Small Business Q & A: Starting Your Business By The Book

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