#5: Your written agreement does not address cash callsAll too often, written agreements fail to address this sensitive issue: What happens if, despite your best-laid plans and projections, your venture ends up needing more money than you planned and originally contributed to capitalize your deal? Perhaps the venturers do not want to consider this possibility up front, when they are drafting their agreement. Or their lawyer failed to include a provision addressing this. Regardless, even though the topic of cash calls is one of the most difficult to discuss, that is exactly why you must get out of your comfort zone and deal with it before the unexpected circumstances of the deal require you to confront and deal with the lack of adequate funds to continue with your venture. Regardless of when you deal with it, whatever you decide is the best way to handle an unexpected shortfall in funds should be documented. If your agreement does not address this, then when storm clouds start to form over your venture, you are headed for a tough discussion with your partner that could result in a lawsuit. It may not be too late. Sit down with your partner right now and have the discussion you should have had when you first got together…and document it! There are many different sub-issues that must be part of your cash call discussion including, but not limited to, do you put a cap on the maximum cash call, if so then how much is that cap, who decides if a cash call is required, how long should the parties have to come up with their pro rata share, if one of the partners cannot come up with their share, what should happen then, and many others.