Every new business venture starts as an idea – where many entrepreneurs go off-course is in the implementation and execution of that idea. One of the most important aspects of starting a new business is establishing the business in a way that is compliance with the relevant rules and regulations…
According to IT research and advisory firm Gartner, worldwide software revenue totaled $407.3 billion in 2013. More and more players are trying to break into the software market, and the ease of delivery through the Internet has significantly lowered the barrier for entry for many smaller companies. Two of the…
When drafted properly, employee handbooks encourage open communication in the workplace, set employee expectations, and shield businesses from the financial burden of legal liability. Here are 3 reasons why your business should have an employee handbook. 3 Reasons Why Your Company Should Have an Employee Handbook Establish Your Company’s Character…
When starting a new business, one of the most important decisions that entrepreneurs must make is choosing the type of business entity under which they will operate. Many new businesses form as limited liability companies, or LLCs, as they combine the limited liability offered by corporations with the flexibility and…
The term “intellectual property,” or “IP,” refers to intangible property that is the creation of a person’s mind. IP is given certain aspects of property rights by law. One way of looking at IP, is that it is the property right one possesses in information. McCarthy’s Encyclopedia of Intellectual Property…
Last year, California legislators passed the Healthy Workplace Healthy Family Act of 2014, which provided the opportunity to accrue paid time off for sick leave to almost every California employee. The law allows qualifying employees who have worked at least 30 days to begin accrual and to use that sick…
To make your business distinguishable, it’s important to focus on choosing and trademarking a business name early on; this is essential to securing ownership of your new company. Here are 3 steps to choosing the name of your business and protecting it under trademark law. 3 Steps for Trademarking…
At the end of June 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) published several opinions, including the highly-publicized decision that ruled all bans on same-sex marriage unconstitutional. While most of America was focused on the equal rights decision, there were two additional decisions regarding the use and protections…
The robust expansion of the Internet and increased accessibility of Internet-enabled devices has provided entrepreneurs and existing businesses an easy and relatively inexpensive way to reach millions of people. One only needs to look the meteoric rise of companies like Amazon and Netflix to see the growth potential of an…
For many new and existing businesses, their intellectual property (IP) may be by far their most valuable asset. Intellectual property can include literary works, software code, processes, formulas, manufacturing specifications, marketing plans, or designs. In some cases, a company’s ideas may literally be their only asset – consider, for example,…