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YOU’RE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR IDEAS. SO ARE WE
CROWLEYLAWLLC.COM
JANUARY 2026
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BRAIN BOOST BREAKTHROUGHS January’s Journey to Sharper Thinking
The first month of the year is traditionally when we consider new ways to improve our lives, but how many of us also use this time to strengthen (or perhaps even change) how our brains function? In addition to kickstarting 2026, January is National Brain Teaser Month, a fantastic opportunity for us to acknowledge the brain as our most important organ and incorporate behaviors to help stimulate and preserve this wonderful resource. Just as we might pursue physical therapy to enhance our mobility, we should continually monitor our mental acuity and seek methods to improve it. That said, I’d like to devote this month’s cover article to discussing someone who has revolutionized how people understand and shape their minds … including how I know my own and how I treat it. Philip Crowley’s debut book, “ AVOID STARTUP FAILURE!: Learn the Top Ten Causes of Failure for Technology Startups and How to Turn Them to Your Advantage ,” reveals the insider secrets and strategic tools that help
A true neuroscience pioneer, Dr. Daniel Amen is an award-winning researcher, a double-board-certified psychiatrist and an educator. He has written more than 30 books, including the million-plus-selling “Change Your Brain, Change Your Life,” as well as over 95 scientific papers. Named “the most popular psychiatrist in America” by The Washington Post, he is also the founder of Amen Clinics, which boasts 11 locations nationwide. Dr. Amen’s work in exploring brain health has been extraordinary. Utilizing single photon emission computed tomography (“SPECT”), his team performs brain scans to evaluate blood flow to and within the brain. These scans are specifically designed to detect healthy activity, excessive activity or insufficient activity in various brain regions. The scan results are then used to determine ways to balance the brain’s health by either calming its overactivity or stimulating it to promote increased cognitive function. As he states on his website ( DanielAmenMD.com ), he believes that “most psychiatric disorders are not mental health issues at all [...] They are brain health issues that steal people’s minds.” While other psychiatrists try to determine your brain health by looking at what you do, say and feel, Dr. Amen’s methodology focuses on the health of your brain. He examines the nutritional and blood flow aspects of brain function to identify specific neurological issues. For example, his scans have been successful in helping improve the mental state of National Football League players who have sustained multiple concussions. According to Amen Clinics, Dr. Amen’s SPECT brain scans have been performed on nearly 300,000 patients from 155 countries.
many startups avoid common missteps and promote long- term success. Scan the QR code to order your copy on Amazon today!
Last July, I became one of those patients.
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Structure Your Startup for Stability Innovation Insurance
Whether it’s romantic or professional, no one enters into a new relationship anticipating its end. However, these early stages are precisely when you should plan for the worst. Take, for example, two or more life sciences innovators who join forces to pursue an entrepreneurial dream. Establishing a startup should always be a time of great promise and mutual enthusiasm. Still, the excitement driving this all-for-one, one-for-all mindset can cloud the partners’ judgment and prevent them from taking appropriate steps to protect themselves legally as their new endeavor expands and achieves greater success. If you’re considering partnering with other budding entrepreneurs to launch a startup, please read on for critical tips that could save your aspirations from sinking into legal turmoil. FORMAL WRITING TRUMPS FRIENDLY WORDS. If launching a startup were easy, everyone would do it. The early stages of the process are often characterized by multitasking, paperwork and (in many cases) a fair amount of stress. Although you and your partners are likely already spinning plenty of plates, you must devote adequate attention to your startup’s formalized internal agreements and governance structure and put safeguards in place in the event of changes to the partnership. Mutual trust and respect may have brought you and the other co-founder(s) together, but legal documentation is necessary if and when disagreements arise. In business, words and promises alone are never enough. What happens if a co-founder decides to leave? Do you have appropriate stockholders’ agreements, intellectual property (“IP”) assignment records and agreements that specify your organization’s board structure, voting rights, decision-making protocols and control of equity interests? These are just a few of the questions you must consider as early as possible.
Additionally, investors will look for documentation outlining these areas when considering their support of your innovation, and they may use any missing documentation as leverage during negotiations. Aside from potentially alienating key investors, overlooking these critical factors can cause considerable strain on your future success, including the possibility of a departing co-founder still retaining an equity stake, voting rights and even the ability to participate in key decision-making. EXPERIENCE EXCEEDS FALSE EXPECTATIONS. As the adage suggests, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” Unfortunately, many startups only discover their structural shortcomings when their vision becomes profitable, friction builds between co-founders and their initial strategic gaps become virtually impossible to fill without extensive legal and logistical headaches. The team at Crowley Law LLC leverages its decades of combined experience to help clients establish a functional and legally sound foundation on which to bring their innovations to market. Although the nuances of creating a suitable legal framework for your startup are too extensive to cover in full in this article, here are the critical documents you must have in place: • Stockholders’ Agreements and Operating Agreements • IP Assignment Agreements • Confidentiality and Invention Agreements Please contact Crowley Law LLC for a thorough review of your existing documents or to begin the process. The more robust your formal structure, the better your innovation(s) will be protected from the negative impact of an overlooked or poorly devised agreement. We are also happy to discuss any of the specific issues outlined in this article.
Collaborative Counsel for Competitive Clarity: Quesited LLC
“Quesited (derived from the Latin word quaesitus , which means to seek, inquire or question) is a market research firm headquartered in Trenton. True to our name, we conduct extensive research for companies, ranging from startups to global organizations, that are interested in gaining a deeper understanding of their clients, customers and competitors. Our process involves examining the economic, political, technological and legal components that impact an organization’s opportunities in a specific marketplace. “Through my industry networking, I was fortunate enough to meet Philip Crowley. In addition to being a wonderful and generous person, he’s a man of great intellectual curiosity. The complexities of succeeding in the life science and technology space require a strong
legal mind to review a company’s structure, the legitimacy of its patents and other critical facts to ensure market-readiness. Phil has the expertise to help our clients address these areas, enabling these companies to accomplish their goals more effectively. “Quesited LLC and Crowley Law LLC enjoy a symbiotic and synergistic relationship. Phil refers clients to us when they have market research needs, and we refer our clients to him when they require expert legal advice. Our unique partnership helps ensure our mutual clients’ lasting success, and I’m grateful to Phil for his ongoing support.”
–Patricia W. Peiffer
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From Lab to Patient, Garage to Market NEW YORK’S LIFE SCIENCES LEADERSHIP
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I learned about Dr. Amen while watching one of his many appearances on PBS. Immediately intrigued by his work and perspectives, I soon became an avid reader of his books and materials. Naturally, I wanted to experience a SPECT scan myself. When my schedule allowed me to have a scan performed at his clinic near my home in Florida, I jumped at the opportunity. The process began with the injection of a radioactive dye, which was allowed to circulate before a gamma camera was used to capture images of the blood flow in my brain. The procedure was comfortable, and I had no ill effects afterward. The results were illuminating. The scan revealed reduced blood flow in the areas of my brain that focus on memory. Naturally, the inability to remember things is a common concern that arises with age. I intend to correlate these results with exercises designed to relax my brain and help eliminate stress, as well as incorporate nutritional support, to give myself new opportunities to improve blood flow to the affected areas. Science is the pursuit of truth, and I’m pleased to have learned new things about myself through this scan. In the spirit of National Brain Teaser Month, I encourage you to explore ways to strengthen and maintain your mental acuity. Whether it’s completing word games and puzzles for fun, taking vitamins and supplements when recommended by a health care professional or simply eating well and getting enough exercise, we have plenty of opportunities to keep our minds sharp and focused this month and year-round. If this cover article serves as your first introduction to Dr. Amen, I wholeheartedly recommend you learn more about his work and approach to medicine. For more information on him, please visit DanielAmenMD.com . For additional insights into the SPECT brain scan process, visit bit.ly/4oQPlqy .
Enriching the lives of thousands (or even millions ) of people is the goal at the heart of the life sciences community, and nowhere is this commitment more evident than in the Empire State and its surrounding areas.
In addition to boasting the world’s highest concentration of academic medical centers, the New York area serves as the national or global headquarters for the pharmaceutical industry’s largest companies, provides more than 70,000 biotechnology jobs and produces the highest number of Ph.D. graduates in the United States. These strengths uniquely position the region to lead in innovation and foster today’s life sciences entrepreneurs. To help guide innovators toward greater success in this rich environment, Philip Crowley welcomes Jennifer Hawks Bland, CEO of NewYorkBIO, on Episode 26 of his “From Lab to Patient, Garage to Market” podcast. The engaging 32-minute conversation explores NewYorkBIO’s various activities in support of life sciences companies, its collaborative philosophy in working with early- stage startups, success stories from the group’s membership and more. In one of the episode’s many highlights, Bland offers practical advice for aspiring innovators in their quest to bring their great ideas to market. In addition to urging life sciences entrepreneurs to take advantage of the peer-to-peer networking opportunities offered through NewYorkBIO and similar regional organizations, she encourages them to engage with government officials (including members of Congress and the state legislature) to help these officials better understand and embrace the importance of their companies’ work. To help initiate these connections, NewYorkBIO coordinates meetings between member companies and elected officials in Washington, D.C., Albany and other key areas throughout the year. Bland encourages startup representatives to consider participating in these exchanges with legislators, regardless of their potentially limited experience in the political arena. “Don’t think you’re not ready,” she says. “Every time you have the opportunity to talk about the work you’re doing on behalf of patients, it’s a good opportunity you shouldn’t pass up.” The leading advocate for the life sciences industry in the state, NewYorkBIO supports the development and growth of hundreds of member companies, connecting them with universities, research facilities and other entities dedicated to enhancing the commercialization of new medical treatments and cures. For more information, please visit NewYorkBIO.org . Hosted by Crowley Law LLC Founder and Managing Partner Philip Crowley, the “From Lab to Patient, Garage to Market” podcast explores the critical issues and concerns impacting the biotech, life sciences and startup markets by offering fresh perspectives from industry leaders and experts. It is available on YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, all major podcast channels and at CrowleyLawLLC.com .
Dr. Amen also offers a variety of educational courses through Amen University, available at AmenUniversity.com .
–Philip Crowley
Note: The foregoing may constitute attorney advertising under applicable bar rules.
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In This Issue
1. A New Script for Mental Strength
2. Wise Directions for Durable Ventures
Referral Testimonial
3. Podcast Preview
4. Unlock Explosive Growth With Micro Pivots
problems. This could mean tweaking your marketing message, adjusting pricing or shifting resources toward a service feature that’s gaining traction. These changes might not seem dramatic, but when stacked over time, they can transform your trajectory without the upheaval of a complete business pivot. The brilliance lies in the balance: You’re adapting without disrupting your core mission. WHY ENTREPRENEURS CAN’T IGNORE THIS STRATEGY Today’s market isn’t just fast, it’s ruthless. Consumer expectations shift overnight, competitors spring up from nowhere and yesterday’s strategy can quickly become tomorrow’s liability. By practicing micro pivoting, you’re not waiting until something breaks to fix it. You’re catching opportunities in real time and avoiding risks before they become costly mistakes. HOW TO MASTER MICRO PIVOTING Here’s how to make micro pivoting part of your business DNA.
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Pinpoint your performance drivers: Focus only on the metrics that fuel growth, like revenue streams, retention rates and customer lifetime value. Mine the data gold: Use analytics and real-time insights to spot trends and pain points. Chase high-impact tweaks: Look for small changes with the biggest payoff, such as simplifying a checkout flow or reshaping a sales script. Experiment like a scientist: Test, measure and adjust. Small-scale trials mean low risk and faster learning curves.
In business, waiting until the storm hits to change course is too late. The most successful entrepreneurs don’t rely on dramatic reinventions or risky overhauls; they win by staying ahead with sharp, calculated micro pivots. These small but mighty shifts can unlock new opportunities, protect your bottom line and keep you two steps ahead of your competition. WHAT MAKES MICRO PIVOTS A POWER MOVE Think of micro pivoting as fine-tuning. It’s about spotting subtle shifts in customer behavior, market conditions and team performance, then making small adjustments before these little issues snowball into major Small Shifts Can Drive Big Wins in Business MICRO PIVOTS MOVE MOUNTAINS
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The key? Repeat relentlessly.
THE ENTREPRENEUR’S EDGE Micro pivots are your secret weapon against stagnation. While others cling to outdated strategies or bet on risky overhauls, you’ll build resilience and momentum one smart shift at a time. So, ask yourself: What’s the next micro pivot that could change everything for your business?
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