Craig Ready – Launch Potato

Craig Ready is the general counsel for Launch Potato, a dynamic and fast-growing company that operates a portfolio of websites and brands, including the highly successful FinanceBuzz, a personal finance platform. Launch Potato’s core mission is to connect consumers with various products and services, using compelling content to attract users and drive engagement. This strategy, in turn, draws advertisers seeking to tap into the platform’s growing audience.

Craig Ready | Launch Potato | General Counsel

In this thriving environment, Ready is a key partner and strategic adviser to the executive team, ensuring that a solid legal foundation supports the company’s ambitious growth plans.

“I’m here to help the business grow, solve problems, and ensure we’re always moving forward. At Launch Potato, things move fast, and it’s exciting to be a part of those big decisions, whether it’s exploring new opportunities, navigating challenges, or figuring out how to take the company to the next level. It’s about being a true partner and building a foundation that supports long-term success,” Ready tells Vanguard magazine during an early fall interview.

Ensuring compliance and value

Ready’s work at Launch Potato spans a variety of critical projects, with a particular focus on the company’s acquisition strategy. He works with the leadership team to identify and assess potential acquisition targets, looking for opportunities that seamlessly integrate with the company’s existing product offerings. His ability to understand the business objectives behind these deals allows him to play a pivotal role from the early evaluation stages to finalizing the terms. Ready manages the entire legal process for these acquisitions, ensuring thorough due diligence, risks are mitigated, and the acquisitions contribute to the company’s broader growth goals.

“This proactive involvement allows Launch Potato to expand its footprint while maintaining a clear strategic focus,” he explains.

Product development is another area where Ready’s expertise is indispensable. He is deeply involved in reviewing and advising on new product features, ensuring they align with legal requirements and the company’s long-term vision. Whether evaluating the legal implications of product updates, reviewing marketing materials, or helping teams navigate the complexities of advertising and consumer protection regulations, Ready plays a hands-on role in shaping the company’s product strategy. His guidance is crucial in launching new offerings efficiently, ensuring that each product is legally sound and positioned for success in the market.

“I’m all about ensuring our acquisitions drive meaningful growth and fit our vision, and with product development, I ensure that new features are compliant and aligned with our goals so we can launch quickly and deliver real value to our users,” Ready says.

Cultivating a culture of collaboration

In addition to his work on acquisitions and product strategy, Ready takes a leadership role in shaping Launch Potato’s approach to recruiting and retaining top talent. With a distributed workforce that includes remote and international employees, Ready works closely with HR to create policies that support the company’s global structure while maintaining legal compliance. His involvement in recruitment processes and employee retention strategies ensures that the company attracts the right talent and provides the infrastructure needed to thrive. Ready’s close partnership with HR extends to managing policy changes, ensuring that any shifts are handled to balance business needs with employee well-being.

One of Ready’s standout qualities is his commitment to building solid relationships within the company. He understands that legal work doesn’t exist in a vacuum and that the success of any project hinges on strong partnerships across departments. He prioritizes developing meaningful connections with key leaders, ensuring that challenges can be resolved quickly and collaboratively when they arise. One of his primary tools is humor (something that lawyers are not known for). But he learned early in his career that allowing his natural sense of humor to shine through broke down traditional barriers between “legal” and “business.” He continues to emphasize this relationship-building as a crucial part of his role at Launch Potato.

Ready’s contributions extend beyond the traditional role of a general counsel. His involvement in acquisitions, product development, and leadership strategy makes him essential to Launch Potato’s success story. His ability to bridge the gap between legal considerations and business strategy has helped the company thrive, positioning it for continued growth and innovation in the competitive digital marketplace.

In addition to his role at Launch Potato, Ready found a passion for supporting other entrepreneurs. Whether through an angel investment or providing strategic advice, Ready has an authentic sense of empathy for what founders go through. After all, his father was an entrepreneur who started a business in his 40s, and Ready saw the struggle and lack of resources. “I admire founders more than I can say. Whether I invest time or resources into their project, I still admire that they take risks to put something into the world or solve a problem. And I want to be there for them.”

Navigating law and business success

Ready’s journey began with an interest in religion and history, aiming for a PhD and a career teaching at the college level. His plans shifted, and he pursued law instead. Ready earned a degree in history from Lee University and a master’s in philosophy and religious studies before enrolling in law school at the University of Maryland.

While working full-time during the day, he attended law school at night, driven to figure out his next steps. Upon graduating with his JD, he secured a position at Venable LLP. Though the law firm experience was valuable, Ready quickly realized it wasn’t the right long-term fit. With a growing interest in business and investing, he moved into in-house roles where he could work closely with companies, learning their inner workings.

Ready’s career took him through roles at MileOne Automotive Group, Wells Fargo, Red Ventures, and Orchard before he joined Launch Potato as general counsel in May 2023.

Outside work, Ready is a dedicated family man with two young children. A lifelong sports fan, he grew up a Florida Gators and Michael Jordan fan and played basketball in high school, which shaped his competitive spirit. That spirit drives him today to help Launch Potato and other entrepreneurs win.