Incorporation and LLC Formation

Buying an existing business is often a great opportunity for would-be business owners. It is a way to skip the early stages of business development and hit the ground running. However, before making any serious decisions, it is important to understand the legal implications involved in buying an existing business. There are many legal issues

You’re convinced that owning a business is your true calling in life, and you decide to invest in a franchise. But before putting pen to paper, you should do your due diligence and understand all the risks and rewards that come with that decision. One essential step is to review the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD)

One of the biggest concerns that business owners have is dealing with a legal or business crisis. Whether it is a lawsuit, a data breach, or other sensitive issues, a crisis can greatly impact a business. In fact, it is not unusual for many businesses to close within a year of experiencing a crisis. Knowing

Thinking about buying a franchise?

Franchises can be a great way to start your own business. They offer the benefits of being your own boss with the support and resources of a larger organization. But there are some things you need to think about before making the decision to buy a franchise including the financial

If you are a business owner who is looking to sell or transfer your business, then it is important to understand the importance of effective succession planning. Succession planning helps ensure the future of your business is bright and secure, regardless of who owns it. Let’s break down what succession planning entails and how it

You may want to own your own business but you also don’t want to quit your day job. Is it possible to find the elusive extra income to add to your bottom line and possibly even give you the freedom to quit your job in the future?

Kimberly Crossland has a great post on the

I have reviewed hundreds of franchise disclosure documents (FDDs) and franchise agreements at this point in my career. And mostly, my review always solicits one question in my mind:

Do franchisors need these overwhelmingly restrictive franchise agreements?

Most FDDs and franchise agreements disclaim just about any real obligation to do anything on behalf of franchisees.

A business owner approaches you to invest in his business. He comes up with an idea to “sell” a portion of his equity in the business. You listen to the business owner’s pitch and likes the idea. You decides to invest in exchange for “ownership.” The problem? Nothing is in writing, you have invested the

*This blog post was originally written for the Greater Des Moines Partnership.

I am fascinated by the mindset of high performers regardless of their profession. Because I am a sports nut, I am particularly drawn to the champion mindset of athletes. How are the very best able to achieve at such high levels? For

In March of 1995, Michael Jordan had one of the shortest press releases announcing his return to basketball. He simply said,

I’m back

Well, I may not be the caliber of Michael Jordan, but after a long hiatus I am announcing I am back to blogging. I have been blogging (for the most part continuously)