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.

Jan 2015 2

Let’s Make This Year The One We’re Honest With Ourselves as Entrepreneurs

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.

Dec 2014 26

5 Small Biz Excuses That Shouldn’t Follow You into the New Year

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.

Dec 2014 8

5 Signs That Your Hobby is Ready to Be a Business

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? Five signs that...

Nov 2014 24

10 Inspirational Tips for Entrepreneurs

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!

Jul 2014 28

6 Pieces of Advice You Shouldn’t Listen to When Starting a Business

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.

Jul 2014 14

10 Things You Should Know About Incorporating Your Small 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.

Jun 2014 16

Answering Your Questions About LLCs

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. Here are some of the questions we get the most. What Exactly is...

May 2014 26

5 Entrepreneurial Lessons My Kids Have Taught Me

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.

Apr 2014 8

8 Top Secret Tax Tips the IRS Doesn’t Want You to Know About

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.

Oct 2013 23

How to Break the Ice at a Networking Event

It’s a classic scenario: you arrive at a networking event armed with business cards and ready to make connections. But once you get there, you can’t seem to pull yourself away from the wall and mingle with everyone who acts more confident than you feel. Get to Know...

Casual Catering Discussion Meeting Colleagues Concept

Jun 2013 24

5 Tips for Being a Happier Entrepreneur

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.

Jun 2013 19

Dawson and Associates Has a “Great Marriage” with CorpNet

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...

May 2013 31

Is it Time to Look at Your Business Structure?

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.

Feb 2013 28

How to Start a Cleaning Business

If you're looking to start a cleaning business, there's plenty of opportunities to go around. In fact, the role of professional cleaning specialist is slated to be the fastest growing occupation for the next ten years. Whether you plan to buy an existing franchise...

Feb 2013 21

How to Start a Construction Business

So you've decided to start a business in construction. Congrats! Despite the ebbs and flows of the real estate industry, there will always be work for you. While you may have the basics of your business, such as who to hire and what to call your company, here are...

Jun 2012 29

Interested in Forming an S-Corp? Read this First!

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.

Mar 2012 28

CorpNet Staff Spotlight: Milton Turcios

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.

Feb 2012 1

CorpNet Staff Spotlight: Amanda Beren

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...

Jan 2012 30

Obtain Your California State Contractors License with an LLC

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.

Mar 2011 28

Ready to Incorporate? Why Delaware or Nevada May Not be the Answer!

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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