S4E20: Are Founders Overlooking Legal Risks, Cap Table Issues & the Long-Term Impact of Exits?

Can you scale fast without falling into legal traps?

In this episode of The BarberShop with Shantanu, we are joined by Archana Rajaram (Managing Partner, River Law) and Anup Agarwal (Co-Founder & CEO, Mintifi) to decode a side of entrepreneurship that’s often left behind and what really happens when capital, compliance, and chaos collide.

From helping founders steer clear of costly mistakes to making sense of India’s tricky legal systems, Archana breaks down how "good lawyering should never come in the way of business". And Anup shares how Mintifi is not just simplifying credit for distributors but doing it while keeping unit economics and risk in check.

This episode is basically a founder survival guide on what to fight for, what to let go, and how to not get distracted by vanity clauses.

Key Takeaways from the episode:

• Why not hiring a lawyer early could cost you crores.
• The dos and don’ts of equity dilution, term sheets, and board control.
• How Mintifi is solving working capital at scale using tech-first lending.
• When you should fight a clause and when to just move on.

If you're a founder, investor, or just someone trying to make sense of startup chaos, this episode will make you think and maybe double-check your SHA.

Let us know in the comments what’s one legal or financial misstep you wish someone had warned you about.