Let's Start a Business!

Have Legal Questions???

2011-03-16T13:01:00.000-07:00

If you have thought about starting a business but don't know what the next step would be, please come to our free public workshop:

Marshall Academy for the Arts
5870 E. Wardlow Road
Long Beach, CA 90808

March 26, 2011
9:45-11:00 am in the Auditorium

In addition to my presentation, you will have access to several other attorneys and professionals who can help to guide you in your endeavors. For a complete list of presenters and topics, please click the link below to find more information.

High Trust BNI: Have Legal Questions???: "Do you - or a friend - have legal questions that you have wondered about, but haven't gotten around to asking an attorney?"

Hope to see you there!

Don't Put Your Assets on the Line

2011-02-10T10:58:00.000-08:00

Starting a business? Protect what you have by thinking through your legal form first.

Say you’ve made 2011 the year you’re going to start a business. It doesn’t matter if you’re going to make art, donuts, metal parts or software – you still need to create a business form. You may have heard of LLC, S Corp, Sole Proprietorship or Partnerships. You may also be in a rush to get started running your company. Hold on a moment, read this, and save yourself some problems in the future.

Why Your Next Website Should Be a Blog - By Bobology

2011-01-31T07:42:00.000-08:00

I have a client who pays someone a large sum of money monthly to keep up their website up and running. The person they have hired doesn't get back to them quickly and it is a hassle. They are a small non profit with not alot of money to work with but they realize the importance of an online presence.

This article by Bobology outlines exactly why this client of mine is changing to a blog and how this can help streamline their business.

Piercing the Corporate Veil - Why Minute Books are so Important

2010-11-20T16:59:00.000-08:00

Often times, small businesses get themselves incorporated and think that that is all they have to do to "be" a corporation. In reality, corporations are required to keep minute books. These are books which hold the legal documents of the corporation and serve to give the corporation its own entity to prove that it is legitimate. Unfortunately, when companies run into problems is when they are trying to merge, or purchase another company, or if a lien or judgment is filed against their company, their personal assets could be in jeopardy because they have failed to keep a separate corporate identity.

I happened upon a great article which describes the dangers that befall a company when they don't keep their corporate records properly. If you or someone you know hasn't kept up their corporate records, give me a call, I can let you know what we could do to catch your business up so that it becomes compliant. Click here to read.

Receiving Fraudulent Annual Report Solicitations in the Mail?

2010-11-16T12:35:00.000-08:00

Is this a fraud? Well it certainly could be. In the state of California, many business owners receive solicitations from seemingly unscrupulous businesses who offer to “aide” them in filing their annual reports with the Secretary of State. Or worse, they claim to be the Secretary of State and ask for a higher dollar amount than is required.

Business owners of California, please note that is only costs $20-25.00 to file your Annual Report with the state. Can you use a service? Yes, but make sure it is a service that you can trust. There have been reported cases of business owners responding to these letters, sending in the check to the company asking for them and then their annual report never being filed with the Secretary of State.

If you are looking for someone to file your Annual Report for you, look for someone who is a Legal Document Assistant, or an Attorney or Accountant who is certified by the state. You can then know that your checks will be going to the Secretary of State and your filing will be completed. Amy Becker, Business Start Up Consultant can help you with these matters, she is a Certified Paralegal and is qualified as a Legal Document Assistant in California. If she cannot help you, she will refer you to someone trustworthy who can.

Click Here for the Secretary of State’s Customer Alert regarding this matter.

Click here to read about other fraudulent practices made by companies sending mail to you, telling you that they will dissolve your corporate entity.

Starting My Newest Business - Helping YOU Start Yours!

2010-11-16T12:20:00.000-08:00

Well, I have finally taken the plunge! I have decided to put my 18 years of experience in corporate formations to use. When I first graduated from college, I pursued a career as a Corporate and Securities Paralegal. I enjoyed the work and learned a great deal but did not enjoy the lifestyle as a paralegal in a large law firm. After marrying, I decided to take the plunge into education, where I become an Emergency Credential Teacher, and ran a small Minute Book Maintenance "business" on the side. Life ensued.....

After the birth of my Anna, I wanted to have my own business, because I enjoyed teaching and starting businesses wasn't foreign to me, I purchased the franchise of Club Z! In Home Tutoring for the Long Beach and surrounding areas. I have learned lessons I could never have learned in school during those years owning my own business.

For the past 4 years, I have been randomly putting my expertise to work by helping family and friends start up their businesses. I also incorporated the non profit Cubberley School Foundation at my daughter's school in Long Beach. I realized that I miss doing this work on a regular basis. I enjoy working with business owners, encouraging them to reach for the sky (but be protected while doing it).
I have seen others struggle through their businesses and I have felt the struggles of growth coming too quickly as well as the results of poor planning. I am finally putting this experience and passion to work for you and your friends. I hope to help people who know they want to start a business but don't know where to turn as well as companies wanting to make sure their corporate paperwork is in order so that they can face new growth and to be sure they are protected when pitfalls occur.

I hope that you'll follow along with me in my adventures as we create businesses from ideas and make dreams come true.

Stedman Graham - When you have a sense of your own identity and a vision of where you want to go in your life, you then have the basis for reaching out to the world and going after your dreams for a better life.