Whether you are starting a business from scratch or buying an existing business you should consider setting up a corporation or limited liability company (LLC) before you actually sign any agreements or documents relating to your new venture. To the extent possible, avoid signing any contracts, loan agreements or leases in your personal name. In
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Entrepreneurial Resource Guide to Find Money for Your Business
Looking for money for your business? Check out the entrepreneurial resource guide from Biz. The guide explores and explains grants, loans and assistance programs.
I am excited to speak at the Biz on How To Choose the Right Business Structure for Your Business. The presentation is June 17th at 11:30 a.m. The admission fee…
Casey’s General Stores Settles Wage Lawsuits for $11.7 Million
According to the Wall Street Journal, Iowa-based Casey’s General Stores agreed to pay $11.7 million to settle two class action wage lawsuits.
According to the Department of Labor and industry experts, it is believed that 70 percent (or more) of businesses are out of compliance with wage and hour laws. How can your…
San Diego Small Business Law Blog is a Gem
From time to time I enjoy featuring a business law blog worth reading. The San Diego Small Business Law Blog from Joseph Dang is definitely one to check out. Although the blog is centered on California law, Joseph has a number of general posts that are helpful to any small business owner.
In particular, I encourage…
Iowa to Allow Private Action for Consumer Fraud Claims
The Iowa House and Senate recently passed legislation to give consumers a private right of action for fraud claims. Previously Iowa was the only state in the nation that did not provide such a right to its citizens.
Consumer advocacy groups say there are too many exemptions under the bill, which is expected to…
Franchise Research is Not Difficult
One of the best things about blogging is the great people I have had the opportunity to "meet". One of my favorites is a franchise consultant and blogger from Cleveland, Ohio named Joel Libava. The Franchise King and I share a passion for helping prospective franchisees obtain information to properly research franchise opportunities. I have read…
Iowa Employment, Training and Benefits Conference
I’ll be speaking about the dangers and pitfalls of the electronic workplace this afternoon at the Iowa Employment, Training and Benefits Conference sponsored by HR-One Source.
Matt Brick and Doug Fulton of Brick Gentry are also presenting at the conference. Matt is providing the employment law update and Doug will present on FMLA basics.
Importance of Employee Non-Solicitation Agreements
A few weeks ago I attended a conference relating to venture capital in Iowa. During the talk several of the panelists commented that they would not sign a non-disclosure agreement prohibiting them from discussing a potential business idea they learned about from someone seeking capital. The venture capitalists did not want potential liability for ideas that…
Guest Blogger: Mike Colwell of BIZ on Background Checks
This is a guest post from Mike Colwell, Executive Director of the Business Innovation Zone (BIZ).
Why bother doing a background check on a potential employee? Well, not too long ago a friend of mine did not and ended up with a new credit card in his business’s name he knew nothing about. …
Dangers Lurking in the Electronic Workplace
A terrific post from employment attorney Ellen Simon discusses the potential liability and hazards when an employer accesses the personal emails of an employee. The actions of the employer described in the post were extreme but every employer should think twice before accessing an employee’s personal email.
I have discussed the dangers of the electronic…