I’ve gotten several questions recently about the legalities of
starting a business. So, this week I thought I would address a
few of the more common legal issues most new businesses face.
But first, let’s get the mandatory legal disclaimer out of the
way: the advice dispensed by this columnist is probably no better
or worse than the advice dispensed by other columnists. Do not
take the following advice as gospel or bet the future of your
business on any advice given herein by said columnist.

Agreed? Good, let’s proceed.

To begin, here’s the best legal advice I can give you as a new
business person: find yourself a good lawyer and make him or her
your very best friend. Granted, your new best friend will charge
you an hourly fee for chatting on the phone or talking business
over lunch, but you’ll find it to be money well spent. A good
attorney can save you far more than the cost of his services.
I rarely make any decision that has the potential to impact my
business without first consulting my attorney.

You can locate an attorney through legal referral services or
just by opening the phone book, but the best way to find a
really good attorney is to ask other business owners for
references.

You want an attorney who specializes in business matters.
A few of the things you may need legal help with are: legal
business formation, articles of incorporation, trademarks and
copyrights, investment documents, employee policies, etc. You
may find that a single attorney can’t meet all your needs, but
if you use a larger firm they will have attorneys on staff that
can provide the specialized services you require.

Now, let’s take a brief look at a few questions I’ve received
regarding the legalities of starting a new business.

What’s a DBA?
“DBA” stands for “doing business as.” A DBA is another name
that you use in the operation of your business other than the
legal name. For example, “Jones, Inc.” might be the legal
corporate name of your business, but you might use “Bob Jones
Landscaping” as the everyday business name. In this case, you
would see the business described in legal context as “Jones, Inc.
Doing Business As Bob Jones Landscaping.”

Here’s an example of using a DBA to launch a new venture within
an existing business. A reader asked: “My wife incorporated a
multimedia business three years ago, and I am starting a voice-over
business. Is it more beneficial for me to open as a sole
proprietorship or to operate within her multimedia business?”

My answer was that he should open his company as a division
of his wife’s business, operating as a DBA. Even though he is
using his own business name (the DBA), technically his wife’s
corporation is launching the service and therefore will give
him some liability protection. Doing so would also help him
save on start-up costs (such as having to pay for a separate
incorporation). It’s relatively simple to keep a separate set
of books, and when the new business takes off, he can spin it
off into a separate entity.

Will a corporation protect me from liability?
It can, if handled correctly. You may have heard about the “corporate
veil,” which means that you can’t be sued personally for anything that
happens in the corporation and your personal assets can’t be attacked
by creditors or a lawsuit on the corporation. But in order to have
this protection, you must act like a corporation. This means conducting
board meetings, taking notes and publishing minutes in your corporate
book.

In addition, be sure to have a separate corporate checking account
and, if you need them, corporate credit cards. Don’t use corporate
money for personal purchases, and vice versa (unless you file an
expense report). Many people think they don’t need to go to all
this trouble if there is just one or two people in the company, but
in order to be treated like a corporation, you must act like one.
Your attorney can give you more details.

How do I register my company name?
To register your company name simply contact the office of the
Secretary of State. This is easily done by phone. The registrar
will tell you if the name you have in mind is available as a corporate
name and will reserve the name for you if it is available. You will
be sent a form to complete and submit with a nominal fee. For more
information you can also visit the Secretary of State’s website.

Do I need a business license?
Nearly every business will require a county or city license. Luckily,
such licenses are relatively easy to obtain and are not expensive.
For local licensing requirements, contact your city or county government
offices.

Some businesses might also require a state license. For example, hair
stylists, contractors and most businesses serving food fall under the
purview of the state licensing board. Each state has an agency that
deals with these types of businesses. Contact your local government
offices to see if your particular business requires a state license.

Some businesses will even require federal licensing. Examples of such
businesses would be those that provide investment advice or that deal
with firearms. Federal licensing is typically required for businesses
that are highly regulated by the government.

I operate my business out of my home. Do I still need a license?
Operating a business out of your home does not get you off the hook when
it comes to licensing. You should check local zoning requirements and
property covenants. You can find this information at the court house or
by calling your local license department. Home businesses are also
subject to zoning laws that regulate how property can be used and may
restrict various activities.

This is just a sampling of the legal issues that must be addressed by
every new business owner. To learn more, take your favorite lawyer to
lunch.

Just be prepared to pick up the tab.

Here’s to your success.

Tim Knox
tim@dropshipwholesale.net
For information on starting your own online or eBay business,
visit http://www.dropshipwholesale.net

If you are seriously thinking about changing up your kitchen layout, you need some kitchen design ideas to get you started.  There are a lot of components to your kitchen and you are going to have to pull them all together to get it exactly the way you want it.  From the components to the layout, it is time to get to work.

Start with the layout.  When designing your kitchen layout you will be limited to the existing layout. Unless you want to spend big money to get your lines moved.  You have lots of options.

Where you want your pots, pans and other cooking wares are going to need placement.  If you are challenged for space, consider using the ceiling and walls for storage.  Build a nice spice rack with some designer jars to get your spices out of the cabinets.  Do you have nice looking pots- put a rack mounted on the ceiling.   Copper pots look great hanging from the ceiling.

When designing your kitchen, make certain you also consider where your spice drawer will be kept, as well as the drawers where you will keep your pans and pots.  These items will all need to be kept close to your cooking zone.  If not, you’ll find yourself wandering all over your kitchen and wasting precious time.

Another aspect of kitchen design ideas to be considered is whether or not you need your kitchen to be kid friendly.   If you have small kids in your home, you may want to create an area that allows your children easy  to countertop space so that they may assist you and learn from you when cooking.  

Most of the time a kitchen island space works well for this.  If your kitchen does not allow for an island, set up a space that is not too close to your cooking zone.  

Who doesn’t want to get Top Ranking Positions in Google? 1^st Page Placement in Google is NOT difficult, you need to follow Google Optimization Guidelines, and this Article has Summary of the Seven Fundamentals for Google Optimization. 

Google optimization is about following Google guidelines, Google likes ethical SEO practices, those SEO practices which are to help website owners as well as Google and it has published guidelines for SEOs here: http://www.google.com/intl/en/webmasters/seo.html  

Top 7 Fundamentals for Google Optimization

Fresh and Original Content

Google love fresh and original content on web page, selectable content/text copy of your web page, google can’t read content on images or at pics. 

Clean and Validated Code

Clean and validate code helps google to crawl deeply, try to put content at the beginning of your web page, ignore nesting, javascript or comments, in fact try to shorten the text format with the help of external CSS. 

Easy and Accessible Navigation

Text or image base navigation helps google to read, google bot can’t read javascript, dhtml, flash base navigation, try to avoid using these practices which google doesn’t like. Keep your navigation at top or left side of the web pages, make sure to add a sitemap page which will guide web surfers and web bots to each and every page of your website, if you have huge website then make sure to add at least all main categories’ links at sitemap page. 

Good Interlinking of Web pages

Web links are like roads and streets at website, make sure all website’s internal links are text base or image base, with relevant content. 

Healthy and Relevant Incoming Links

Google likes referred websites, specially referred from quality and relevant resources. The more referrer links the more top rankings. Here one thing should be remembered that one relevant incoming links is better than hundred irrelevant links. 

Domain Age and Registered Period For

Google started keeping new registered domains in sandbox since April 2004, in sandbox almost all new domains kept on probationary period for 6 to 8 months, in some cases for longer period, Sandbox domains don’t get good rankings.

Google also likes to rank better to those domains which are registered for longer period like for 5 or 10 years, because whoever registered domains for longer period shows how much s/he is  serious with her/his business and most probably won’t do SPAM with those domains. 

Same Contacts at Site and Domain Registration

Google likes true businessmen and a true businessman doesn’t misguide his website visitors, google likes those websites which have physical mailing address to their contact pages and google compares it with that physical mailing address which is used in domain registering. 

If you own a leather bag and you want to clean it. This article is best which provides a big insight into how to clean leather.

A handbag is an essential companion for every woman. On a general note, women love to invest in many accessories and a handbag happens to be one of them. It is one of the favourite accessories and the most fashionable items labelled under many labels. 

It is also not uncommon for women to invest in multiple handbags for different occasions or ones in different colours to match with what they are wearing. 

A leather handbag or purse is a big investment hence it is a good practice to make the effort to maintain it. Keeping it clean is a major part of maintaining it. This article provides a big insight into how to clean leather.

It often happens that there is a tough stain on your bag that you cannot remove; it is also not uncommon for them to get dirty or dusty. 

Dirt and dust can be easily removed by shaking it upside down. Here are several tips on how one can clean their handbag or purse:

Women love to buy soft leather handbags, but it isn’t uncommon for one to spill something, resulting in stubborn stains. Investing in expensive and designer handbags is a must for most women; as the good quality leather will last long. 

A minor smudge of lipstick or spilling makeup can ruin your day. Hence, this article is a good guide to those who love to keep their purses clean. 

When serious about getting some improvements in the aspect of your house, your bathroom will be the primary room in your home ahead to your mind. A fresh remodeled bathroom can change the looks of your house and will highlight one of several busiest areas of the home. You can find many factors most people prefer to remodel their own bathrooms and if you’re on a spending plan there are numerous simple options for getting superb outcomes without the need of money.

You can improve the ingredient of your bathroom by using some simple fittings. It’s inexpensive and simple to get some good new lights and faucets that can enhance the style of your bathroom. You may choose a retro style for an old-fashioned touch or some trendy nickel finish faucets if you need to more modern process.

Another solution for the bathroom renovations is to change the sink pedestal so that they can increase more space and get into the room. It isn’t that costly to invest in a new bathing room and a new sink, but the results you will get totally improve the look of your bathroom.

Redesigning your bathroom floors can be one other affordable method adjusting the part of this room. Then again, the labor price ranges is usually too much for some budgets. Another solution to this fact is to try using the laminate floor covering, as they are provided in lots of finishes and colors, that will give the bathroom a new style. Factors to consider you comply with all the guidelines offered by producer to be able to do the installation properly. In this way, your bathroom will have a new elegant surface with small funds.

When bathroom remodeling is excessively costly for your expense plan, designing is most likely the right option for adding value for your bathroom. You can look at a new coat of color which will definitely improve the ingredient of your bathroom. Most discount dealers provide framed and decorative mirrors that will give your bathroom a nice look. You should also try to set some shelves on the walls along with add some candle lights for a spa feel.

Most of the above creative ideas for bathroom renovations depend upon your budget, but as you can simply see, even some limited modifications could make you really feel convenient and relaxed in your bathroom. Ensure that you decide on relaxing and fresh colors to your bathroom, due to the fact this can be a room at which you spend some time daily and it becomes superb to feel good in it.

Have you ever thought about how your “need” for money could be the biggest obstacle preventing you from getting the money you “need”? Getting past this problem is a key “success secret” that should be a part of every success mentoring program.

One of the reasons why it is unhelpful to focus on the thought that you “need money” is because it is likely to cause you to lower your horizons and grab the first offer that comes your way.

If you are in a situation where you feel that you really do “need the money”, what would happen if you didn’t get it?

When you come up with an answer, ask yourself what would you do next… Even if you did not get the money you “needed” there could well be other opportunities out there that prove to be much better – because no single opportunity is the be all and end all of a situation.

Here’s another question: How long could you live without this money before you’d have to go and live on the streets?

I know of someone who thought he “needed money” but, when he did this exercise, he discovered that he could probably survive for ten years before turning himself out to the mercy of the streets.

Working with a success mentoring coach, he decided to concentrate on building his business on the assumption that he had enough money to live.

Now, instead of focusing on his “neediness” and his fear of poverty, he based all of his decisions on his vision of the future and his desire for success.

And, guess what… in less than a year he was making TEN TIMES more money than he had been doing when focusing on his fears and his perceptions of neediness.

You might think that this person was a lot less needy than you are and so it was much easier for him.

Well, if that is what you are determined to believe, so be it.

Nevertheless, his experience does illustrate a very interesting fact.

When you let go of neediness and start acting on what you desire from the point of view of who you aspire to be, you are no longer working out of desperation, but out of inspiration.

As I said earlier, a sense of neediness will cause you to settle for the first thing that comes your way. Every time you focus on a negative thought you reinforce its power over your life and load the scales on the side of failure.

But when you act as if you already have plenty of money and are assured that you will have more, you will find yourself moving forward with the assurance of a sleepwalker.

You then make decisions not only without fear, but with joyfulness, and you can ask for what you want and making your vision plain without fear of loss.

Unfortunately, the great majority of people have been conditioned to act on fear and worry. Unfortunately, fear is a terribly ineffective state within which to make decisions.

What is fear?

Fear is a belief in our inadequacy to deal with something.*

When you are in a state of fear you shrink and suffer a loss of inspiration and a narrowing of vision. You get more and more anxious and your anxiety communicates itself to other people who will then hesitate to do business with you.

But when you operate in a state of self belief, courage, optimism and benevolence for others, you radiate ease and well-being. Your creativity grows. Opportunities that you had not noticed before suddenly become available to you and others are keen to work with you.

*Source: Harry Palmer, Living Deliberately, p. 84