INTERVIEW ON THE PRICE OF BUSINESS SHOW, MEDIA PARTNER OF THIS SITE.

Recently Kevin Price, Host of the nationally syndicated Price of Business Show, interviewed Alexander Paykin.

The Alexander Paykin Commentaries

Being the CEO of a small business is an incredible challenge. You’re managing people, balancing budgets, growing the company, and trying to make smart decisions in a world that never seems to slow down. And in the middle of it all, you’re expected to be a legal expert—or at least to act like one.

Maybe it starts with a contract that lands on your desk and just doesn’t feel quite right. Or a departing employee who you’re worried might take client information. Or a partner disagreement that’s starting to sound less like a business conversation and more like a potential dispute. These situations are common, and they come with a heavy dose of stress. The problem isn’t that these challenges exist—they’re part of running any business. The real problem is facing them without qualified legal support.

Larger companies have an advantage: in-house counsel. There’s someone down the hall whose job is to deal with legal risk, answer questions, and provide advice in real time. But for small and growing businesses, a full-time attorney isn’t always financially feasible. Legal support often becomes a reactive service—something you seek out when it’s already too late, when you’re already dealing with a problem that could have been avoided.

That’s where Outside General Counsel (OGC) changes the game.

Outside General Counsel offers small businesses a practical solution: access to an experienced attorney on a part-time, as-needed basis. It’s not about hiring a lawyer for a one-off project—it’s about forming an ongoing relationship with someone who understands your business and becomes a trusted advisor over time. The beauty of the OGC model is flexibility. You might only need a few hours a month—but during those hours, you can ask questions, get contracts reviewed, talk through sensitive decisions, or get feedback on your plans before they become problems.

More importantly, you gain the peace of mind that comes from knowing you’re not alone. You don’t have to make high-stakes decisions in a vacuum. You don’t have to rely on Google or generic contract templates or hope that your instincts are enough to protect you. You have a real attorney who knows your company and is available to help.

What many CEOs come to realize is that legal support is not just about compliance or avoiding lawsuits—though those are certainly important. Legal advice is also about improving your confidence as a leader. It’s about being able to move forward with decisions knowing you’ve thought through the potential risks, and that those risks have been minimized. That kind of clarity is invaluable.

It’s also about timing. In legal matters, timing is everything. Getting advice early—before something becomes a crisis—can mean the difference between a minor adjustment and a full-blown legal battle. With Outside General Counsel, you’re not calling a stranger when something goes wrong. You’re working with someone who already understands your business and can step in with practical, proactive guidance right when you need it.

As a CEO, you carry enough weight on your shoulders. You don’t need to carry legal uncertainty, too. With Outside General Counsel, you can put that responsibility into the hands of a trusted legal partner—and you can get back to focusing on the work that truly drives your business forward.