No matter how good your business idea, no matter how passionate you are about your new idea, no matter how thorough your marketing plan, there is one factor that can completely put a halt to you starting a business.
We’ve written before extensively about all the benefits of incorporating a business, so I thought I’d take a different approach. Let’s look at some scenarios where being incorporated would help you in your small business.
Ah, a new year and a fresh start for your business. I’ll admit, sometimes my ideas for CorpNet get a little stale, so I have to look for inspiration to rejuvenate my brain. Here I share five places you, too, can be inspired with creative ingenuity for your brand.
As people -- more specifically as entrepreneurs -- many of us feel obligated to put up a shield to hide what’s really going on. When we’re asked how things are going with our businesses, we’re more inclined to focus on the highlights rather than the brutal truth. That truth might be that we’re working too much and getting sick a lot. Or that business has ground to a halt. Whatever that truth is, we feel it makes us vulnerable, and we feel like that compromises our ability to succeed.
Do you ever find yourself blaming everyone around you when things don’t go the way you want in your business? Maybe it’s “the economy” that kept you from hitting your sales numbers this year. Or your lack of employees that had you in the weeds all year. Whatever your favorite excuse, put the the kibosh on it in 2015.
If any of these sound familiar, make a New Year’s resolution to strike them from your vocabulary.
You’re passionate about your hobby, whether that’s hand sewing baby clothes or creating terrariums. And maybe you’ve started to make a little money selling these items. So when should you take your hobby to the next level and build a real business?
Here are five signs that it’s time to take your hobby up a notch.
Ask anyone who knows me, and they’ll tell you I’m full of inspirational advice for entrepreneurs. Now and then, I like to share what I’ve learned here to our blog readers. Hope you find them useful!
It’s funny how when you hit a certain milestone in your life, everyone’s there with unwanted advice. Like when you are expecting a baby. Getting married. Or...starting a business.
If you’re considering incorporating your small business, read this first. This is not a decision to be taken lightly, so make sure you’re aware of what you need to know and do to run a corporation.
If you’re considering forming an LLC, you’ve probably got questions. Fortunately, we’ve got answers. We’ve helped thousands of people form an LLC, so you could say we’re kind of experts on the subject.
While the obvious lessons we learn about entrepreneurship come from our own professional experience, I find that sometimes they pop up in unexpected places. Like my children.
When it comes to filing your small business taxes, it can seem overly complex. After all, what qualifies as a deduction? Are you filing as the proper status?
Don’t let tax season overwhelm you. Believe it or not, the IRS isn’t out to get you, but they do want you to play by the rules. These tips will help you alleviate the stress you feel this time of year and help you maximize your refund.
People are drawn to the entrepreneurial lifestyle for a variety of reasons. Some dislike having a boss or dealing with office politics. Others are tired of the cubicle monotony or feel like they can do it better on their own. And most entrepreneurs are driven by a passion for what they do and a desire to carve out their own future.
Yet too often, that initial passion is dampened by the realities of running the show. Working for yourself or starting a business is difficult work. There’s no guidebook or map to show you the way. You might encounter a few bad customers, people who don’t pay their bills, competitors who undercut you, and business partners who don’t treat you fairly. With too much work, entrepreneurs can become tense, anxious, and unhappy.
Linda Dawson, owner and CPA at Dawson and Associates, works closely with CorpNet to help startup clients get up and running. She says CorpNet and her company have "a great marriage" in that they both work together to help small business owners start a business. In...
Another tax time has come and gone. If you’re self-employed operating as a sole proprietor, tax time can be yet another reminder that you haven’t addressed your business structure yet. Maybe you started your business as a side project, and a sole proprietorship made sense. But is it best for your needs now?
The end of tax time is a perfect time to reassess what’s next for your business and legal structure. Here are some things to consider.
If you decide to incorporate as an S-Corporation, the company itself will not pay taxes. Instead, the taxes are handled by “pass through taxation,” where the earnings “pass through” to the company’s owners and employees. S-Corporations also ensure limitation of personal liability for the business owners, helping to separate your personal finances and protect your personal assets from those of your business.
CorpNet has a talented team of dedicated people who help our customers start a business, incorporate a company and manage business filings every day. One of our team members is Milton Turcios, who works in Document Fulfillment and Customer Service. Milton, like CorpNet CEO Nellie Akalp, is the child of immigrants, and he was the first child in his family to be born in the United States. In addition to his full-time job at CorpNet, Milton is currently attending Cal-State University Northridge (CSUN), majoring in Cinema and Television Arts with a focus in TV Production.
One of the things I love most about being a small business owner is the relationships I get to create over time with our small business employees. I love working with all of our CorpNet staff, but one of them has been with us longer than any of the others – she’s really more like a daughter to me than an employee, and she’s seen it all during her time at our company: so I’m pleased to put the “CorpNet staff spotlight” on Amanda Beren, our Senior Document Analyst.
The state of California recently passed new legislation making it possible for Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) to be licensed contractors in California. This is big news, as it makes it possible for more companies to do business in California as LLCs. However, there are a few requirements that your company needs to keep in mind to avoid delays and errors in getting your LLC approved for a California contractor license which is highlighted in this post.
Nevada and Delaware are popular states for good reason. Many larger corporations choose Delaware because it offers some of the most developed, flexible, and pro-business statutes in the country. And Nevada is increasingly becoming a popular choice for businesses due to its low filing fees, as well as the lack of state corporate income, franchise, and personal income taxes. However, most small businesses never see the benefits from incorporating in these states, and end up with a lot more headaches and costs than they ever anticipated. As a general rule of thumb, I like to say that if a small corporation or LLC has less than 5 shareholders or members, it is best to incorporate in the state where the business has a physical presence.
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