If your startup began life as an LLC, you’re not alone. A lot of founders are told that starting as an LLC is “easier” or “cheaper.” That might be true on paper, but if you’re planning to raise venture capital (even eventually) it’s usually better to start as a C-Corporation. Here’s one reason why: converting … Read more
You’ve probably heard the steps in the “Scientific Method.” There are lots of versions of it, but it boils down to this: We hear it in business, too. And, I love it. I apply this all over life. New recipes, new driving routes, all sorts of things. It is not unusual to hear me grumble … Read more
Long before I was a trademark nerd, I was a biology geek with the science degrees to prove it. Yes, I have read Darwin’s The Origin of Species – in my own free time at that. I also recently read Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne and The Serviceberry: Abundance and … Read more
We are in the Fourth Quarter of the calendar year. That means that all the stuff that needs to be done by December 31, 2024 are coming due really soon. Many, however, don’t realize that until around Thanksgiving, and then it is a mad dash. It doesn’t have to be that way. Here are some … Read more
In last week’s post, we talked about the Connelly case before the U.S. Supreme Court, which involved a fight between an estate and the IRS about whether money from a Key Person Insurance policy (that a company takes out on the lives of its shareholders) should count toward the company’s fair-market valuation for the purposes … Read more
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a plethora of impactful decisions in its last term. One that might have flown under the radar had to do with estate taxes. Though topic of taxes does not normally make for engaging content, this just might be an exception. If you are a business owner (or are related to … Read more
Remember back with Carter’s Big Mac post, I said we’d explore more things? Here is one of those posts! The enforcement of laws depends on who made the law. If a city counsel created the ordinance, then it applies to that city – and no others. Same with counties, states, and countries. Sometimes an organization … Read more
As the golden days of summer start to wane, the mornings greet us with a hint of chill, and the evenings slip into darkness a bit too soon. It’s already noticeable how dark it is by 7:30 p.m. or how it still lingers at 5 a.m. The purpose of this post isn’t to depress you … Read more
This is Erin setting the scene for this week’s post. It’s written by Carter, our high school administrative assistant. It was spurred by our firm’s recent discussions about 1) our culture and how it impacts our actions, and 2) what a target client is. I was happy to see that our people are listening, thinking, … Read more
As a small business owner, there are lot of plates that you are constantly spinning. How are your customers? Employees? What’s going on with your vendors? Your distributors? And on and on. One thing that often slips through is the actual status of the company. We had an intern this summer, and one of her … Read more