Keep Your Business Compliant

Successful Startup Advice: Leaving an Employer to Launch a Competitor

By Greg Rankin September 1, 2022

If you’ve ever dreamed of leaving your current job to start a competing business, then you’re not alone. Nearly 4.3 million people quit their jobs in January of 2022, which is near the record level set in November of 2021, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. All signs point to now as the ideal time to ...

Getting a Commercial Lease — Without Signing a Personal Guarantee

By Marshall Lee September 1, 2022

There was a time when entrepreneurs and small business owners were able to negotiate commercial leases without a personal guarantee. Landlords were often willing to forgo a guarantee in exchange for higher rents, longer lease terms, or larger common area maintenance (CAM) fees, but now…? Well, let’s just say that the times are changing. Landlords, ...

Small Business Owner’s Guide to the Holiday Bonus

By Patricia Schaefer August 27, 2022

Holiday bonuses have long been a way to show appreciation for employees. While there are many ways to show appreciation, employees like receiving cash bonuses the best. In fact, if a company has paid cash benefits in the past, then employees may be expecting and counting on a Christmas bonus to pay for holiday expenses ...

Top 5 Legal Mistakes Small Business Owners Make

By Tim Parker August 4, 2022

It’s all too easy for small business owners to make legal mistakes that could be costly. Most entrepreneurs aren’t legal experts, but don’t expect a judge to be sympathetic to your ignorance. Inform yourself about these five common legal mistakes so you don’t make them yourself. Ignorantia juris non excusat. If you don’t speak fluent ...

Do You Understand the Difference Between an I-9 and W-4?

By Jaime Lizotte August 3, 2022

After weeks of hard work recruiting, screening, and interviewing applicants, you have a bright, new hire in your midst. You’d love to let them hit the ground running, but, first, you must complete some critical paperwork. Be certain you understand the difference between two mandatory forms: the I-9 for work authorization and the W-4 to ...

Worry-Free Compliance — An Ongoing Need

Janet Attard July 13, 2022

Starting and running a business can seem like a game of whack-a-mole. Just when you think you’ve taken care of everything, something else pops up. It might be a customer crisis or a supply chain problem, or a host of other issues that demand your immediate attention. Handling these day-to-day needs helps your business succeed. ...

Top Ten Legal Oversights That Can Shut Down Your Website

By Brett Trout July 1, 2022

Could your website get you sued? The answer is “Yes!” Even if you don’t slander anyone in your blog or steal anyone else’s work, what’s on your website — or maybe what’s NOT on it — could get you sued. Here are the top 10 legal faux pas you should avoid. Although there are many ...

Building Permits for Your Retail Shop

By Tim Knox July 1, 2022

Before you start putting up walls and installing counters in your new retail shop, find out what you should do first. Unless you’re renting simple office space, odds are you’ll need to make some modifications to the space, be it adding walls, flooring, paint, electrical, plumbing, or any combination thereof. Rarely will a space be ...

The Pros and Cons of Hiring Temporary Employees

By Patricia Schaefer June 1, 2022

Temporary workers play an important role in many companies. Are they right for your small business? Check out these pros and cons of hiring a temp. Temporary workers make up a big part of the workforce in the U.S. How big? The American Staffing Association says that there are more than 3 million temporary and ...

Leasing Office Space: 14 Questions to Ask Before Signing the Contract

By Tim Parker June 1, 2022

Leasing office space is a big financial decision. Whether you’re renting space for your business for the first time or relocating, get answers to these 14 questions before you sign the lease agreement. Leasing office space is just plain scary. Often you have to sign a multi-year lease, and the monthly rent may be higher ...

Is It Legal to Start a Business Out of My Apartment?

Team ZenBusiness May 2, 2022

The apartment entrepreneur: If you aren’t one, you probably know one. But is it legal to start a business out of an apartment? Everybody has a friend writing a screenplay or music, consulting, or trying to turn a hobby into a moneymaker…all from the comfort of residential rental property. This is not to mention the boom ...

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