Breaking up the family business
If the problem of too many owners is killing the business, it’s time to restructure.
Kelli, Bishop, Calif.
How hard is it to split a family business? A mother and three siblings each own 20% of the business but the siblings don’t get along at all.
Comment
DiggHow to get your video game into retail stores
Have a hot idea for an educational software product? Here’s how successful entrepreneurs have cracked the market.
Ernest L. Leisner, Buffalo
I have created a word game that I would like to transform into an educational video game. I believe it can go a long way to help improve the dismal illiteracy rate in our schools. I have many aspects of a proposal in place and I’d like to find a government grant to help. I have tried searching the Internet, but there are scams all over the place.
How to keep laid-off workers honest
Experts reveal the best ways to keep company information in the building when the employees exit.
Tom Goll, Owner, U.S. Diversified Tech, Nashua, N.H.
We always hear about what employees should do to prepare for layoffs. But what should employers do to ensure that company data, contacts and customer lists don’t walk out the door with terminated employees?
Trademarks 101: How to protect your good name
Registering your company’s name as a trademark isn’t legally required, but it can pay off down the road.
Nick, Seattle
I am starting a clothing company and need to copyright the brand name. What is the best way to do this on a tight budget?
Firing yourself: Unemployment benefits for business owners
If you’re out of business and out of work, you may have to fight for the benefits you’re due.
Anonymous
My husband and I own a small business in South Carolina. Since the bottom fell out of the market, our business has come to a screeching halt and we’re filing for bankruptcy. My husband is the primary officer of the company, but we’d also listed him as an employee and signed him up to draw a biweekly paycheck along with the rest of our employees. The company withheld taxes, Social Security and unemployment insurance from his paychecks.
Since we’ve not had work for four months now and my husband is unable to find even a regular job, he attempted to apply for unemployment benefits. (Our company paid $5,000 into that on his behalf over the last year.) After a month of deliberation, his claim was denied, since he is an officer of the company and supposedly had control of whether or not he was unemployed. I disagree – he’s not in control of the company being unable to sustain itself due to lack of work and lack of sales. Shouldn’t he be eligible to collect unemployment benefits?
Starting a biz: What you can write off
You don’t get a tax break on money you borrow – but the interest you pay on your loans is fair game for deduction.
Bryanne Goetz, Orlando
I started a business from home this year. Can I write off the money that was loaned to me to start the company?
Business triage: Kill what’s ailing
Some sales aren’t worth winning. If parts of your company are successful and others aren’t, it’s time to purge.
Sharron Stankiewicz, Ohio
I own three hearing aid businesses, all listed under the same corporate name but located in different areas. Two of them are going bust. Can I get out of my lease and still keep the one successful business running? What could the landlord do if I simply walked away from those leases where the businesses are failing?
‘I signed a noncompete – but now I want a new job’
Is a court likely to uphold a restrictive noncompete agreement? It depends on where you live.
Ryan H. from Fort Wayne, Ind.
When I started my current job, I signed a noncompete agreement without really reading it. After reading it in full, I discovered that it sounds like they’re trying to keep me out of the entire Web design industry, anywhere in the U.S., for two years after leaving. I am looking for a new job right now – should I be worried about this? Would a judge ever uphold such a sweeping contract, in spite of my signature on it?
My landlord wants rent on a broken lease!
Sorry, it’s legal, and you may even have to pay more than just the rent.
Richard Barker, Aprizona Florist, Covington, Ga.
Our business went south, and as a result we had to break our lease. Less than 30 days later, the landlord rented the space to a new tenant. Six months after that, we were served with papers demanding $12,000, which is the remaining rent on the lease. Is it legal for the landlord to collect rent from both new and old tenants?
I want a loan. My business partner doesn’t.
How to get capital when you are your partner disagree on the risks.
C. Miranda, Urban Revitalizers, Boston
I am a partner in a small, certified minority business, and have been managing it for the past 10 years. My firm has just won a statewide contract to conduct assessments of real estate throughout the state. It is our first large contract, and it requires some start-up capital. I have applied for several business loans to carry us through until our first pay-down. The problem is that my business partner of 10 years is not willing to sign, saying that she wants to be able to continue to pay the bills if everything fails. I have used all of my credit cards to get us part of the way there, but still need more capital. My credit score is high. Can someone tell me how I can get over this hurdle?
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