Category Archives: Business Counseling
Boilerplate Protects Your Business
Do you know the term “boilerplate language?” Some people don’t. The legal term “boilerplate,” is used for terms used again and again. It derives from the sturdiness and protection of the metal plate for boilers. When boilers didn’t have enough boilerplate, they exploded and disaster ensued, like the Sultana disaster, left. Small business owners need […]
Startups and Trademarks
You and your friends have discussed, with increasing enthusiasm, your idea for a new business. Maybe you want to produce an app, or maybe a restaurant pairing different cuisines. You know what you are going to do, and how you are going to do it, but you also know that you will be cash-strapped, with […]
Credit Card Surcharges Will Soon Be Legal in California
By: Andrew K Jacobson A group of California small businesses have successfully challenged California’s long-time ban on credit card surcharges. However, for the moment, they are the only ones to benefit. Credit cards are great for cash flow, but they cause headaches for small businesses. People rely upon them for even the smallest transactions – […]
Yelping About Yelp
Yelp and other business profile websites are a common sore spot for many businesses. At a minimum, it is a free service to advertise your business, showcasing your products or services and attracting customers. However, there are strings attached. Yelp also offers its subscribers the chance to review businesses online. Every once in a […]
7 Myths About Incorporation for Small & Medium Enterprises
Incorporating Is The Only Way to Shield My Assets If There Is a Catastrophe. Starting a small business has its risks. It takes a lot of work, there are lots of long nights, and it needs a lot of resources, which leads to a lot of worries. What if the product somehow goes wrong, making […]
7 Myths About Incorporation for Small & Medium Enterprises
Incorporating Is The Only Way to Shield My Assets If There Is a Catastrophe. Starting a small business has its risks. It takes a lot of work, there are lots of long nights, and it needs a lot of resources, which leads to a lot of worries. What if the product somehow goes wrong, making […]
New Employment Laws for 2016
There were new developments in California employment law that every business owner needs to know. Minimum Wage. Most already know that California raised the minimum wage to $10 per hour as of the beginning of the year. However, some local jurisdictions have raised it even higher: Oakland, for example, has raised the minimum wage in the […]
Game of — Pawns?
The FBI tells the story of Glenn Shriver, a former college student from Michigan who learned Mandarin and lived in China in 2004. He made some friends who encouraged him to find a job with the US government. He received some $70,000 merely to apply for such a job, but by the time the FBI arrested him, he realized that his friends were actually intelligence agents wanting to place a mole inside US agencies.
National agencies are not the only targets. US companies are also subject to foreign espionage. Just last month, the Justice Department announced indictments of five members of China’s military for stealing US companies’ trade secrets.
Forming a Business Entity… Which Entity is Right for Your Small Business or Start-up?
By Daniel Richardson One of the most common questions I am asked by owners of small businesses and start-ups is whether they should form a business entity, such as a corporation or limited liability company (LLC), and, if so, which is best for them. This is a vital question for any business. Limited liability is […]
Shallow Pockets
By Andrew Jacobson The first question plaintiff lawyers ask when a new lawsuit comes their way is “where are the deep pockets?” Suing the villain is fine, but winning only gets a piece of paper called a judgment. You need to sue and beat someone with money to pay for a judgment – deep pockets. […]
