Business Owners

In the digital age, online scams and cyber attacks are becoming more frequent, posing risks to not only everyday users but also to lawyers who manage clients’ sensitive information. But there’s no need to fear if you take measures to keep your data safe. And if (when?) you’re working with a lawyer, you should also know what actions lawyers take to protect your data. Taking these two approaches, let’s discuss how you can safeguard yourself from these digital attackers and how lawyers ensure their clients’ data is protected from the bad guys. And since this article is being published a few days before “Star Wars Day” (i.e., May 4th, as in “May the fourth (Force) be with you”), I’ll refer to the bad guys as the “Dark Side” just for fun.

The journey of launching a new business or expanding an existing one brings the thrill of crafting a unique identity—choosing a catchy name, designing an eye-catching logo, and selecting other branding elements. This creative process is exhilarating, yet it's fraught with hidden dangers, notably the risk of infringing on another company’s established trademark. This mistake can quickly spiral into daunting legal battles, hefty fines, and the disruptive (and expensive) need for a complete rebrand. To avoid these pitfalls, here are 4 practical steps to help you and your business avoid trouble.

Starting a business is an exciting venture, but it also comes with a plethora of challenges, not least among them securing adequate funding. In a previous article, I discussed the pros and cons of business loans and lines of credit. Here, I’ll cover another funding resource: credit cards. However, the thought of using credit cards can be scary, especially since they often come with high interest rates and personal guarantees. So let’s explore what you need to know about using credit cards to fund your business, so you can do so wisely and with as much ease as possible. To begin, there are two kinds of credit cards entrepreneurs can use to fund their business: business cards and personal credit cards. Let’s start off with business cards.

When starting or expanding a small business, one of the most critical decisions an entrepreneur faces is how to fund their venture. Oftentimes, business growth is held back by a sort of “chicken-or-the-egg” scenario in which the business owner needs to hire or invest in a resource in order to grow, but they can’t afford the investment unless they have grown the business first. Financing can help you jump the chasm of being stuck in that loop. Two popular financing options are obtaining a business line of credit from a bank and securing a loan. Each has its unique advantages and disadvantages, and choosing the right one depends on various factors, including the nature of your business, your financial health, and your long-term goals. It can get complicated, especially if you’re new to business ownership, but you don’t have to figure it out on your own. Instead, let’s navigate this together, shall we? In a future article, we’ll look at another type of business credit, using credit cards and how to do it right so you don’t ruin your credit score in the process - so stay tuned. But, first …

Embarking on the entrepreneurial journey is akin to setting out on an uncharted adventure. It's filled with unknowns, challenges, and the occasional surprise twist. While physical fitness often gets the spotlight with its glossy gym selfies and trendy workout regimes, there's a quieter, more calculated player in the game of success: financial fitness. We aren’t talking about putting your money on a treadmill, of course (that would be weird). Financial fitness is about smartly navigating the financial hurdles of running a business.

Selecting the individual to lead your business after you step down is a huge decision. It's not merely about finding someone who mirrors your personality or whom you favor personally. Rather, the crux lies in identifying a successor who possesses the right qualifications plus the vision and capabilities to steer your company toward continued success. During this pivotal decision-making process, it's essential to sidestep these three common pitfalls that often hinder business owners when naming successors, as they can blur objectivity and impede the chosen candidate's ability to effectively assume control of the company.Let’s dive in.