The Launch Blog: Expert Advice from the CorpNet Team
How to Start a Cleaning Business
If you're looking to get into the cleaning business, there's plenty of opportunity 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 cleaning service or go out on your on, there are a few things you need to take care of before you can start accepting clients.
Are You Ready to Start a Business?
Think you’re ready to start a business? This post will help you determine whether you’re ready to become a small business owner, or if you need to do a bit more developing before diving in. Just answer each question honestly to see where you stand.
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.
5 Ways to Ward off Entrepreneurial Stress
Entrepreneurs are notorious overachievers. They’re accustomed to pushing forward without a playbook, yet the exhilaration of starting and managing your own business also comes with a heavy price - stress. That’s because small business owners tend to work long hours, with little separation between work and play.
If that sounds all too familiar, read on to learn several everyday tips to combat the stress of entrepreneurial life:
Creating a Five-Year Business Plan
It may be hard to envision what your company will look like in five years, but smart businesses at least try to project where they want to be in the future. Having a five-year business plan can help you create a vision of where you want to take your business.
Start with the End in Mind
Have you ever considered what your exit strategy is for your business? Meaning: will you sell it down the road? Transfer ownership to a family member? Run it until you die? Even if you can't imagine ever stopping what you're doing, consider the question. Maybe you'd like to move on to a different type of business in a few years. Knowing how long you'd like to run your business and how you'd like to exit can help you in creating your five-year business plan.
Getting Your Business Legal
For people -- more specifically women -- who start a business, they’re adding more to their existing to-do lists. In addition to shuttling the kids to soccer, planning dinner, and managing the household you now have to register your business, choose a name, set up a site…the list goes on and on!
I have made a career for myself out of helping entrepreneurs in their journey to starting a business. The biggest decision you’ll make in legalizing your business is choosing what type of business entity works best for your brand. Here’s an overview of your options:
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 this video, Linda talks about why starting a business isn't always as scary as you may think, and shares why she loves our CorpNet Compliance Portal. Linda appreciates that CorpNet is there for her business, to assist her when clients need to incorporate a business or form a new LLC. She says that CorpNet always has solid...
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.
10 Ways 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.
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.
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.
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.
LLC vs. PLLC: Which Structure is Right for Your Business?
Choosing the appropriate business structure for your company is complicated. For attorneys, physicians, accountants, architects, and some other licensed professionals, there are extra factors to consider. Professionals who want liability protection and flexibility may feel drawn to the Limited Liability Company (LLC) structure. However, in many states, professionals whose jobs require licensing by the state aren’t legally allowed to form an LLC. Instead, they may have to form a Professional Limited Liability Company (PLLC). In this article, we’ll consider the LLC vs. PLLC, looking at the...
Where to Start Your Business? Look at the Fastest Growing Economies
When it comes to determining where you want to start a business, you want to choose a city that has a thriving economy and plenty of potential for you to corner the market in your industry. If you’re not planning to open a business in the town you live in, consider one of these, from WalletHub’s 2015’s Cities with the Fastest Growing Economies list. (And if you’ve already started your business, see how your city stacks up).
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.
Coronavirus Relief & Aid for Small Businesses
During this uncertain time, I know many small business owners and entrepreneurs are feeling overwhelmed and stressed by the unknown. Not only do entrepreneurs worry about how the COVID-19 situation will hurt their businesses, but they also feel concerned about their employees. Indeed, the coronavirus has turned our world upside down. Fortunately, federal, state, and local governments are stepping up to the plate to create ways to provide Coronavirus relief and aid to businesses and the people who work for them. In this article, I will share some of the currently available information...
Is Your Business Structure Really Working for Your Business?
There may come a day when, after everything in your small business has been chugging right along for a while, that you start to wonder if the business structure you first chose is still a good fit.
