Nellie Akalp

Nellie Akalp is an entrepreneur, small business expert, speaker, and mother of four amazing kids. As CEO of CorpNet.com, she has helped more than half a million entrepreneurs launch their businesses. Akalp is nationally recognized as one of the most prominent experts on small business legal matters, contributing frequently to outlets like Entrepreneur, Forbes, Huffington Post, Mashable, and Fox Small Business. A passionate entrepreneur herself, Akalp is committed to helping others take the reigns and dive into small business ownership. Through her public speaking, media appearances, and frequent blogging, she has developed a strong following within the small business community and has been honored as a Small Business Influencer Champion three years in a row.

Do You Have a Domestic or Foreign LLC?

A domestic and foreign LLC refers to the state where the LLC is created. Registering your business as a foreign LLC (also known as a foreign qualification) is required under certain circumstances when you operate your business outside of the state in which you’ve...

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LLC vs. C Corporation

Is it better to form a Limited Liability Company (LLC) or a C Corporation? Many entrepreneurs ask that question as they work through the many facets of transforming their dream of business ownership into a reality. The business structures have similarities and...

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How to Obtain a Certificate of Existence for Your Georgia Business

If you own a Limited Liability Company, C Corporation, or other registered business entity in Georgia and you want to open a business bank account, expand your business into another state, seek funds from investors, or conduct certain other business activities,...

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Company Applicant vs. Beneficial Owner

The Corporate Transparency Act’s Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting Rule went into effect in January 2024, leaving many business owners wondering: Are they required to submit a Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Report? What’s the difference between...

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Certificate of Subsistence: What It Is and Why You Might Need One

If you own a business that’s registered with the state in which you operate, such as a Limited Liability Company, a C Corporation, or a Limited Liability Partnership, it’s likely that at some point you’ll be asked to provide a Certificate of Subsistence. A...

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How to Hire Temporary Employees

If the bed-and-breakfast you own and operate runs at full capacity for the months of July and August and the work is too much for you to do on your own, you might consider hiring temporary employees to help. The same goes for a consulting firm that just landed an...

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Obtain Asset Protection for Your Business

One of the main reasons to create an LLC or to incorporate revolves around asset protection. The business structure legally separates the assets of the ownership from the assets of the company. The corporation may be sued (and even go bankrupt) without loss of...

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Tax Benefits of Incorporating

Tax implications are among the most important factors to think about when deciding on a business entity type. Some business owners are attracted to the simplicity of pass-through taxation, which is how a sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, and S Corporation are...

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Do You Need an LLC for Your Rental Properties?

Most builders and real estate investors understand the importance of protecting personal assets and optimizing their tax situation. One way to address both concerns is by choosing the right business structure for holding rental properties. Many property developers...

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Choosing a Business Structure

Choosing a business structure for your company is one of the most crucial first steps to starting a business. Your business entity type has legal, financial, and administrative implications, so it’s important you get started with the best entity for your...

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How Pennsylvania Is Changing Annual Reporting in 2025

Starting in 2025, Pennsylvania will retire its decennial report requirement and instead require many business entities to file annual reports. Going from reporting every ten years to every year is a result of 2022 Act 122, which Governor Tom Wolf signed into law....

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Most Popular Franchise Businesses

If the thought of starting your own business seems overwhelming, there’s an option you could consider to streamline the start-up process and make it more workable. Instead of starting from scratch to build an independent business, you could consider franchising....

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How to Perform a Business Name Search for Any State in the US

Along with deciding whether your company will operate as a Sole Proprietorship, Limited Liability Company (LLC), General Partnership, C Corporation, or S Corporation, selecting the right name for your new business is an important early step. And while choosing a...

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Can You Turn a DBA into an LLC?

Many business owners who operate as a Sole Proprietorship or Partnership use a DBA (Doing Business As) name to market their business more effectively and present a more professional image. A DBA can serve a business well, but it’s important to realize it is just a...

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How to Become a Successful Solopreneur

If you find joy in working on your own, managing day-to-day operations while scheming grand plans for the future, you may have what it takes to become a successful solopreneur. While there have always been solopreneurs, the concept of a person forming and growing a...

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Should a Single-Member LLC Have an Operating Agreement?

If you’re the owner of a single-member LLC, you may be wondering if you need an operating agreement for your business. It’s a valid question. You may assume that since you are the sole owner you probably don't need an agreement. After all, you are in complete...

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What is a C Corporation?

A C Corporation is a legal structure for a company that is authorized by the state to conduct business. Its owners, who are referred to as shareholders, are taxed separately from the business, and in most cases cannot be held personally responsible for business...

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What Is a Publication Requirement?

Some states require business owners to publish a notice in a local newspaper after they form or make certain changes to their business entities. States’ publishing requirements help inform the public about new business entities and significant changes to existing...

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Eleven Disadvantages of Choosing a Sole Proprietorship

A Sole Proprietorship is the most popular business structure in the U.S., with nearly three out of four businesses operating as one. But if you’re running a Sole Proprietorship or thinking about starting a business that will operate as one, it’s important that...

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