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An employment contract can be a useful tool to protect your business while providing clarity and structure for your employees. An effective agreement should clearly spell out the terms of both employment and termination. In this post we’ll take a look at the basics of creating an employment contract.

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Understanding Employment Contracts

A well-designed contract outlines an employee’s roles and responsibilities. What tasks is the employee expected to perform? What does the job pay? What benefits will the employee receive? Clearly stating this information upfront will protect your business from future lawsuits, provided you abide by the contract.

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In a previous blog post we briefly talked about operating agreements. This topic is important enough to merit further examination. We’ll specifically look at what you need to include in an operating agreement for an LLC.

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The Purpose of an Operating Agreement

Think of an operating agreement as the founding document that spells out the essentials of your business. Everything should be outlined including the management structure, membership interest, capital contributions and the financial allocations and distributions. More isn’t always better, but in this case being as detailed as possible will help you in the long run.

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There are a number of ways to fund a startup. We’ve all heard about loans, grants and crowdfunding but new rules from the SEC will make it easier for entrepreneurs to raise capital. In this post we’re going to look at changes to “Regulation D” and what that means for startups.

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Understanding Regulation D

Regulation D is part of the Securities Act of 1933. Section 506 specifically deals with the solicitation of private offerings. In the past, the SEC essentially banned all forms of advertisement for private investment. The revised Regulation D does away with most of the restrictions. It’s now possible for a company to publicly solicit funds for a private venture.

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Forming a corporation may seem like a lot of work but the process isn’t too difficult. In this blog post we’ll walk you through some important steps to incorporate in California. Every state is different so make sure to check with the Secretary of State’s Office in your area before getting started.

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1. Pick a Name

The name you pick for your corporation must not be the same, or similar to, one already on file with the California Secretary of State. You can search on the Secretary of State’s website to see if the name you’re thinking of using is original. You should also check beyond the state, e.g. nationally and even internationally. A name that is the same as, or similar to, one used in another state or country can pose problems.

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A merger or acquisition can be a great way to grow your business. Joining forces or purchasing another company increases your market share and potential profits. There’s no real way to know if the venture will pay off. However, the proper due diligence can provide reassurance that the move you’re making is a good one. Due diligence is a multi-step process, so in this post we’re going to focus on just one part: liabilities.

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Understanding Liabilities

Any merger or acquisition comes with a degree of risk. Liabilities are the debts and obligations incurred through the course of doing business. Loans are considered a liability as are accounts payable and accrued expenses. It’s important to take a look at the total number and dollar value of all liabilities. Also, look at the company’s payment history. Are bills paid on time? Is there a record of default? These are red flags that should give you pause. Remember, once you’ve assumed liabilities the responsibility is yours.

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contract.jpgAny business with multiple owners should have a buy-sell agreement. A buy-sell agreement, provides order and clarity should anything happen to one of the owners. In this post we’ll take a look at buy-sell agreements, how they work and what to include.

Understanding an Agreement

Let’s say you and some family members get together and form a corporation or an LLC. Things are going pretty well, the business is making money and everyone is happy. Then something happens, maybe one of your family members dies or simply decides to leave the business. What happens to that person’s stake in your company? A business without a buy-sell agreement can easily fall into in fighting and costly litigation, not to mention the impact on consumer confidence.

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rules.jpgOne of the first things any newly formed corporation should do is draft bylaws. Bylaws are a corporation’s operational blueprint. They identify what the business does, how it is run and who is in charge. Here then are five steps to drafting a set of bylaws.

5 Steps to Creating Corporate Bylaws

1. Detail relevant information concerning shareholders. This includes who holds stake in your corporation, what rights they hold and when and where meetings are to be held.

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hands.jpgA strategic alliance is a fairly simple concept. Two companies with similar interests join forces to produce favorable outcomes for all involved. An everyday example is the Starbucks inside of Barnes and Noble bookstores. This move helped Starbucks expand, but it also kept people in the bookstore, perhaps reading the first few pages of a book they were thinking of buying. A strategic alliance is good for business, but you’ll need to take the proper steps to make it work.

1,2,3 – The Steps to Creating a Strategic Alliance for Your Company

Step 1: Choosing a Partner

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lease.jpgWhether you’re starting a business or looking to expand, chances are you’ll encounter some kind of lease. The most common are the gross lease and the net lease. In this blog post we’ll take a look at the differences between the two and the benefits of each.

Gross Lease

In this scenario, the tenant pays a fixed amount each month. The landlord is responsible for the costs associated with property taxes, insurance and maintenance. A gross lease offers some flexibility because these properties are generally deemed as either Class B or Class C. They’re less desirable so the landlord may be willing to negotiate over things like who pays the utility bill.

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scale.jpgWith any luck, you or your business will never end up the subject of a lawsuit. Since this isn’t a perfect world, it’s best to start thinking about what to do if the unforeseen happens. Like most things, business litigation is an involved issue. We can’t go through the entire process in one post, so we’ll start with three basic steps to take if you find yourself in legal trouble.

Step 1: Purchase Liability Insurance

This step should happen long before trouble starts. In reality, this is one of the first things you should do as a business owner. Liability insurance protects the purchaser from the risks of liabilities imposed by lawsuits and similar claims. Say a customer slips on a wet spot in your store; your insurance would step in and handle the costs. You may want to add extra protection such as errors and omissions coverage. For businesses that have a Board of Directors it’s a good idea to have directors and officers coverage. This type of coverage protects the corporation as well as the personal liabilities for the directors and officers of the corporation.

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