You may have your heart set on a startup.  Many bright, hard-working people do.  However, while you’re exploring how to go about launching your own startup, you may want to give some consideration to buying an existing business instead.   Why would you do that?  For many reasons, acquiring an existing business may make good sense.  Although you may have

Startup vs Acquisition – Which is Best?

Sourcing money for your startup often comes from angel investors or friends and family. These investors are early-stage investors who invest in startups often based solely on a relationship with the founder of the business. The angel investor may have been introduced to the founder by a mutual friend or colleague. Angels, as well as friends and

How to Get Money to Start a Business

There are several ways to raise capital for your startup or more mature business — so many, in fact, that the options can seem overwhelming and confusing. This guide will help you understand the options so you can make a more informed decision about financing your startup or growing business while limiting unnecessary risk. Debt vs. Equity

How to Raise Capital to Start a Business

This post includes our comprehensive starting a business checklist for you to follow as you launch your startup.   Download your Roadmap to Your Startup here. It includes the various steps you should take to protect your assets and income when launching a startup, how to streamline your record keeping and to organize your new responsibilities as a

Starting a Business Checklist

In this post we will be addressing how to protect your business name and whether filing for a DBA, registering a trademark or copyright, creating a URL, filing a patent application, and registering your business in your state of operation is appropriate, and most importantly why.Understanding the differences between the various methods used to protect your intellectual

DBAs, Trademarks & Other Tools To Help You Protect Your Business

A business entity is the separate legal business structure under which a business operates which is distinct from the individual or individuals who own the business. In the eyes of the law, a business entity exists in isolation from its owners.  This offers its owners the ability to separate and protect their individual, personal assets and income

Choose the Best Business Entity for your New Business

Everyone in business understands how important branding is for the success of your company. Originally, branding meant a way to tell one person’s cattle from another’s.   Nowadays, a brand defines the identity, or the personality of a product, a company, a service, or even an individual.  Businesses want to make their brand something that becomes familiar to

When Does a Descriptive Mark Supplemental Registration Improve Branding?

Business debt and equity are central to the operations of any company. The amount of debt and equity a business carries has a major impact on how the business operates, and on how it is positioned for success. Business capital is the money a company uses to purchase assets, maintain operations, and grow (learn about the differences

Business Capital Structure

Understanding the differences between a sole proprietorship and an LLC (Limited Liability Company) is essential for any business owner – but especially important for a business owner trying to decide the best structure for their startup. Understanding the pros and cons of a sole proprietorship versus a Single Member LLC can be confusing, so we’ve created a

Sole Proprietorship vs LLC

Your business’s corporate structure will significantly impact a number of issues – including exposure to liability, financing and growth, the number of shareholders, the rate and manner in which you and your business are taxed, and general business operations.  The LLC vs S Corp comparison can be confusing to many.  We want to simplify it for you.

LLC vs S Corp