This year I’ve reviewed so many franchise disclosure documents for prospective franchisees that I’ve lost count. No matter the industry, it seems as though I am always discussing the same things with franchisees, whether they are interested in fitness, restaurants, business services or tech. So here are 11 things I’d like every franchisee to know when they
Franchise Times Analysis of Top 200 Systems
Franchise Times recently published its Top 200 systems issue in a story by Jonathan Maze. The big takeaway for me is that franchising is on an upswing after experiencing no growth during much of the recent recession. But franchising has returned as a bright spot in the economy according to the article.
Restaurants appear to be the big
Startup Iowa Initiative: The Momentum Continues
I read with interest about Startup Iowa, a new initiative to provide resources and visibility to Iowa’s entrepreneurs. Startup Iowa joins the Startup America Partnership as the eighth region in the nation. Where will it go from here? I think the sky is limited for startups and entrepreneurs in Iowa. Of course, I’m biased.
Become a Franchise Owner Book Review
Prospective franchisees should read a new book from The Franchise King, Joel Libava, called Become a Franchise Owner: The Startup-Guide to Lowering Risk, Making Money, and Owning What You Do.
I don’t make that recommendation lightly. But Joel and I share a common passion. We are both passionate about making sure that franchisees
A Post I Wish I Had Written: For All the Clients that Hate Lawyers
Over the last 5 years that I have been writing this blog, there haven’t been many Iowa business lawyers who write a blog on a regular basis. But when I was looking at Mike Colwell’s Startup Models site, I noticed a new blog from business lawyer Chris Sackett of Brown Winick called BizB4Law.
Chris wrote
How to Incorporate Your Iowa Business
As I said in my previous post on LLCs, the limited liability company (LLC) has become the entity of choice for the majority of new business owners. In Iowa, there are approximately twice as many filings for LLCs each year than there are for corporations. But I still have a special place in my heart for the good
How to Form an LLC in Iowa
Over the last several years, the limited liability company (LLC) has become the entity of choice for the majority of new business owners. In Iowa, there are approximately twice as many filings for the LLC each year than there are for corporations. People tend to like the flexibility afforded by the LLC. With an LLC, you receive the limited liability protection
Wage and Hour Misclassification Costs Oracle $35 million
In my experience, wage and hour issues are often misunderstood by employers. Employers often treat employees as "exempt" in order to avoid paying the overtime owed to "non-exempt" employees. As a plaintiff’s attorney said in one of my previous blog posts on the subject:
"I can hit a company with a hundred sexual harassment lawsuits, and it will
Incorporating Your Business is Just First Step in Asset Protection
Many advertisements from document filing companies on the Internet tout the benefits of forming a corporation. The first benefit typically mentioned is that a corporation provides"limited liability" or "asset protection". Many of these companies would have you believe that if you form your own company for $99.00 you can magically protect your assets from
Young Iowa Entrepreneurs Turn $40 into Success
I love stories like the one I saw in the Des Moines Register this morning.
Check out this story about two young Iowa entrepreneurs who turned $40 into business success.