What are Copyrights? Copyright law gives people a way to protect the tangible expressions of their creative ideas, such as a writing (a blog, essay, book), a canvas, a sound recording, a photograph, a video game, and so forth. It also provides a set of rules that determine when a person can claim legal ownership…
Starting a Business? You Need a Plan for Success
According to the Small Business Administration (SBA), 409,040 small businesses with employees opened their doors in 2014, but 470,736 closed. The death rate for non-employer businesses is even worse—three times higher than the rate of employer firms! The SBA also reports that only half of new businesses survive for five years or more, and only…
Employee or Independent Contractor? How to Stay out of Expensive Trouble
If you hire independent contractors to work for your business, you need to make sure that they aren’t actually considered employees in the eyes of the IRS. As many large and small companies have discovered (most recently Google, Amazon, and Uber), misclassifying workers can be expensive. In fact, it could destroy your business entirely, which…
11 Questions to Ask Before You Start a Business
Are you ready to start a business? Before you dive into the entrepreneurial world, make sure you’re prepared for the realities of business ownership. For example, do you know how much money you’ll need to get started or how much money you’ll need to make each month in order to pay your bills and support…
What are Trade Secrets and Why Do They Matter to My Business?
Trade secrets are a type of intellectual property that can have significant value for your company, including monetary value. However, they only hold value if they remain secret. That’s why trade secret protection is so important in business. If you can’t protect your trade secrets, then you’ll lose many of your competitive advantages in the…
What Are Patents and What Can You Patent?
You have been tinkering in your garage for months and have finally had your Eureka! moment: you have invented an improvement to the bicycle seat to make recreational riding far more comfortable. You believe your invention is completely new and has the potential to be a successful product. But before you tell anyone about your awesome creation, your…