurance policy for you (and a reminder to your ex-employees) that ex-employees are legally bound to not steal information. You can find example PIIA's on line.B. Obey the Nine-Month Rule.Or maybe we should call it the three-month rule. All relationships go through phases. And your cofounder relationships will go through phases too.You will go through the honeymoon phase for the first three months or so. Don’t launch anything until you are through this phase.Months three through nine are where the conflicts arise and motivation wanes for some. So…C. Talk Through the Key Issues Early.Make sure you and your cofounders are in basic agreement about the strategy, recruiting, and funding needs of the company. This was the mistake I made with Jim and John.My cofounders, especially Jim, had a different set of beliefs regarding how we should raise money. And Jim had a different thought process on the strategic direction we should pursue.I assumed these disagreements weren’t that major, and that Jim and John would just follow my lead. They didn’t, and that leads to the next key point…D. Don’t assume conflicts will resolve themselves.Many won’t. In fact, the conflicts are likely to get worse. Talk things out between you and your co-founders and see if you can work through the issue(s).I don’t think talking would have kept Jim and John from leaving, but at least I would have forced myself to be honest about what was going on.Then...E. Don’t try and stop a cofounder from quitting.This may seem harsh, but you are better off letting your cofounder leave.Why? Your cofounder is likely to quit again. It’s painful to lose a key person so early, but you can survive it. And…F. Remind your cofounder who is quitting they are privy to proprietary information.They will not like it, but it’s a not so subtle reminder that you are watching. I told John this and he hung up the phone on me. Again, that's why it's important to have your cofounders and employees sign a PIAA. And that’s why it’s important to…G. Make sure your equity agreements have stock vesting over a four year period, preferably with a one-year cliff.Let’s say you have two cofounders and each of you have 33% ownership of the company. Six months in it's clear one of your cofounders isn't working out.Have a vesting agreement for the stock, so you haven’t just given 33% of the company to someone who has just left. The one year cliff means that no one vests any stock (including you) until 12 months have passed.Now you haven't given up any equity in your company when your cofounder leaves. And...H. Get rid of your bad apples.Sometimes things don’t work out. It’s normal to have let a cofounder go.The other employees will be relieved that you took action. Just handle yourself with class and grace when you do. And…I. Move fast.Okay, a cofounder quits and starts his own company with your stolen IP. Short term, there’s nothing you can do except move quickly to get yourself to market.In other words, you should be doing what you are already doing. One more thing...J. Don’t bother suing because it’s a waste of your time.It pisses you off that there is someone out there who stole your IP and is attempting to make money with it.I’ve been there, but suing is just a waste of energy and money because the other side typically has no money and no assets to go after. The best thing you can do is kick their ass in the market place. However…K. Sue them if they succeed and you don’t.You have the PIIA agreement and a lot of evidence. And there is a lot more money at stake.I know what you’re thinking: This sounds like a lot of extra work and possibly money.Yes it is some extra work. You can find many of the agreements online. The one that I’ve seen burn people time after time is equity:Equity (including your equity) needs to vest over time!I am not a lawyer (even though I’ve been accused of being a rather good jailhouse lawyer), but I strongly suggest that you have some agreement stating that the new cofounder or employee’s equity will vest over a four-period. The first 25% will vest after one year, and the remainder will vest on a monthly basis over the next three years. And...Bonus tip: Have an experienced startup lawyer draw up the agreements.Seriously. Get a lawyer to help you! I know you may not have a lot of money, but co-founder agreements are one thing you shouldn't scrimp on.So get your cofounder agreements done right! You will not regret it.It doesn’t need to be complicated. Just remember that cofounders leave companies. And you need to be protected just in case one of your cofounder’s leaves.For more, read: http://www.brettjfox.com/what-ar...