For the love of your business

Articles to LIFT Your Life and Business

Top 5 Myths About Incorporating Your Business

Choosing the right type of entity for your business is a critical decision that can have long-lasting ramifications in terms of taxes and personal liability.  It is not unusual for those starting a business for the first time to have some misconceptions about incorporation; here are the top five: Myth #1:  Incorporation helps avoid state […]

Read More

Avoid These Four Common Legal Mistakes If You Own a Business

Whether you are just starting a new business or have been running a business for years, there are four common legal mistakes that both novice and seasoned entrepreneurs make that can have a significant impact on the future viability of your company: Co-mingling of business and personal finances.  You may have started your business as […]

Read More

The Audit That Will Change the Way You Run Your Business

Most people hear the word “audit” and hit the panic button, including business owners.  But there is an incredibly powerful tool called the LIFT Foundation Audit that can change the way you run your business for the better. The LIFT (Legal, Insurance, Financial, Tax) Foundation Audit is a process we walk through with our business […]

Read More

What You Need to Know About Liens and Your Business

Business owners who take out loans for equipment, property or working capital need to understand how liens can affect their business in terms of the potential problems they can cause and what should be avoided. Lenders usually file liens on business loans; these liens are filed in succession and a lender always wants to be […]

Read More

Avoid These Top 10 Mistakes New Small Business Owners Make

A New York Times article lists the top rookie mistakes entrepreneurs often make when starting a business, and with our years of experience in helping entrepreneurs capitalize on new business opportunities, many of them ring true.  Here’s the list: Hiring a good friend or family member. When it comes to hiring staff for your new […]

Read More

How to Tell if You Have What It Takes to Run a Business

If you are working for someone else, there has probably been a time or two you have wondered if you have what it takes to start your own business.  Not everyone is wired to be an entrepreneur, especially when it comes to taking risks to launch your own venture. There are pros and cons to […]

Read More

6 Situations Where a Corporation or LLC Will NOT Protect Your Personal Assets

Setting up your business as a corporation or a limited liability company (LLC) is a great way to go for most entrepreneurs, since incorporating protects personal assets from business liabilities, helps lower taxes and ensures the longevity of your business. However, as a recent article at Entrepreneur.com reminds us, there are six situations where a […]

Read More

Bankruptcy 101

Bankruptcy.  It’s the bad word every business owner is working hard to avoid. And, yes, it’s also a tool given to entrepreneurs as an encouragement to take risk and be able to have a fresh start when things do not go as planned. It’s a thought that may have crossed your mind on either a […]

Read More

Asset Protection Strategies for Business Owners

If there was ever a Catch-22 situation for business owners, it is this:  most do not take the necessary legal steps to protect their personal wealth until it is threatened by creditors or litigants – and by then, it’s too late to implement effective asset protection strategies. A survey of 242 business owners conducted by […]

Read More

How Overtime Rules Overhaul May Impact Small Businesses

On March 13, President Obama signed a presidential memorandum that directs the U.S. Department of Labor to propose new rules governing overtime exemption regulations for white collar workers under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The Presidential Memorandum instructs the Secretary of Labor to update the FLSA regulations for workers who qualify for overtime protection, […]

Read More

$150,000 Risk: Know the Difference Between an Employee and an Independent Contractor

The IRS and State Governments have both stepped up their enforcement action against business owners who misclassify employees as independent contractors. One friend of ours was just fined $150,000 for Worker’s Comp Fraud stemming from a misclassification of employees as Independent Contractors.  Knowing this, it is imperative for you to know the difference when it […]

Read More

Looking for a licensed Family Business Lawyer?