Effective communication and direction from the helm is therefore critical to a company's success, and if the founders cannot fulfill this role, it may be necessary to hire someone to meet this need fairly early on.

Founders should be prepare to realize their limitations, and not hesitate to hire a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) when ability or time limitations mean that the marketing, managerial and business needs cannot be met by the founders.

Founders should also be prepared to listen to—and take—the advice of the CEO. Business realities sometimes dictate different directions or priorities than might be suggested by purely scientific considerations.

Similarly, your company's expertise may not include manufacturing or marketing and you may have to outsource these functions.

More Tips for Scientist Entrepreneurs

To learn more about how to bring a product out of the laboratory and transition from the role of scientist to that of entrepreneur, please browse the rest of the tips for science entrepreneurs in this article series:

• Transitioning from Science to Sale - We introduce our 10 tips for entrepreneurial scientists who want to take their science to market.
• 1. Getting it in Writing - Before you get too far along in the process, it's imperative that you put together written contracts that define ownership rights, confidentiality and other important obligations and understandings.
• 2. Cultivating A Culture of Invention - Encouraging invention is the first step to creating valuable intellectual property. We look at what organizations must do in order to motivate employees to create proprietary science and apply for patents.
• 3. Getting Inventorship Right - Patent laws require that you get inventorship right. Get it wrong and you can lose the patent. Here are some simple ways to avoid making a mistake in the naming of inventors.
• 4. Using Hardbound Notebooks - Your lab notebook could end up being used as evidence to invalidate your patent claim. We discuss the proper use of hardbound lab notebooks to ensure proper IP protection.
• 5. Planning a Patent Strategy - Filing patents can be an intimidating endeavor, but there are some best practices for scientist entrepreneurs that you ought to know about.
• 6. Planning an FDA Strategy - Knowing these tips for getting FDA approval will come in handy if you are working on new drugs or medical devices.
• 7. Loosening the Reins - You can't do it all. Scientists entrepreneurs must know when to transition leadership and when it's time to bring in the pros.
• 8. Stirring Public Interest - Promoting your science before you commercialize can smooth the road to funding...but there are a few mistakes you can make if you are not careful.
• 9. Financing the Company - It takes money to make money. Here are a few things to know about the funding process.
• 10. Preparing for Due Diligence - Due diligence involves intense scrutiny of all of your documents. It's critical to keep your documents well-organized and readily accessible.