Good for you for considering the idea of expanding outside your home. Many new businesses never even make it to that point. There comes a time when working out of a home office becomes more of a... (more)

Logos are a lot like fingerprints. Each one is a distinctive mark that tells the world who you are. The goal is to create a logo that represents your brand in look and feel and bec (more)

That's a very interesting project and the type of learning I strongly support. While textbook reading, essays and exams provide the student with a basic foundation of learning, they lack the... (more)

The first step to setting up a successful franchise is to create and test a prototype of your concept. In your case, since you’ve successfully run your business for 12 years, you have... (more)

It's impossible to say which college degree or major is best for future entrepreneurs. Believe it or not, some entrepreneurs never even attend or finish college and instead put their time and... (more)

It's smart and proactive to plan ahead of a recession. For the most part, many U.S. businesses are still climbing out of the 2008 recession and there's still the possibility that we could... (more)

It's great to learn about your entrepreneurial ideas even before you pursue this next big step in life. It's also refreshing to read of your eagerness to learn how to become an... (more)

I'm glad that you've asked this question, since it's often overlooked and tax policy has changed over the years regarding this topic. The manner in which a business own (more)

Getting new customer leads is a common problem that both new and existing businesses face. They may have a great product or service, but don't have the right marketing p (more)

Good to hear things are getting back on track for you. The first thing you really need to do is go back to your existing customers and customer base (including leads and prospects databases) and... (more)

Retail tracking and inventory systems have come a long way and are incredibly simple and easy to use. You’ll just need to work with your father and his team to research a system that will... (more)

One of the most significant differences between an LLC and a partnership is the ability to limit your liability. An LLC is its own, independent entity, with an existence that is separate from the... (more)

Businesses with multiple locations can become thorny from a legal and tax point of view. While none of the shipping and manufacturing of your products is being done in the United States, you will... (more)

There are many options available in the market for choosing a credit card processor. While having choices is helpful for comparison shopping, it also can get quite overwhelming. To select a... (more)

As your company is primarily fulfilling contracts, it is possible that your workers could be classified as "contractors."  There are a number of factors in determining whether a... (more)

Generally, in the United States, you have six years to bring a breach of contract claim. (Long, I know.) However, that timeframe can be shortened if the buyer’s contract terms with the... (more)

More and more, small businesses are looking for ways to enhance their visibility and share their values by taking a "socially conscious" approach and in getting involved in cause... (more)

Generally, you have no protection for sharing ideas. If you’re sitting at a table with your professors bandying concepts about, either of them can take them and use them. But that’s not... (more)

There is no legal requirement that you form an LLC (or other entity) to start a business. But here’s the $64,000 question: Do you want to have your personal assets stripped from you? Do you... (more)

Some companies have policies in their manuals covering this kind of situation. Because you asked this question, I am assuming that you do not have such policies in place. I am also assuming that... (more)