According to the Small Business Administration (SBA), approximately half of all US businesses are run exclusively from home and generate a lot of economic activity. The most common types of home-based businesses include professional services, consulting, retail and specialized services such as music instruction. The SBA states that most home-based businesses are under-insured. Zibbet sellers’ (more…)

According to the US Copyright Office, copyright is defined as “a form of protection grounded in the U.S. Constitution and granted by law for original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression. Copyright covers both published and unpublished works. Copyright, a form of intellectual property law, protects original works of authorship including literary, dramatic, musical, and (more…)

In the US, each state is responsible for regulating business conducted within its boundaries. The ‘Commerce Clause’ of the US Constitution states that Congress has the power “To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes.” All countries have their own laws which regulate how their citizens engage in business. Regardless of where you reside, it’s your (more…)

In the US, there are three basic ways in which businesses can be organized: sole proprietorship, partnership and corporation. Additionally, there are several types of partnerships and corporations. Each form of business organization has it’s pros and cons, making one organizational option more appropriate than the others for a particular business. The basic distinctions between each form of organization have to do with how you (more…)

For most of us, the money we spend on our businesses comes from our own resources, either directly from our pockets, from savings or borrowed from various personal funds such as life insurance policies. Regardless of where the money comes from, it’s important to understand that starting a business involves risk. It’s also important to understand that it usually takes 3-5 years for a business to begin to show a profit. (more…)