How many times have you watched the news, read a newspaper, listened to the radio, or saw an article online that reported on a frivolous lawsuit filed against a small business. When you see the word frivolous, you immediately think that business either has won the law suit or will win it. But what one must consider is that many times a small business owner must spend a substantial amount of money to retain legal representation to defend against that law suit. And for a small business, more often than not, that expense can be huge, and thus, can be the difference between keeping the doors open and shutting them for good.Taking the law suit issue into consideration all by itself, makes for a valid argument for your business having a legal plan that offers some sort of law suit protection. But in addition to that, there are all types of other obstacles that can find their way into the operations of a your small businesses.Issues such as workers’ compensation, debt collections, business financing, hiring and firing, bad check recovery, and a host of other items, must be considered, when deciding to risk going it alone with out a business attorney or small business legal plan.Even just one basic item like contract or document review can present a legal issue without seeking proper legal advice. Think about it. It is almost always inherent that your business will offer a service or product that will require a contract. And your business, more likely than not, will purchase services or products that will require you to sign one. Let’s face it, in today’s litigious society, a good legal contract is vital to maintaining a good business relationship with your customers, and just as important, protecting your small business. There are a few small business legal plan providers that offer contract and document review. What you have to decide is if the cost of a s legal plan is worth adding to your companies’ expense sheet? One way to do this is to list every risk, large and small, involved with your business and compare that to the cost of the small business legal plan that best meets your needs.Most legal expense companies that offer coverage that includes the basics like debt collection letters, contract and document review, legal correspondence letters, and consultation. This consultation can range from trademarks to city zoning. And few companies offer even more extensive coverage, like trial defense services, which provides legal representation should your business be named in a lawsuit. Other companies offer website builder and hosting services, as part of your premium. When you consider that lawsuits have gone wild in America and Canada today, coupled with the fact that it is a must that your business have an internet presence in the current communication age, these types of extra coverage can be a very big plus.In conclusion, when asking the question “Does my small business really need a legal plan?”, one could suggest that it’s not if your business needs legal coverage, but what type and how much. There for, one could propose that the real question that needs to be addressed is, “What legal expense company offers a small business legal plan that provides my business the best legal coverage at an affordable rate?” You can’t possibly cover every risk, but a comprehensive legal plan should provide the best possible chance for success.
Using Multiple Sources of Small Business Financing
One misconception about starting a small business is that the only way to receive small business financing is through a bank. Though the bank is a viable option, it is not the only option. Looking towards multiple sources of financing can get your small business the financing it needs. Alternative sources of financing can be used instead of, or in addition to a bank loan. Using multiple sources of financing can help a new or veteran business owner maximize his/her business’ working capital.
Listed below are a variety of small business financing sources, that small business owners can utilize when building, expanding and maintaining their businesses.
Small Business Administration
The small business administration was created to help small businesses get on their feet and remain on their feet. Their mission is “…to maintain and strengthen the Nation’s economy by enabling the establishment and viability of small businesses and by assisting in the economic recovery of communities after disasters.” So why not look to the SBA for assistance?
The most common SBA loan program is the basic 7(a) loan program. This program is specifically designed for small business owners who may not be eligible for business loans through normal lending channels. Other loan programs offered by the SBA include the 504 Program, which provides growing businesses with long-term, fixed-rate financing for major fixed assets, such as land and buildings, Micro-Loans that provide very small loan amounts for startup small businesses, with a maximum loan amount of $35,000. Disaster Recovery Loans, which can assist in the recovery of your business if it is involved in a disaster, and Special Purpose Loans, that can be used for any special purposes within your business.
Grants
Just like there are scholarships available for just about anything, if you do enough searching, you could find the small business grant that works for you and get free money to finance your business. Though the federal government does not offer grants to small business owners, there are numerous other grants available for small business owners. You can look to your own state to find free funding your small business. Every state has a state development agency, and many of these agencies offer small business grants, and/or information on where to find them.
Small Business Cash Advances
Though a small business cash advance is not plausible for startup businesses, it can be used after your business has been up and running for a period of time. A business cash advance can offer fast and easy-to-obtain money for your small business’ financial needs. With few requirements, even business owners with average or fairly below average credit scores can qualify to receive a business cash advance.
Financial Intermediaries
A financial intermediary is a person who specializes in finding funds for business owners. Once you’ve done all you can to find money for your business, try hiring a financial intermediary to find the funds that you may have overlooked.
You can decide to use the expertise of a financial intermediary in order to give yourself the time to work on other aspects of your business, or you can use them in combination with your own expertise; as the saying goes, two heads are better than one.
Financial intermediaries can also be used to help in the start up of your business, offering help with the writing of business plans, proposals, etc.
Five Tips for Selling at Live Auctions
Ah, the old-fashioned country auction! The idea of a country auction conjures up certain images for people. The image of a fast-talking auctioneer offering up an antique table or chair is a popular example.
People who are buying household goods or collectibles are looking to get their items at the lowest price possible. However, the people who are selling their items at auction are hoping for the highest price!
Unless a person is in the business of buying and selling antiques or other items, not a lot of thought goes into how goods are prepared for sale via the auction process. However, if you are one of the growing number of people using auction venues to sell your collectibles or other inventory, there are a few things to learn first about how to sell at auction before you bring a truckload of stuff over to the next event.
Tip 1: Make sure the things you want to sell are a good “fit” for the auction house you’ll be using.
Never bring a load to an auction house without actually having been to one of the previous auctions. It’s important to get a feel for the type of goods that the house sells. For example, at one very rural country auction it was common for the owners to sell live chickens, pots and pans, car parts, and farm equipment.
After close investigation, this would not be the right venue for selling your daughter’s “Hello Kitty” collection. On the other hand, the spare John Deere parts that you bought at last week’s yard sale might be just the right thing for the buying crowd at this auction.
Tip 2: Be sure you clearly understand the terms and policies of the auction house.
Visit with the auctioneer ahead of time. Call to find out what the best days and times are to visit. One of the worst possible times to drop in for an informational visit with an auctioneer is the day of the auction. Call ahead and ask. While you’re at it, find out what are the best days and times to drop your stuff off.
Once you have a little time with the auctioneer, you’ll be able to find out what type of commission he or she takes from consigners (which is you), and what type of paperwork might be needed. Some auction houses send out Form 1099 tax forms at the end of the year. An auctioneer may need to see your identification and have you fill out a W-9. Be prepared.
Find out what happens to your items if they don’t sell. For example, some auctioneers may have a minimum starting bid. If, for some reason, one of your items does not sell, it may be grouped with another one of your pieces. Know the auctioneer’s strategy beforehand so that you aren’t surprised on pay day.
Tip 3: Make sure the auctioneer knows what you’re selling.
It might be perfectly obvious to you that the signed print you are consigning is a rare and valuable piece of art. However, the auctioneer may not know this particular artist. Make a note of anything particularly special about your items, and leave the note with the piece. Be sure to tell the auctioneer about it as well. He or she might determine that this is something to highlight on the company website or in the newspaper listing.
Tip 4: Present your items neatly.
No one likes to have to dig through a box full of grimy and greasy car parts to see what treasures might be in there. Separate the parts and lay them out on a flat, or use more than one box to de-clutter the lot.
There is no need to buy fancy display boxes. It’s easy enough to go to the local convenience store or supermarket and ask if you can have the emptied boxes or flats that they are discarding.
While it’s good to present clean items, take care not to ruin the value of anything by over cleaning. For example, if you find some old cast iron cookware, clean the obvious dirt and grime, but don’t scrub it to its original finish. For many people, this ruins the value of the item. So, clean and tidy and organized is the key here.
Tip 5: Don’t complain to the auctioneer if your stuff doesn’t sell for as much as you’d like.
The phrase to remember here is, “You win some; you lose some.” That’s just the way it is. There are some days where an auction house is loaded with people who all seem to want what you’re selling. There will be other days where the crowd is sparse, and the bidding is simply not competitive.
Remember that it’s in the auctioneer’s best interest to sell your things for the highest possible hammer price. But sometimes, it’s just not going to be a stellar sale. The auctioneer is only human, and is also disappointed if a sale doesn’t go as well as planned.
If you notice that every time you bring a bunch of goods to sell that you’re not realizing as much as you think you honestly should, try another auction venue and compare apples to apples. That is, bring the same types of items to the new auctioneer and compare the results.
Unless the auctioneer is particularly disagreeable or inconsiderate to you or buyers, there is no reason to confront him or her about a sale. If you find you just don’t care for an auctioneer’s style or methods, find another one. Believe me, there are plenty of them out there!
The primary thing to remember as you learn how to sell at auction is that the business is unpredictable at best. You will have good days, some not-so-good days, some great days. The more you sell, the more experience you will gain, and the more enjoyable the business will be.