Nellie Akalp

A pioneer in the online legal document filing space since 1997, Nellie has helped more than half a million small businesses and licensed professionals start and maintain companies across the United States, most recently through her Inc.5000 recognized company, CorpNet. She closely follows trends in the industry and shares her wealth of knowledge across various CPA and small business communities, establishing Nellie as one of the most prominent influential experts on business startup and compliance matters.

Does a Sole Proprietorship Need Liability Insurance?

Many entrepreneurs who are the sole owners of their business (or operate a business with their spouse) choose to operate as sole proprietorships. A sole proprietorship is the simplest business structure to manage, which is why it’s popular with self-employed...

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Options for Paying Small Business Taxes

While paying taxes is a certainty for small business owners, there are some options for how you might pay them. The simplest strategy for paying your small business taxes is to make sure money is available when your tax bill comes due. If that is not possible for...

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Three Tips for Choosing an Advisor for Your Startup

When you run a business, you don’t always know how to make the best decisions. After all, your expertise is in one area, but you might not be well-versed in finance, marketing, management, or growth strategy. That’s where having an advisor for your startup comes in...

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How to Legally Franchise a Business

If you've considered how to grow your business by leaps and bounds without starting and running dozens or hundreds of locations yourself, you may have wondered how to franchise a business. In this article, you'll learn more about what franchising means, how to determine if franchising makes sense for your business, and what's involved in franchising a business.

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What is a Series LLC?

The Series LLC is also known as a Series Limited Liability Company or SLLC for short. It allows multiple Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) within a master LLC to operate as separate entities with their own names, bank accounts, and record keeping. Each series can conduct business independently in this way because the series LLCs’ articles of formation explicitly allow them to have unrestricted segregation of membership interests, assets, liabilities, and operations.

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6 Hiring Mistakes Small Business Owners Make

As you grow your business, you will inevitably need to hire help. If you’ve never been an employer before, there are certain pitfalls you need to avoid that many business owners make. Here’s your guide to what not to do in hiring staff. 1. Not Knowing Your Needs...

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Will Your Business Need Financing in the New Year?

As you plan and set goals for your small business in 2023, one area to look at is financing. Will you need additional funding at some point in the New Year? If the answer is yes, how will you raise the money? Take a closer look at the two primary means of raising...

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Does an S Corporation Need to File Articles of Organization?

If you’ve spent any time on this blog or researching how to incorporate your business online, you’ve probably found some terms you weren’t really clear on and had questions. What’s the difference between an LLC and a corporation? What paperwork do I need to file...

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14 Steps for Starting a Business in Nevada

You have a phenomenal business idea, you’ve done some homework to verify your idea is viable, and now you’re ready to take the necessary steps to make your dream of starting a business in Nevada come true. Starting a business in Nevada offers the opportunity to...

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6 Tips for Naming Your Business

I can’t tell you how many entrepreneurs I’ve met that didn’t do the research before naming their business. You may think the name you’ve come up for in starting a new business is unique, but what happens if you find out someone else is already using it? If the name...

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Should You Convert Your Business Structure to an S Corp?

You’ve been chugging along as a Sole Proprietorship for a while now, but you’re beginning to realize that might not be the best idea to protect your business. So you’re considering converting your Sole Proprietorship to another structure, specifically the S...

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Breaking Down Business Entity Types

One of the most important steps you’ll need to make when starting your business is reviewing business entity types and deciding which one you should choose for your company. The structure you pick will affect your business from legal and tax obligation standpoints....

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Why Your Inactive Business is Probably Costing You Money

Someone once told me that a true sign of a successful entrepreneur is the ability to know when it’s time to throw in the towel and move on. One failed business doesn’t define an entrepreneur. Plus, when one door closes, another usually opens. Closing a business...

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5 Reasons to Fall in Love With the LLC

If you’re starting a new business or revisiting your decision to operate as a Sole Proprietorship, you may want to give the Limited Liability Company (LLC) some attention. The LLC legal structure offers advantages that attract entrepreneurs running small businesses...

How to Start a Small Business on Etsy

Etsy has given artists, crafters, and collectors a highly visible online marketplace for selling their own-made arts and crafts, vintage items, and crafting supplies. Are you a talented, hands-on individual with a vision of offering your creations to customers...

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How to Start a Vending Machine Business

The vending machine industry is one that has evolved and steadily grown over the last decade. As consumers' lives get busier and people seek convenience and time-saving options while on the go, vending machine operators have many opportunities. According to...

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What is a Statutory Close Corporation?

A Statutory Close Corporation (also known as “Close Corporation”) is a corporation that does not publicly trade stock and is formed under a special statute. This type of corporation is held by a limited number of shareholders. In some states, Close Corporations may...

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Is a Multi-Member LLC Right For You?

The multi-member LLC is a Limited Liability Company with more than one owner. It is a separate legal entity from its owners, but not a separate tax entity. A business with multiple owners operates as a general partnership, by default, unless registered with the...

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