In the Des Moines Register today there is an article about a food truck franchiser that allegedly got cross-wise with investors and franchisees. The article shows just how critical it is to perform due diligence when it relates to franchises (or any other business opportunity). I have a number of posts available I have
Buying & Selling a Business
How Do Presidential Candidates Stack Up on Small Business Issues?
I normally try to avoid political issues and discussion because really it does me no good. I am sure to tick someone off because I have clients who are on both sides of the aisle and some that are not political at all. But since the Iowa Caucuses enjoy first-in-the-nation status, I’ve decided to join…
Should Non-Compete Agreements Be Enforceable in Iowa?
People often mistakenly believe that non-compete agreements are not enforceable in Iowa. Sometimes people think that because Iowa is a “right to work” state that means non-competes are not valid or other times people may have “heard” non-competes aren’t valid. Neither is correct. Non-competes in Iowa are enforceable in Iowa under appropriate circumstances.
But recently…
2016 Brings 10th Anniversary of Rush on Business
This coming year will be the 10th anniversary of Rush on Business. When I first started the blog I wrote articles 5-6 times per week, worried about my search rankings constantly and did everything I could to get my articles linked with other blogs. I have been one of the fortunate ones in the blogging…
Square One DSM Luncheon Features Mike Colwell
Typically you will find the Executive Director of Entrepreneurial Initiatives for the Greater Des Moines Partnership asking the questions at entrepreneur luncheons. But this time Mike Colwell will be the one on the hot seat. This will be a great luncheon discussion as Mike will be interviewed by Tej Dhawan (an accomplished entrepreneur and community…
Successful Franchises Continue to Evolve
I found this article from Entrepreneur Magazine interesting regarding several franchises that are now offering delivery (some franchise on this list and others do not). The most successful franchises are continually evolving and adapting their concepts to meet consumer demands.
What about your franchisor? Are they evolving and adapting?
Women-Owned Business Grants
I am often asked about business grants for women and minorities. In my experience these grants can be difficult to come by but they do exist. Here is an article from Entrepreneur discussing grants for women-owned businesses and also a link to the Targeted Small Business site with the Iowa Department of Economic Development.
Business Ownership Isn’t For Everyone
My social media news feed is full of articles and stories about business ownership. I am a business lawyer. I represent business people. So it benefits me if I promote business ownership and in general I try to do just that. However, I am here to tell you that despite the mountains of articles talking…
Looking to Buy a Franchise? Don’t Make These Mistakes
Inc.Magazine has a great article on the 5 Biggest Mistakes People Make When Buying a Franchise.
The one I want to touch on in this post is #4 – Not learning how to implement the franchise system. All too often, would be franchise owners think they are “buying their own business.” This is…
Franchiseless in Seattle?
I had to share an excellent blog post on Seattle’s $15 Minimum Wage: Not Unconstitutionally Discriminatory? by Shannon McCarthy of the ZorBlog. My tongue-in-cheek title unfortunately rings some truth. If you read Shannon’s post you will see that the Seattle mayor and city council members are, shall we say, less than welcoming to franchisors…