In the past I have written about how to hire a business attorney and an accountant for your Iowa business. Another important professional you will need to work with is an insurance agent. (We’ll save bankers for another post). An insurance agent that writes policies for businesses is an important professional advisor in your business.
Starting a Business
Save Taxes Using S Corporation
By Rush Nigut on
In a recent post New York small business lawyer Imke Ratschko points out that one of the reasons to choose an S corporation over an LLC is the possibility to save on employment taxes. She also links to a helpful article written by Stephen Nelson, CPA on how to save taxes with an S corporation…
New Business Accelerator to Start Up in Des Moines
By Rush Nigut on
The Greater Des Moines Partnership has started a new business accelerator called BIZ – the Business Innovation Zone. Michael Colwell, a marketing professional with experience in product development has been selected as the executive director. BIZ is expected to start up at the end of this month.
The business accelerator has been funded through…
SEMEE Event Packs Them In
By Rush Nigut on
It was an interesting evening at the SEMEE event tonight. Several new businesses presented their stories and it was exciting to see so many people in the audience who care about entrepreneurship in Central Iowa. Thanks to the Steens of Transition Capital Management for organizing the event.
The star of the show? Undoubtedly Charlie Anderson…
Buying or Selling a Business: Asset Purchase or Stock Sale
By Rush Nigut on
Generally, the easiest way for a buyer to purchase a business is through an Asset Purchase Agreement. The buyer is not actually purchasing the business itself. One commentator has described it has buying the seller’s merchandise without buying the store.
Buyers tend to favor asset purchases for several reasons. First, the buyer obtains the…
Selling or Buying a Business Legal Tips: Confidentiality Agreement
By Rush Nigut on
If you are selling your business you should not divulge trade secrets and confidential business information without a signed confidentiality agreement. The theft of trade secrets is an increasingly litigated issue. In the business sale context this often happens when negotiations break down and the potential buyer decides they can start their own business. …
Forming an Advisory Board for Your Business
By Rush Nigut on
Posted in Business Law, Starting a Business
When forming small businesses I am sometimes asked whether the owner(s) must form a board of directors consisting of members from various backgrounds who are not actually owners of the business. While it may work in certain situations, I have not seen this model work real well for most small businesses. By their very nature…
Insights Into Naming Your Small Business
By Rush Nigut on
Believe it or not, as a small business lawyer I have named more than my fair share of businesses for clients. (Maybe I should add that to the list of incorporation services). I always kind of laugh when I am asked for my opinion on the subject because I am not a marketing…
Franchising v. Company-Owned
By Rush Nigut on
Today I had a discussion with another attorney about the the pros and cons of franchising. We determined that while many business owners may think they want to franchise, it is often not the best alternative for their business. If you are interested in the topic you may want to check out this article on…
Iowa Business Law: Nothing New
I listened to an insightful podcast from Becky McCray of Small Biz Survival called Nothing New. She also quotes Dr. Samuel Johnson who once said, "People need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed."
That is so true when it comes to helping businesses recognize legal issues. So often what…