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How I Incorporated my Business with CorpNet

by Susan Payton
May 17th, 2013

I’ve been blogging on CorpNet for nearly a year, and I’ve written a lot about protecting your business by incorporating or filing as an LLC. The thing is, and I’m a bit embarrassed to admit this: I was still operating as a sole proprietor! I thought I should taste my own Kool-Aid and get on the incorporation bandwagon. Here’s my experience with CorpNet (and yes, while they’re a client, my review is honest!).

After emailing back and forth with CEO Nellie Akalp, she put me in touch with Senior Document Analyst Amanda Beren. We emailed a few times, then set up a call, as she had questions that would help me make the right decision about my business structure. Initially, I thought I wanted an LLC, but since my husband has his own S-Corp and could advise me on how to set up for taxes, et cetera, I decided to go with an S-Corp.

I decided to file on January 1, 2013, so that I’d have a clean break tax-wise from my sole prop status (thanks, Nellie, for that advice). I was actually on vacation on January 31 when Amanda called. I expected the call to be long and tedious, but since we’d done the bulk of the information transfer over email (my company name, address, details), it actually only took a few minutes.

Amanda told me what to expect next. Since I wasn’t in any hurry to get my corporation approved, I opted for the standard package. The site says processing and delivery time on that package is 50-60 days, and it was exactly that. In retrospect, I might have paid to get the expedited package to get it processed faster, as I needed to get a new business bank account, and that was held up by my corporation not being ready. Continue reading “How I Incorporated my Business with CorpNet” »

Categories Business Filings
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CorpNet Sponsored Blog Post Opportunities Have Arrived!

by CorpNet
May 16th, 2013

Now that you’ve started your business, are you looking to gain more traffic to your website, build your brand, and promote your small business to thousands of other small business owners?

Sponsoring a CorpNet.com blog post will allow you to achieve all of that and more with our new sponsored blog post opportunities!

If you cater to small businesses, CorpNet would like to invite your company to get involved with the CorpNet.com blog. Our blog has a readership of several thousand, all of whom are small businesses or work for small businesses. Our readers look to the CorpNet Startup Starting Line for advice on starting protecting, managing and running a business, as well as what products or services to use.

We’re looking for partners who want to promote their company by offering our readers informative content and useful products and services geared toward the small business segment.

If you’re interested in sponsoring one or more blog post(s) or becoming a regular sponsor of the CorpNet.com blog, please view our packages below and choose the package that best fits your needs, then reach out to us to blog@corpnet.com. Continue reading “CorpNet Sponsored Blog Post Opportunities Have Arrived!” »

Categories Business Tools
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Issue Spotting for your Small Business: Disaster Prep Basics

by CorpNet
May 15th, 2013

This is a guest post by Jay Harris.

Have you ever known someone who refuses to get health insurance because they are convinced it will make them get sick? Or perhaps someone who will not apply for life insurance coverage because of a fear that it will cause an accident?

Indeed, many business owners resist planning for emergencies because of a belief that it will somehow increase the risks of disaster actually occurring. However, equipping for an emergency is not “expecting” an emergency, but rather being prepared IF one should occur.

With that in mind, here are five major areas of concern, as well as tips on how to avoid problems on the front end and handle issues in the event it becomes necessary.

Data Back-Up

Since we’re discussing protecting your business, let’s start with protecting your business. In this age of technology, fewer things are more critical to the success of a business than its records and documents. Continue reading “Issue Spotting for your Small Business: Disaster Prep Basics” »

Categories Running A Small Business
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4 Vital Conversations for Any Startup Team

by NellieAkalp
May 13th, 2013

Countless startup ideas are hatched between friends, colleagues, college roommates, and family members. A late night discussion between two friends can turn into the next social network or mobile ad platform.

These relationships can be great breeding grounds for new ideas and innovation, but navigating business management with friends or family members can also be tricky. It may be tempting to rush forward without anything in writing: after all, you know each other so well, you both want the same thing for your business, why waste time with the formalities?

While you may agree on everything today, issues will inevitably emerge…maybe a friend gets married and decides it’s time to go back ‘to the office.’ Maybe you’ll disagree over compensation or whether to spend your whole marketing budget launching at a conference. Continue reading “4 Vital Conversations for Any Startup Team” »

Categories Startups
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10 Tax Tips for Work-at-Homers

by NellieAkalp
May 10th, 2013

By: Eric

If you just started your home-based business in the last year, you may be apprehensive about your first time filing and paying small business taxes. Never fear: these tips will make tax season easier for you.

1. Know Your Deductions. 

You might be surprised at all the expenses you can write off with your home-based business. Your office, for example, is a legitimate business deduction. A few others include:

  • Office supplies
  • Computers or printers
  • Business trip expenses
  • Advertising or marketing

So don’t be afraid to spend money on your business. It will help reduce your taxable income come April. Continue reading “10 Tax Tips for Work-at-Homers” »

Categories Starting a Business, Taxes
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How Becoming an Entrepreneur is Easier Than it Was 10 Years Ago

by Anita Campbell
May 8th, 2013

For those of you who started a business before the age of social media, blogging, and websites, you can attest: it’s a lot easier to be an entrepreneur these days.

Back then, we spent more time on the phone cold calling, and direct mail was booming. Networking was done face-to-face, and we couldn’t always track our marketing efforts. My, how times have changed.

1. Our Businesses No Longer Confined by Geography

In the “old days,” you marketed your business to people who could drive there. If you were a consultant, you served the local market. Now, thanks to email, social, and tools like Skype, you can have clients “virtually” anywhere.   Continue reading “How Becoming an Entrepreneur is Easier Than it Was 10 Years Ago” »

Categories Business Technology
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Introducing CorpNet’s B.I.Z. (Business Information Zone) Free Business Compliance Monitoring Service

by CorpNet
May 7th, 2013

Our team has been working hard for the past few months to perfect our latest complimentary service to CorpNet.com customers and in a continuing effort to give our clients the best service available out there, we’ve taken a leap past the competition by offering this FREE service.  It’s live and we are so excited to introduce you to the Business Information Zone (B.I.Z.)

The B.I.Z. is a FREE Corporate Compliance Tool that will send you reminders of important due dates and business filings such as deadlines for tax filings, annual reports due, and so much more helping entrepreneurs keep thier business compliant with state filings to avoid rising late fees and penalties!

For a small business, the number of filings required in a given year can be overwhelming. For example, in California a newly formed corporation must obtain a Federal Tax ID number, file an Initial Statement of Information (also known as an initial report filing in most states), elect S Corporation status (if desired), file a DBA or fictitious business name filing, and file an annual statement of information (also known as an annual report filing in most states) on the anniversary date of the corporation’s filing date.

Failure to file any of this paperwork can lead to additional fines and penalties. With rising state budget deficits, many states are looking to increase revenues by ramping up their collection efforts for small business owners who fail to file their compliance paperwork on time.

That’s where CorpNet’s B.I.Z. (pronounced “Bee Eye Zee”) comes in. Complimentary to any new or existing small business owner, attorney, or accountant/CPA, CorpNet.com’s B.I.Z. sends personalized email alerts for important tax and state filing deadlines. As a result, small business owners don’t have to worry about missing due dates, paying late fees, or risking non-compliance by forgetting to file. The service is available at no cost to any company, whether or not it was formed by CorpNet.

CorpNet.com’s B.I.Z. offers the following concierge services:

  • Email alerts letting you know whenever important compliance filings are due with your state
  • Personalized tax alerts reminding you of important tax deadlines throughout the year
  • Secure online storage to keep all your essential company documents organized, safe, and always accessible
  • Personalized business profile that tracks all the important data about your company like formation date, Federal Tax ID number, business licenses and permits, and more
  • An interactive ordering center that makes it easy to find what you need when you need such as obtaining a Federal TAX ID number, electing S Corporation status, obtaining a business license or permit, making changes to your company name or address information (articles of amendment), doing business as a different name (DBA or fictitious business name filing) doing business in multiple states (foreign qualification filing) changing your existing company structure (Conversion) closing a company (Dissolution) and ordering additional products and services for your existing business  online (whether or not you originally formed the company through corpnet) at a click of a button without going through a tedious ordering process. Whether you need to get a business license or file a DBA,  incorporate a business, or form an LLC, you can do it right through B.I.Z. at the click of a button instead of having to navigate different websites like the state, county, IRS, or franchise tax board.

CorpNet.com’s B.I.Z. is not the only way that CorpNet aims to simplify the logistics of starting and running a business. The company recently launched the Business Structure Wizard to help guide new business owners in selecting a business structure for a new or exiting business.

Avoid late penalties and don’t miss another due date!  Register your new or existing business into the B.I.Z. (Business Information Zone) by signing up for a free acount today!

Register your business with CorpNet’s B.I.Z. today and don’t miss another deadline!

Get started today and feel free to touch base with ANY questions!

- The CorpNet.com Team

Categories Business Tools, Events & Announcements, Running A Small Business, Uncategorized
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What’s the Difference Between a Sole Proprietorship and a Formal Business Structure?

by NellieAkalp
May 6th, 2013

Do you know what business structure you have for your business? If not, chances are your business is a sole proprietorship.

If you don’t actively choose a business structure (i.e. form an LLC or incorporate), then by default your business is structured as either a sole proprietorship (single owner) or partnership (multiple owners). A lot of small businesses get their start as one of these structures before ultimately transitioning to a more formal entity like an LLC or Corporation.

If you’re not sure about the differences between a sole proprietorship and a formal business structure, here are some of the key things to know:

Liability

When you’re operating your business as a sole proprietor, there’s no separation between your business and you. This means that if you’re sued as a sole proprietor, you’re sued personally, putting all your personal assets at risk. Continue reading “What’s the Difference Between a Sole Proprietorship and a Formal Business Structure?” »

Categories Business Filings
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How to Be a Happier Entrepreneur

by Susan Payton
May 3rd, 2013

If you’ve got work up to your eyeballs and are operating in high stress mode, you may have trouble remembering why you started a business in the first place. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but now you’re inundated with bills, complaining employees, and nonstop work.

Sound familiar? If so, these tips should get you back on track.

1. Remember the Beginning

It can help you to go back and remember why you started your business. Probably you were passionate about helping other people, or providing a solution you thought would fit a need in your industry. While it may not be roses and kittens now, it can help to keep that original perspective in mind as you wade through your day to day stress. Continue reading “How to Be a Happier Entrepreneur” »

Categories Running A Small Business
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How to Set Up and Structure Multiple Businesses

by NellieAkalp
May 1st, 2013

Today’s small business owners often earn income through a variety of ventures. For example, a restaurateur may open a wine shop or a caterer may also double as a part-time copy editor.

If you’re running multiple business projects, you’ve probably wondered what’s the best way to structure all these ventures. Should you form one corporation to cover them all? Should you form an LLC for each one?

You need to answer these questions from both a marketing and legal perspective. For marketing, you need to consider the markets and target customers for each venture. Are they synergistic? Are they relevant and will they appeal to the same customer?

If so, it makes sense to market them under a shared brand. For example, it may make sense for a restaurant and side wine shop to share the same branding.

In other cases, your businesses might target different customer types (for example, the copy editor and caterer). In this case, you want to use different websites, business names and branding for each venture.

But how do you structure multiple business ventures from a legal perspective? Continue reading “How to Set Up and Structure Multiple Businesses” »

Categories Choosing A Business Structure
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