by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business |
The Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC aka the ERC) applicable to the Covid-19 pandemic has been evolving from its initial congressional act in March of 2020, was enhanced by the Consolidated Appropriations Act passed in January 2021, updated by the American Rescue Plan in March of 2021, and most recently updated by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
If your head is spinning as you try to unravel the ERC rules, you are not alone. The ERC or Employee Retention Credit offers a viable and alternative way to recover payroll costs for any type of employer, except state and local government entities, regardless of their size.
by Neal Isaacs, MBA, CBI, CM&AP | Business Valuation, Exit Planning, Grow a Business |
Buying and selling a business is a challenging and calculated process that is influenced greatly by market conditions. On one hand, business buyers must consider the historical performance of the business they intend to purchase and gauge that against financing options and other acquisition challenges to make a judgment call on how the business would perform post-acquisition. Business owners, on the other hand, must consider the money they are making now, and weigh that against a pay out and their need or desire to work less.
by Neal Isaacs, MBA, CBI, CM&AP | Business Valuation, Exit Planning, Grow a Business, Sell a Business |
Business owners who address the three hallmarks of a valuable business are very likely to have more options for exit and attract multiple buyers.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business |
The SBA EIDL Round 2 extended application deadline to 12/31/2021 and introduced the New Targeted EIDL Advance Grants for businesses continuing to suffer from the Covid-19 pandemic. Learn more about the changes to the EIDL program, which businesses can qualify for the EIDL grant and how to apply.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business |
On Monday, May 3rd, 2021, the Small Business Administration (SBA) opened its application portal for the Restaurant Revitalization Funding (RRF) to certain restaurants, bars and other similar businesses that serve food and/or drink which have suffered a reduction in revenue in 2020 when compared to 2019 as a result of the pandemic.
Similar to the Paycheck Protection Program Loan (PPPL) program, this federally-funded program is intended to provide cash to businesses which have suffered revenue losses and if spent on the proper types of expenses within a specific period of time (the Covered Period), the loan may be fully-forgiven by the SBA.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business |
Up until now, the PPP Loan proceeds for Schedule C filers was based on the 2019 net profit (referred to as the net earnings from self employment) plus payroll costs if employees worked in the business. The Interim Final Rule (IFR) effective on March 3, 2021 allows a business owner to use either their gross income or net income as the basis to compute its PPP Loan request amount.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business |
In a previous post, we discussed how a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) company works, its many benefits, and the tax implications you may face if you hire one.
As a recap, a PEO is a service that small or medium-sized businesses may use to outsource some of their human resource, payroll, benefits, taxes, recruiting, and other management tasks. As you might imagine, there are both pros and cons in hiring a PEO.
Here, we’ll discuss the disadvantages of using a PEO, along with the associated costs of a PEO.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business |
In our PEO series, we’ve talked about what a PEO company is and who is the employer in a PEO relationship. Here, we’ll discuss PEO for nonprofits, and whether or not using a PEO for your nonprofit might make sense.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business |
On June 15, 2020, the Small Business Administration reopened the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications to businesses with no more than 500 employees and non-profit organizations operating and suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the pandemic in all of the U.S. states, Washington D.C., and territories.
Independent Contractors, sole-proprietors (with or without employees), gig workers and freelancers are also eligible to apply for the EIDL.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business |
Our PEO series is aimed at addressing the common questions about PEOs, and uncovering some of the lesser-known facts about working with a PEO so that you may make the best choices for your business.
So far, we’ve learned about what a PEO company does. Here, we’ll dive into some muddy waters and decipher who is really the employer in a PEO relationship.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business |
If you are wondering what a PEO is and whether or not this type of outsourcing may be a good option for your small or medium-sized business, this first article in our series of four posts will help you decide if it’s the right move for you.
In this post, we cover everything you need to know about a PEO company including:
• What’s the meaning of PEO?
• PEO payroll
• PEO benefits
• PEO tax implications, and more.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business |
On Friday, March 27, 2020, the Paycheck Protection (Loan) Program (PPL) for small businesses was approved as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. This new law is intended to help small business owners in an unprecedented way.
First, while the Paycheck Protection Program Loan will be initially set up by banks and approved by the SBA under section 7 (a), unlike other SBA loan programs, the PPL is guaranteed 100% by the SBA.
Second, if the proceeds of the loan are used by business owners as Congress, the Senate and President Trump intended, the loan will be forgiven.
by Neal Isaacs, MBA, CBI, CM&AP | Business Valuation, Exit Planning, Grow a Business, Sell a Business |
Doing deals can be expensive. A lot of entrepreneurs want to save money by not hiring an advisor or they don’t know when they should make the investment on an advisor. It’s important to understand the roles of the broker and other advisors, especially legal counsel, and to know when to bring in a professional. Here are some milestones in a deal, and how to know when to hire a business advisor.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Start a Business |
In this post we will be addressing how to protect your business name and whether filing for a DBA, registering a trademark or copyright, creating a URL, filing a patent application, and registering your business in your state of operation is appropriate, and most importantly why.
Understanding the differences between the various methods used to protect your intellectual property allows you to be prepared to make the best decisions possible for your new business. By doing so, the fence around your valuable business will be strengthened!
by Neal Isaacs, MBA, CBI, CM&AP | Grow a Business, Sell a Business |
Have a Question? Ask your question below and one of our Advisors will answer. As a business broker in North Carolina, I’m focused on seller representation. But I need great buyers to match with my great seller’s opportunities. In our office, we receive a lot of... 
by Kathleen Kuznicki, Patent Attorney | Grow a Business, Start a Business, Trepopedia |
What can be branded? Names of businesses, associated logos, taglines, slogans, names of products, and even product shapes, sounds, smells, and colors can be part of your brand.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Valuation, Grow a Business, Trepopedia |
v Have a Question? Add it to the bottom of this post! For many entrepreneurs, launching a new business often means walking a fine line between pursuing earnings growth and growing the top-line revenue. A business can’t be successful in the long-term without earning a... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Valuation, Exit Planning, Grow a Business, Trepopedia |
Contribution margin is an important method of not only understanding how profitable a business is, but also how its products and services contribute to the bottom line. It’s important to understand that contribution margin is different from profit margin, since profit... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business, Trepopedia |
Without cash flow, a business cannot pay its employees, make debt payments, or invest in its future growth – making cash flow a critical focal point in every business, regardless of size. Yet searching for the correct small business financing can be overwhelming,... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business, Start a Business, Trepopedia |
Business debt and equity are central to the operations of any company. The amount of debt and equity a business carries has a major impact on how the business operates, and on how it is positioned for success. Business capital is the money a company uses to purchase... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business |
v Have a Question? Add it to the bottom of this post! Business Lending from Banks Whether you’re a Main Street small business, an Entrepreneur growing a business from start-up, or a Middle Market Business about to embark on an Initial Public Offering (IPO),... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business |
Sufficient cash, otherwise known as business capital, is necessary for any business to pay vendors and employees on time and to invest in real and intangible assets that enable growth. That’s why, as a business owner, it’s critical to understand what business... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business |
Whether you’re growing a business organically or searching for ways to jump start business growth with a large cash infusion, don’t allow the large number of capital sources for your business become overwhelming. This post identifies several... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business, Trepopedia |
v Have a Question? Add it to the bottom of this post! What Are Loan Covenants? A covenant is simply a fancy term for the word ‘promise’. Banks include covenants in their loan agreements to preserve their position as the lender and to improve the likelihood a loan... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business |
Entrepreneurship offers the most even-tempered humans many challenges. One such challenge is managing difficult employees who are forever causing havoc. You know who they are. And so does your spouse! One of my favorite clients refers to her difficult employees as... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Trepopedia |
Business bad debt refers to any debt created or acquired in a trade or business (or closely related to a trade or business) that becomes partially or completely worthless and can not be collected. Business bad debt is the result of a customer, another business, or an... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Sell a Business |
How could there be risks in your business relationships? For most business owners who’ve started a business from scratch, the notion of regarding as risky the many positive relationships they’ve built over the years with customers, vendors, and even employees is... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Trepopedia |
A business debt schedule is a tool that helps businesses review, assess, and visualize debts. A debt schedule allows businesses to make strategic decisions about paying off debt, acquiring new debt, or creating long-term projections for investors and creditors. It... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business, Trepopedia |
Business debt consolidation refers to the practice of taking out a new loan to pay off any number of other business debts (generally unsecured debts). Multiple separate debts are combined into one new loan, often with more favorable loan terms and conditions.... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
Book Value is defined as the total value of a company if it were to liquidate its assets and pay back its liabilities, or the value of the company according to the financial statement. Book value (BV) is also sometimes referred to as “shareholder’s equity.” Business... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business, Trepopedia |
Once you’ve successfully assessed your financial needs for a business loan, you’ll want to follow these guidelines to determine what, if any capital funding you may need, and the best type of business loan for your business. What are the best reasons for a small... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business, Trepopedia |
v Have a Question? Add it to the bottom of this post! As a small business, it is imperative that you understand your financial needs. Knowing your projected annual expenses, having a business plan in place, and assessing your need for funding sets the foundation for a... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business, Start a Business |
Have a Question? Ask your question below and one of our Advisors will... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business |
Busy entrepreneurs need to be aware of several important changes in federal 2017 Business Tax Filing Deadlines for the calendar year ending 12/31/2016. Most notably is now employers have one month less to file Forms W-2 and 1099 MISC with the Federal Government. In... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Trepopedia |
The American Stock Exchange (AMEX) is the third-largest stock exchange by trading volume in the United States. AMEX was acquired by the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Euronext in 2008, at which time its name was changed to NYSE Alternext US. In 2009 it became the NYSE... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Trepopedia |
The payback period for buying a business is defined as the amount of time it takes to recuperate an investment, or to reach a break even point. Generally, the payback period is expressed in years. All other factors held equal, a shorter payback period is more... ![How to Protect Your Business Intellectual Property [Infographic]](https://b226520.smushcdn.com/226520/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Screen-Shot-2016-12-01-at-2.34.09-PM.png?lossy=1&strip=1&webp=1)
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Entities, Grow a Business, Start a Business |
Protect Business Intellectual Property when you start your business and as you are growing your business! Learn about DBAs, patents, trademarks, copyrights and more in our business intellectual property infographic. Protecting the IP you develop in your business is... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Start a Business, Trepopedia |
The effective annual rate – also called the effective interest rate, the effective rate, or the annual equivalent rate – describes the amount of interest paid or earned on an investment or loan as the result of compounding over the period of a year or some... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Valuation, Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
The term business value is a broad term that refers to any form of business valuation which determines the financial health and potential of a company. While a purchase or selling price is simply an amount that may be asked to be paid for a 100% ownership of a given... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Valuation, Grow a Business, Trepopedia |
Capitalization Rate, more commonly referred to as Cap Rate, is the rate of return on a real estate investment based on the income the property is expected to generate. In other words, the Capitalization Rate is used to estimate an investor’s likely return on... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
EBITDA Valuation is an industry multiple or ratio method that is used commonly to determine the Enterprise Value of a company operating in the lower-middle or middle market. It differs from the method typically used by small businesses (also referred to as Main... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
Have a Question? Ask your question below and one of our Advisors will answer. There is a significant difference between “working capital” and “change in working capital.” Working capital is a snapshot of a moment in time which measures the level of assets a business... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
The term “dry powder” is financial slang and refers to a company’s or investor’s highly liquid securities which are kept on hand to finance future obligations, purchase assets, or invest in opportunities. Such capital also may be kept on hand to provide emergency... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Valuation, Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
The investment banking market is made up of two sides – the buy-side, and the sell-side, both of which are responsible for researching and assessing stocks and other investments. The buy-side refers to advising institutions concerned with buying investment services.... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
Non-Solicitation Agreements (NSAs) are made by two parties to protect one party from a potential loss of income or assets. This type of agreement is warranted and often made when one party is about to become aware of certain important relationships the other party... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Start a Business, Trepopedia |
An employment agreement is a formal contract between an employer and an employee which defines the conditions of employment. This agreement usually will specify major employment details and include everything from compensation to expectations for specific work to be... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business |
Subordinated debt (sometimes also referred to as a subordinated loan, junior debt, subordinated bond, or subordinated debenture) is a debt that ranks below other, regular debt on a company’s balance sheet. In the event the company faces bankruptcy or liquidation,... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business, Trepopedia |
An asset-based loan (also sometimes called “asset-based financing” or “commercial finance”) is a type of business financing secured by an asset (or multiple assets) of the company. Often, these loans are structured to function like revolving lines of credit, allowing... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Entities, Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Start a Business, Trepopedia |
A buy-sell agreement is a legally-binding agreement between two co-owners that governs any situation in which one co-owner dies, chooses to leave the business, is incapacitated, faces divorce, bankruptcy, retirement, or sells his/her share of the company. The... by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
In business, the term exclusivity refers to a party’s sole rights with regard to a certain business activity. This may include business relationships, pricing, products, or sales. Another application of this term in the business world involves relationships between... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
The term ‘rule of thumb’ generally refers to the idea of a principle with a broad application – something that is not intended to be exact or strictly accurate. In the business world, the term ‘rule of thumb’ refers to a guideline that provides simplified advice about... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Valuation, Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
Intangible assets are those assets in a business which are not physical in nature. Some examples include: intellectual property, (like patents, trademarks, and copyrights), brand recognition, special knowledge, and business methods. Such non-physical assets add value... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
Meaning ‘for the sake of form’, the term pro forma refers to a document that is often provided as a courtesy and satisfies predetermined minimum requirements in an effort to best predict the future outcome of a transaction within a business. One of the most common... by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Entities, Grow a Business |
Under the Affordable Care Act, employers must follow specific reporting requirements concerning health insurance coverage offered to employees during calendar year 2015. Although the ACA has been impacting nearly all employers over the past couple of years, now... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Start a Business |
Have a Question? Ask your question below and one of our Advisors will answer. Business owners generally want to protect their personal assets from claims, lawsuits and certain other business liabilities associated with their business. That’s why when a serial... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Start a Business |
When you are starting or expanding a business, there are multiple business entity structures available. Separate business entity structures include C corporations, S corporations, Limited Liability Companies (LLCs), partnerships – both limited and general. And... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business |
Today’s skyrocketing group health insurance premiums coupled with the negative sentiments that many small business owners have about paying high taxes, and you have a recipe for frustration on Main Street USA. Or, maybe it’s an opportunity to lighten your small... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business |
There are several types of loans available to business owners — so many, in fact, that the options can seem overwhelming and confusing, especially to smaller business owners without a lot of experience raising capital. This guide will help educate you on the options so you can make a more informed decision about financing your growing business while limiting added risk.
by Jane and Scot Noel | Grow a Business |
You’ve invested in Search Optimizing your website with better content, meta-code, and Social Media links. Traffic to your site has increased, and you’ve even started to receive more calls and orders. What’s next? The first thing to realize is that SEO is an open-ended process that is never really complete. It comes with victories and setbacks, and you need to be vigilant about the ways in which your web visitors interact with your site.
by Kathleen Kuznicki, Patent Attorney | Grow a Business |
As businesses grow and develop, so do their intellectual property (IP) assets. And if these businesses are engaging in proper IP management, they are filing trademark and patent applications to protect their IP. However, because of the public nature of both trademark and patent prosecutions, one may get an inkling of their competitors’ business plans if they monitor these application filings. Though not a perfect way to predict the exact nature of your competitors’ future offerings, keeping track of IP filings can be a guide to where your competitors are moving.
by Kathleen Kuznicki, Patent Attorney | Grow a Business |
Do you have a website? Do you have images on your website? Do you know where those images came from? Truly, do you? If you didn’t create the images yourself or you didn’t license the images from their owner, you are probably violating copyright infringement laws. It doesn’t matter if you didn’t know; innocent infringement is still infringement!
by Jane and Scot Noel | Grow a Business, Start a Business |
If the headline of this piece makes you nod in agreement, you’ll be surprised by what we have to say. Have you noticed, for example, that some of the most successful websites today, including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google Images offer infinite scrolling? The truth is, the last time people had any difficulty scrolling was before the turn of the century, and the idea that websites should keep their information “above the fold” is an outdated myth.
by Paul Cronin | Grow a Business, Sell a Business |
My business partner, the author Jack Beauregard, and I recently had breakfast with Lorraine McGregor from Vancouver, BC Canada. Lorraine is the author of books on Exit Planning and Entrepreneurship, as well as an experienced business consultant. We were all discussing why so many business owners were delaying (the inevitable) transition planning from their businesses.
by Chris George | Business Capital, Grow a Business |
Unfortunately, owning a business does not make someone an expert in financing. The lenders are the ones who know the ins and outs of rates and terms and documents. To even out the playing field, it is important for a small business owner to ask the right questions and consider the following factors when deciding whether to refinance:
by Sabrina Baker, PHR | Grow a Business, Start a Business |
Managing the people side of a growing business is often just as difficult as managing operational challenges. From finding top talent to establishing and building a company culture, the human side of a business is a constant work in progress.
As businesses grow, one consideration leaders must wrestle with has to do with what is the best organizational structure. How many layers will the business have? At what point are other leadership roles outside of the CEO required? Answering these questions is essential if the business wants to continue to grow.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Exit Planning, Grow a Business, Sell a Business |
Business Valuation Experts come in many forms, and for a business owner it can be very difficult understanding the various designations. More importantly, when the business owner is in need of a valuation, understanding exactly what type of expertise is necessary and ultimately who to hire can become a daunting task.
by Kathleen Kuznicki, Patent Attorney | Grow a Business, Start a Business |
If you are considering getting a patent, you should be familiar with the items that must be included in a patent application. Below is a detailed outline of the material you will need to prepare to patent your new invention.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business |
Many small business owners borrow money to start and grow their business. And is often the case those same business owners find themselves hitting credit limits established by banks and other lenders causing enormous growing pains for the business. Simply stated, running out of business capital when you’re growing a business is difficult at best.
![How to Calculate Debt Service Coverage Ratio [Tool]](https://b226520.smushcdn.com/226520/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/iStock-502733644.jpg?lossy=1&strip=1&webp=1)
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business, Trepopedia |
Debt Service Coverage Ratio compliance often is required or necessitated by covenants in a bank loan agreement. A bank loan covenant regarding the debt service coverage ratio will specify the amount of income a business and/or its guarantor must generate relative to the debt principal and interest payments on an annual basis to remain in compliance with the covenant. The business owner, or his or her CFO or Controller, should monitor this ratio carefully on a monthly basis so the covenant is not unintentionally broken.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Sell a Business |
One of the many questions asked by entrepreneurs as they plan for the sale of their business is related to the Adjusted EBITDA definition.
by Kathleen Kuznicki, Patent Attorney | Grow a Business |
When people come to talk with me about patenting their inventive idea, inevitably this question arises: “How long will it take to get a patent?” When I tell them it will probably take close to three years, their jaws drop in surprise. “Really, it’s going to take that long?!??!!?!” YEP.
by Chris George | Business Capital, Grow a Business |
Most individuals who consider themselves entrepreneurs believe they must start their own business to earn the title. However, what some do not realize is that the entrepreneurial spirit can be fulfilled in a variety of ways, not the least of which is purchasing an existing business. The following is a list of advantages for buying a business over starting one from scratch.
by Chris George | Grow a Business |
People often overlook the attitude of the buyer and how greatly it can affect the outcome of the deal. Confidence is key.
by Matt Harnett, CAIA | Business Capital, Grow a Business |
As markets recover post-recession, business owners are presented with growth opportunities. However, a business owner may not have access to the capital needed to execute on a growth strategy. Where does a business owner turn?
by The Exit Promise Contributors | Business Capital, Grow a Business |
Many entrepreneurs faced with the demands on cash of a growing business are tempted to sell equity to outside investors, or perhaps give away stock to retain a valuable employee. Diluting your stake in this way may solve the immediate problem, but it can have unforeseen consequences when the business eventually is sold. Stockholders’ personal circumstances evolve in different ways over the lifetime of a company, and whatever the original intention everyone may not be on the same page when you are ready to sell.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
If you’ve grown a valuable business, there is no doubt your employees are a big part of your success. You also know that hiring, training, and managing a great team of productive employees is a difficult task. And keeping your best employees is yet another accomplishment! But the painful truth is your competition would be very pleased to hire away your best employees.
by Sabrina Baker, PHR | Grow a Business |
For most companies, the end of the year is a time when employees and leaders go through the annual review process. This process is designed to rate performance for the year and, if applicable, apply a merit increase. Many companies consider this their performance management system. A true performance management system however is much more involved.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Start a Business |
Check out the website of your favorite fast food chain and you will see most have multiple business entity structures noted in the fine print. For a large business, this practice has been commonplace for decades. It involves layering one form of a business entity either alongside or in conjunction with an operating business.
by Kathleen Kuznicki, Patent Attorney | Grow a Business, Trepopedia |
An intellectual property rights owner (licensor) authorizes certain rights to another (licensee) in exchange for an agreed payment in the form of either a fee or a royalty, or some combination of both.
by Jane and Scot Noel | Grow a Business, Start a Business |
When optimizing your website for search, you might wonder: Am I creating a site for search bots or for real people to use, and is there a difference?
by Sabrina Baker, PHR | Grow a Business, Start a Business |
According to the Fair Labor Standards Act there is a distinct difference between an independent contractor and an employee. This difference lies mainly in the way they are paid and the way taxes are withheld. Understanding the difference between them and times when both are appropriate to use can help business owners determine which is best for their situation.
by Kathleen Kuznicki, Patent Attorney | Grow a Business, Start a Business, Trepopedia |
The legal definition of a trademark is a word, phrase, symbol, or design that identifies and distinguishes the source of goods and services. Most commonly we think of names and logos, but marks also include taglines, slogans, and even product shapes, sounds, smells, and colors.
by Leilani Costa, Attorney | Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
Gone are the days when companies could choose the exercise price and option terms for stock options without thinking about IRS Code Section 409A consequences. Employees and executives, as well as independent contractors and advisors, could face significant taxes... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Sell a Business |
Often, business owners ask me one of those “quick questions” – what can I do to maximize the sale price of my business? The answer? Not as simple as you may think. But there are 4 factors that can increase the value of your sale price.
by Leilani Costa, Attorney | Grow a Business, Trepopedia |
Entering into a new contract is an exciting time for any company. The agreement is signed with the hope that it will grow the business and result in a long, mutually beneficial relationship with the other side. While such optimism is warranted, the importance of entering into a legally sound contract is critical to the protection of your business.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Capital, Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
EBIT is an acronym for Earnings Before Interest and Taxes. This is a term Bankers often use as a measure of a business’s earnings from operations. The EBIT reveals operating profitability without non-recurring or unusual income or expenses.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Start a Business |
The DBA is often misunderstood, but it can be a valuable way to promote your business and gain some protections of your rights as a business owner. However, you need to make sure you know the limitations of a DBA to protect your intellectual property and trademark rights.
by Kathleen Kuznicki, Patent Attorney | Grow a Business, Start a Business, Trepopedia |
A copyright protects the particular ways by which people expressed themselves. A copyright gives an owner the exclusive legal right to reproduce, publish, sell, or distribute an original creative work.
by Jane and Scot Noel | Grow a Business |
Search optimization is all about getting more visitors to your website, right? Not really. If you think about it, SEO should be about getting more customers, not just visitors. Optimization is about attracting and converting your target market, not just any old... 
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Business Valuation, Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Trepopedia |
EBITDA is an acronym for Earnings Before Interest Taxes Depreciation and Amortization. EBITDA is often used as a measure of a business’s cash flow. Also it is used frequently in many business valuation formulas, depending on the business’s specific industry.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business |
Profitability is directly related to a company’s gross revenue, particularly as it relates to its varied customer types. What does gross revenue mean to your company’s profitability? Everything. Let’s back up to review the concepts we’ve covered in previous posts so we may explore gross revenue further.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business |
Recently I took my nine year old daughter and a carload of her friends to our town’s Volunteer Fireman’s Carnival for an evening of ferris wheels, funnel cakes, and laughter–of course! It was a Friday night after a long week. Truly, I would have benefited from a simple dinner at home to unwind from the week. Sound familiar? However, I intuitively knew that the laughter of those children was most important and desperately needed…so off we went.
by Sabrina Baker, PHR | Grow a Business |
One of the most common questions I get from small business owners is, “when do I need an employee handbook?” In a perfect world, an employee handbook would be part of the startup protocol, but that usually isn’t the case. In the midst of building a website, working on business development and actually putting together a sellable product, writing policies and procedures is not top of mind.
by Kathleen Kuznicki, Patent Attorney | Grow a Business, Start a Business, Trepopedia |
In the recent Apple-Samsung case, the jury found that Samsung infringed six of Apple’s patents. While we think of Apple as having such technological superiority, three of the patents that Samsung were found to infringe were design patents. Unlike utility patents which cover any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof; design patents cover any new, original, and ornamental design for an article of manufacture.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Sell a Business |
The best solution to a problem lies in uncovering what the root cause of the problem really is. So often, this is the case when an entrepreneur is struggling with profitability in their business. Over the past few posts, we have discussed the concepts of how a minimum order policy and Pareto’s Principle applied to the customer/client base can be very powerful to help an entrepreneur improve the value of their business.
by Kathleen Kuznicki, Patent Attorney | Grow a Business, Sell a Business, Start a Business, Trepopedia |
Proprietary information such as customer lists and recipes are intellectual property. However they are not formally protected in the same way as are trademarks, copyrights or patents. These and other types of confidential information can only be protected if they are treated as trade secrets.
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business |
If you own a business, you want to know that your entrepreneurial efforts will result in making money. However, many entrepreneurs struggle to recognize where they are making money and where they are not!
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business |
Most entrepreneurs find themselves extremely reluctant to turn away an order for any reason. The notion of telling a client or customer that their business or order is too small is frightening to even the most seasoned entrepreneur. However, if you don’t want to leave money on the table, and instead desire to make more profit, setting and enforcing a minimum order policy is absolutely necessary!
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Start a Business |
It takes a special kind of person to start a business: a rare combination of drive, ambition, creativity, tenacity and impatience for action. But even within the community of business experts and entrepreneurs there is a special breed of person known as a “serial entrepreneur.”
by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® | Grow a Business, Start a Business |
As I listen to the stories told by many entrepreneurs, it reminds me of the dangers they face in part because of their own abilities. Many entrepreneurs are literally jack of all trades. They are very good at doing many things! This trait has allowed them to strike out and start their own business. How in the world could this trait be bad you wonder?
