I've gotten several questions recently about the legalities of starting a business. So, this week I thought I would address a few of the more common legal issues most new businesses face. But first, let's get the mandatory legal disclaimer out of the way: the advice dispensed by this columnist is probably no better or worse than the advice dispensed by other columnists. Do not take the following advice as gospel or bet the future of your business...more
Q: I'm curious. What is the dumbest business question you've ever been asked? -- Norris W.A: Shame on you, Norris. There is no such thing as a dumb business question. OK, that's not exactly true. There are dumb business questions and I do get quite a few of them. Not through this column, of course. People intelligent enough to actually use a computer and surf the World Wide Web would never submit dumb questions now, would they. OK, that's a lie,...more
You want to buy a new company, expand operations, acquire a business, or raise capital. You've decided to go for venture capital funding versus a bank loan for a multitude of reasons from the risks involved to the amount you need to carry out your plan.Do you know as much as you'd like about gaining capital? Most people don't. Their expertise is in their business, not in capital funding. Here are ways to protect yourself from vultures, deals you can't afford, and the nightmares of both.Some quick explanations:A venture capitalist (VC) is a person, group of people, company, or group of companies with money to invest in your business.A VC broker represents you (or possibly a VC) and arranges the parties to create a deal. This article is about working with the broker.Since many brokers are ethical, why such a negative slant? Over two months, two of our consulting clients nearly lost their shirts dealing with brokers. One broker tried to quadruple dip on a VC deal by taking a commission, bringing in another broker (who needed a commission), taking excessive points on growth targets, and adding interest fees into a contract making the deal impossible. Had our Boston-based client signed...more
With debt at an all time high, many of us will be looking to either transfer our current credit card debt or apply for a new credit card with more benefits or lower interest rate. However, with a plethora of card offers out there, deciding which card, if any, is best for you can seem a little dauntingWhat follows are some useful tips and advice...more
If you have heard fund managers talk about the way they invest, you know a great many employ a top down approach. First, they decide how much of their portfolio to allocate to stocks and how much to allocate to bonds. At this point, they may also decide upon the relative mix of foreign and domestic securities. Next, they decide upon the industries...more
Merit-based financial aid is one of the main financial aid packages awarded based on their merit or merit plus of students. Merit-based financial aids usually come from state or federal sources or private sources. These types of financial aid packages are intended to assists students to help their college expenses. Merit-based financial aid need not have to be repaid. The rules and regulations of financial aid packages are based on the federal financial aid rules. Merit-based financial aids can be obtained based on your performance or talents in a variety of areas such as academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, athletic, leadership, volunteer work, or artistic talent (art, music, or theater). You can also obtain merit-based financial aid if you have any other personal qualities which distinguish you in the applicant pool. Merit-based financial aid will not consider you or your family's financial situation. Though most scholarships are a combination of financial need and merit, but still there are several scholarships which are purely based on merit. Recipients of these scholarships are selected without regard to income information. The amount of scholarship varies...more
Liberty League International the leading developer of personal development systems hosts some of the best training events. These events are designed to teach the Liberty League independent distributors how to build a very successful business. The...more
A wage garnishment is a legal procedure through which a percentage of a person's earnings are withheld by an employer for the payment of a debt. Most wage garnishments are made by court order. Other types of wage garnishments are of legal or open...more
Invoice factoring refers to the practice where smaller companies sell invoices in order to receive money today. IN this case they do not have to wait for a credit period of 30, 60, or 90 days. Thus by selling invoices smaller companies do not create...more
Whether it's a business loan or a personal loan, there are several common loan application mistakes that many businesses and individuals often make when applying for a loan. Avoiding loan application mistakes is your most valuable tool in being...more
In today's ever changing economy, it's hard enough for the average working individual to make ends meet, without a wage garnishment, while supporting themselves or their families. Sometimes living pay check to pay check with the regular bills and...more
Q: One of my former employees has started a competing business and is calling my clients and trying to steal their business from me. Do I have any legal recourse against him? -- Brad J.A: I hate to break this to you, Brad, but unless this former...more