Category Archives: Small Business
Choosing A Business Entity Type Is An Act Of Estate Planning
Estate planning lawyers always say that estate planning is about planning for life, not just planning for death. If you love your line of work so much that you never want to retire, then spending your days playing golf or walking on the beach probably does not sound appealing enough to motivate you to… Read More »
Non-Compete Clauses Are Overrated, Especially For Small Businesses
When you operate a small business, you have so many responsibilities that require your undivided attention that airtight employment contracts are not a priority. You would like to offer your employees a written contract, because doing so gives you an advantage over competing businesses with which those same employees might apply for jobs. When… Read More »
Complying With Maryland’s Pay Transparency Laws
It is in the best interest of employees for employers to be transparent about how much they pay employees in a certain role. Most companies fall far short of the ideal of paying the same salary to all employees who perform the same duties, and there are often justifiable reasons for this, but employers… Read More »
Disputes Between Businesses And Landlords Linger After The Pandemic
A new strain of COVID, even more contagious than the previous ones, may be making its way to the DC area, but people are going to approach things differently. No one seems especially interested in holing up at home and doom scrolling for an entire winter or partying just to be defiant. This time,… Read More »
What Is The Penalty For Lying To Customers And Business Associates?
There is truth, there are lies, and then there is the special mix of reckless optimism and implausible tales that makes business school happy hour fun. It would be an exaggeration to say that every lie you tell in the context of your job can get you fired or sued. For example, if a… Read More »
DC Voters Approve Initiative 82 To Phase Out Tipped Minimum Wage
For months, the discussion about the midterm elections has been dominated by speculation about which candidates would win seats in Congress, but meanwhile, many states and the District of Columbia distributed ballots asking voters to vote directly for or against specific policies relating to issues such as abortion and cannabis policy. Here in Washington… Read More »
Corporate Fit Is Overrated
Two candidates interview for the same job. They have similar qualifications, and they both have good references. Which one do you hire? All else being equal, most businesses hire the person that the hiring managers consider friendlier and easier to get along with. This intangible characteristic that makes a job applicant appear collegial is… Read More »
Patient Financing Plans And Your Medical Practice
You went into the medical profession because you want to help people. Treating patients is the most rewarding part of your practice and, for some physicians, so is participating in medical research, but even the most business-minded doctors find medical billing stressful. Your billing staff is diligent about negotiating payment with insurance companies, but… Read More »
Which Debts Are You Responsible For Paying When You Close A Small Business?
The commentators on ESPN FC Extra Time sometimes play a game where, given a list of three professional soccer players, they must decide which one they would want to start, which one to bench, and which one to trade to another team. When you close a small business, you must attempt a similar form… Read More »
Credit Card Fraud Hurts Small Businesses, Too
Putting your finances back together after someone steals your credit card information is time-consuming and stressful. At least credit card companies usually give consumers the benefit of the doubt that they are telling the truth about the charges being fraudulent, and even though it takes time, you can usually get the money back that… Read More »
