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Image via Pexels Are you ready to turn your big dreams into reality? The first step towards business success begins by launching in your community. By leveraging potential opportunities within the local market, starting small can lead to great rewards. Learn how you can get started quickly by reading this blog post.
Know All You Can About Entrepreneurship Even if you already have an informal background in business, it’s still a good idea to earn a professional degree or take rigorous online courses to gain insights into industry trends. An MBA will give you a solid foundation and set you up for success when launching a business in your local community. With many universities offering fantastic online programs, it’s never been easier to earn an online MBA while managing your existing lifestyle and commitments. It may sound expensive, but the potential benefits far outweigh any costs. Have a Business Plan Before you even think of starting your business, it is important to create a business plan. This should include details such as the type of business you are creating, what services or products you will offer, who your target market is, how much money you need to get started, and how you plan on making money. Having all this information written down in one place will help keep you organized and focused on achieving your goals. Calculate Startup Costs Startup costs quickly add up when starting a business so it's best to calculate these costs upfront before getting too far into the process. Things like office space rental fees, equipment purchases, marketing materials, and employee salaries should all be taken into consideration when calculating startup costs so that there are no surprises down the line. Also, consider taking out loans or finding investors to cover unexpected expenses that may arise during the startup process. Implement Sound Accounting Practices Keeping track of finances is one of the most important aspects of running a successful business so make sure you implement sound accounting habits from day one. This way, you avoid problems that come from a lack of financial organization. Consider hiring an accountant to keep your finances organized and better keep track of taxes owed each year. Register as an LLC When starting a business, it is important to register as an LLC (limited liability company) with the state to protect yourself from potential lawsuits or other legal issues that may arise in running your business. Registering as an LLC also provides tax benefits and helps establish credibility for your new venture, which can be beneficial when seeking out investors or customers. Market Your Business Marketing is essential for any successful business but it doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. There are plenty of ways to market your products and services affordably such as using social media platforms or setting up booths at local events or festivals. Additionally, consider creating promotional materials such as flyers or brochures which can be distributed in the community to reach potential customers that may not otherwise know about your business. Business cards are essential for networking opportunities with potential customers or partners. Consider designing them yourself using free online templates to save money. As you attend local networking events, hand out these cards to make connections with people who might be interested in what you have to offer. Starting a small business takes hard work, but it can also be very rewarding, especially when it serves your community. Take heed of the steps above, and you’re well on your way to serving your community! Image: Pexels
Small business owners need to be prepared for the unexpected. The best way to do this is by having an effective financial safety net in place. This will ensure that your business can weather any financial storm and come out on top. In this blog post, Scott Pullins shares how to create a financial safety net for your small business. Obtaining Adequate Insurance Coverage Having enough business insurance is another way to protect yourself from any unforeseen costs or losses that may arise in the future. Make sure you have adequate coverage for all aspects of your business including property damage, liability claims, personal injury claims, and workers’ compensation claims. This will help protect your assets in case something unexpected happens. Forming a Limited Liability Company If you don’t already have one, consider converting your business into an LLC (limited liability company). Doing so helps protect your personal assets by shielding them from any potential liabilities or debts incurred by the company itself. Forming an LLC can be done either by hiring a lawyer or using a formation service, which is much more cost-effective. Before settling on the final choice, make sure to do some research and read reviews to ensure you select the best formation service for your needs. Accumulating a Reserve Fund Building an emergency fund is a vital step in protecting your business. This should be done as soon as possible and should include enough capital to cover at least 6 months of expenses. Doing this will give you peace of mind knowing that you will have enough money to cover any unexpected costs or losses that may arise. Applying for Grants Applying for grants can also help provide additional funding when needed without having to incur debt or put a strain on cash flow reserves. There are many grants available through government agencies and private organizations that may fit well with what your business needs and provide much-needed capital when needed most. Do thorough research and consider applying for multiple grants. Leveraging Cloud Technology Another way to create a financial safety net is by utilizing cloud-based systems. By moving your data and systems into the cloud, you can easily access them from anywhere with an internet connection, which allows you to make quick decisions if needed. Additionally, cloud-based systems are generally more secure since they are not stored locally and can be backed up easily if needed. Hiring Independent Contractors to Save Working with independent contractors rather than full-time employees can help save on employment taxes as well as other benefits-related expenses. This includes health insurance premiums and retirement plan contributions. These savings add up quickly over time making them worth considering when creating a financial safety net for your small business. Keeping Healthy Partnerships with Creditors and Vendors Maintaining good relationships with creditors and vendors is also key when creating a financial safety net. Building relationships with creditors and vendors can help ensure that they continue to provide quality services at competitive prices over time. It could also encourage them to provide better payment terms than those offered by other companies in the market. Rent a Home with Standalone Office Space Instead of leasing office space, consider renting a bigger home where you can run your business. Look for a bigger home with a home office or spare bedroom, and use it to run your business instead of leasing an office or using coworking space. Utilize online listings to find a suitable residence, filtering by cost, house type, and bedrooms/bathrooms. All businesses need some form of protection against unexpected expenses or losses that may arise due to unforeseen circumstances. By following these steps — including purchasing insurance, converting to an LLC, and finding a home with office space — you will be able to create an effective financial safety net that will keep your small business running smoothly no matter what life throws at it. Remember, having a contingency plan in place is always better than being unprepared! Lots of people say they don't know enough about their candidates for judge to make a good decision. This Election Day, turn in a complete ballot! Learn all about your candidates and the important job judges do at judicialvotescount.org. Judicial Votes Count is a project of the Ohio State Bar Association, in partnership with the Ohio State Bar Foundation, the Ohio Association of Broadcasters and the Ohio News Media Association. The recent enactment of SB 215 makes Ohio the 23rd state to allow citizens to carry a concealed handgun without a permit. The Ohio Attorney General has released a free updated manual which can be found here.
Have you suffered an injury in an accident caused by another person’s wrongful act or negligence? If so, you may have grounds to file a personal injury lawsuit. However, when it comes to handling this type of legal case, it’s best not to try to do it alone. Instead, it’s smart to find and use the services of a quality personal injury law firm Hillsborough County. Learn the reasons to hire legal representation below. Understanding of the LawOne of the first reasons to hire an attorney for help with your personal injury case is because they will have a full understanding of the law and how to apply it to your case. Unfortunately, some personal injury cases can be extremely complex. Without an experienced lawyer, it may be impossible for you to achieve fair compensation. Ability to Negotiate on Your BehalfMost personal injury lawsuits don’t go to court. Instead, your attorney works with the representation or insurance company for the at-fault party to reach a settlement agreement. Your attorney will negotiate to help ensure you receive the compensation you deserve for the damages and injuries you experience. No Fee Unless Your Case Is SuccessfulToday, most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. This means they do not collect payment unless your case is successful and you receive a settlement offer. Usually, this fee is between 30% and 40%, but it varies from one lawyer to another. It is good to know that you can negotiate this amount if you don’t like what the lawyer is charging. Finding the Right Personal Injury AttorneyNot all personal injury attorneys are created equal. Because of this, you must put in time and effort to find one that can handle your case. Be sure to get to know the local options and schedule several consultations to feel confident in the decision you make. Finding yourself in jail can be a very stressful situation. Not only is jail an unpleasant place to be, but you may be concerned about matters outside that you can't attend to. This is where bail bonds come into play. Jail TimeWhen you're arrested for a crime, you may be sentenced to jail time until the resolution of the trial. If you're found innocent, you'll be free to go. If you're found guilty, then the time you already spent in jail will be kept in mind while sentencing. But either way, you don't want to miss out on important things before your trial. The relationships you have with your family and friends can deteriorate quickly, and you can lose the work hours that you needed. These issues can make the transition back into society harder than it has to be. ReleaseLuckily, a bail bond will allow you to leave jail temporarily until your trial takes place. You can stay with your family and remain employed before your trial. You'll also have more time to work with a criminal defense lawyer who can help you with your case. Instead of sitting in a cold cell, you can work towards securing your freedom. CostsA bail bond's cost is significantly lower than most people imagine. Most bail bonds Scranton PA are covered by a small fee and the terms are reasonable. In fact, it's usually not even necessary to pay the full amount right away; insurance can often cover anything that is not paid immediately. The benefits of bail bonds are endless; they can improve the quality of your present life while giving you the opportunity to make a better future for yourself. Gathering your thoughts and planning should be easier outside of jail, which can lead to better decisions down the line. The following statement can be attributed to Scott Pullins, attorney for Sarah Chambers and other whistleblowers that have filed a campaign finance complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission:
Joe Blystone’s just filed, annual campaign finance report is an almost indescribable mess. In fact, it is worse than the last one. First, it was filed over two hours late. Then, there are anonymous donors. There are donors with just first names. There are donors with first and last names but no addresses. Then, best of all he is now reporting his “cash contributions” based upon the location of the event. For example, Knox County then a flat dollar amount for an event. No addresses. No names of contributors. Nothing but a location. It is long past time for the Ohio Secretary of State’s campaign finance division to step in and audit these reports. There is no excuse for a candidate for Governor to be able to get away with all of these obvious campaign finance violations. Thank you. -30- The following statement can be attributed to Scott A. Pullins, Attorney for Sarah Chambers. Mrs. Chambers is the former volunteer
co-campaign manager for the Blystone for Governor Campaign and she has filed a far reaching complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission alleging numerous violations of Ohio’s campaign finance laws: Joe Blystone is a bully and a desperate man. On January 11, 2022 Joe Blystone filed a lawsuit in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court demanding that the Ohio Elections Commission be ordered to dismiss this Ohio Elections Commission complaint. On January 18, 2022 Blystone filed an amended complaint. A copy of this amended complaint can be found at the link below: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1agzn1--fmlbqadn48rt9BIi3R0x8Dsmx/view?usp=sharing Additionally, on January 11, 2022, Joe Blystone filed a lawsuit in the Delaware County Common Pleas Court against Sarah Chambers personally alleging defamation and other frivolous and clearly false allegations. In the legal world, this is known as a SLAPP suit, or a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation. While Ohio does not have an anti-SLAAP suit law, it is well established that allegations made in an Ohio Elections Commission complaint are absolutely barred against defamation litigation. A copy of this complaint can be found below: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tCdnTkdcRi_n4_UZEzS9REgcc74lL_ea/view?usp=sharing Finally, today, January 20, 2022, Joe Blystone filed a motion in the Ohio Elections Commission to stay all proceedings. This would include all discovery. A copy of that filing can be found at the link below: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rRpeVGL_qWeN5PdwqSALVWpLdx3J2vIV/view?usp=sharing Let me be very clear. These are the actions of a bully and a desperate man. These are legal actions that no reasonable attorney would take on because they are presumptively frivolous and wholly without merit. Sarah Chambers’ health has suffered greatly from the malicious and unwarranted attacks made against her. She will be filing numerous motions for sanctions and attorney fees along with several counterclaims against Joe Blystone personally. Sarah, the other whistleblowers, and I will not back down until the full and entire truth comes out. We will not be bullied by an angry little man that likes to attack women. Thank you. -30-
TheColumbus, Ohio – Republican Governor candidate Joe Blystone was scheduled for a preliminary hearing today at 9am before the Ohio Elections Commission. He failed to appear and sent his wife and female campaign manager in his place instead. His attorney’s motion to dismiss was denied and a complaint against him filed by his former campaign staffers will go forward to a full hearing. The vote by the Ohio Elections Commission was 7-0.
“Joe Blystone should turn in his constitutional conservative and his man cards,” said Sarah Chambers. “If this complaint was so frivolous, then why didn’t he show up to defend himself?” Sarah Chambers was the former Campaign Manager for Friends of Joe Blystone. She and other former campaign leaders brought an extensive campaign finance complaint to the commission alleging that tens of thousands of dollars in campaign funds were not accounted for properly. “Joe is no constitutional conservative”, continued Chambers. “All his attorney did today is blame volunteers and donors for the deliberate mistakes of Joe’s campaign. Joe will throw anyone and everyone under the bus to further his personal ambitions.” The complaint will now be set for a full hearing where Joe and Jane Blystone, Joe’s wife and campaign treasurer, will be required to testify under oath. If violations are found, Chambers has requested that the Blystone’s be referred by the Commission to the Franklin County Prosecutor. Sarah Chambers is represented by Scott Pullins of the Pullins Law Firm LLC. For further information, please visit www.pullinslaw.com. The video of the hearing appears below with the relevant portion beginning at approximately the 11 minute mark. -30- |
AuthorScott Pullins is a Mount Vernon, Ohio business, elections, and general practice attorney. Archives
April 2023
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