For the love of your business

Articles to LIFT Your Life and Business

What the Delay in Obamacare Means for Small Business

The Obama administration unexpectedly announced in late June that it was delaying the implementation of new health law penalties for at least a year, leading many small business owners to wonder what the reprieve will mean for their companies. Firms with more than 50 full-time employees would have been penalized $2,000 per uninsured employee starting […]

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Business Succession Planning: Lessons Learned from the Lack of a Plan

A recent post in the New York Times’ “You’re The Boss” column reflected on lessons learned from difficult company successions that were made that way because there was no plan in place to follow. Susan Parker owns Bari Jay, a bridesmaid dress company that she and her sister inherited from their father.  Parker had never […]

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Tips to Avoid Age Discrimination Claims in Business Succession Planning

As the U.S. population ages, so does its workforce.  According to the U.S. Dept. of Labor, one-third of the American workforce will be over the age of 55 in just three years.  As a small business owner, chances are you have plans to retire some day.  If you are not planning to sell the business […]

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Rupert Murdoch Divorce Wake Up Call for Business Owners

Rupert Murdoch, the 82-year-old media mogul worth over $11 billion, has filed for divorce from his third wife, Wendi Deng, in New York.  Legal experts say that he has chosen the venue for his filing wisely, as New York courts are more likely to uphold a prenuptial agreement than those in his native Australia or […]

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When Do You Need to Be Considering Your Business Agreements?

If you are running your own business and not looking at agreements regularly, it’s likely you are overlooking an important piece of your business and taking unnecessary risks.  The truth is that you do not need to have written agreements to have a valid agreement, but it sure does help when there is a dispute […]

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Protecting Your Small Business from Cybercrime

The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners has reported that companies with fewer than 100 employees lost an average of $155,000 annually as a result of fraud, identity theft and cybercrime.  Here are some tips for protecting your small business from becoming a victim: Protect bank accounts and credit cards.  First, be sure that your personal […]

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How to Make Sure Your Business Gets Paid and Doesn’t Get Stiffed by Customers

Sooner or later, you are going to have a client who doesn’t pay you for services or products provided.  Customers who do not pay are a fact of life for every business, so what are your alternatives?  Here are some options: In-house collections – Designate someone in your firm to contact the buyer personally to […]

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Protecting Your Business From Personal Legal Liabilities

Most small business owners are aware of the importance of protecting their personal assets from business liabilities.  However, the reverse is just as necessary – protecting your business assets from personal legal troubles. For example, if you are at fault in a serious auto accident that injures someone and you own a business, the assets […]

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The 4 Fatal Legal Mistakes Family Businesses Can Avoid With Planning

Anyone involved in a family business knows that working with family has its pleasures and its pitfalls –incurring these legal pitfalls can prove deadly to your family business, so here’s how to fix them: Mixing family & business finances. Unfortunately, we live in a litigious society, so as soon as your family business is up […]

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The Family Business: Avoid These 4 Lethal Legal Mistakes

If you operate a family-owned business, or are considering starting one up, there are four potentially lethal legal mistakes you should take care to avoid, including: No employment agreements.  Family members who work together are usually hesitant to confront one another if someone isn’t pulling their weight.  Having an employment agreement for everyone ensures that […]

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3 Legal Tools to Help You Protect Your Business Idea

Your ideas aren’t worth anything if you don’t get them out there into the world. I come across a lot of entrepreneurs who are afraid that if they talk about their idea, it’ll get stolen and so they keep it under wraps and don’t capitalize on it. Here are three legal tools you can use […]

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