Legal Guide for Starting & Running a Small Business |  | Author: Fred S. Steingold
Publisher: NOLO
Category: Book
List Price: $39.99
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Seller: natarajbooks
Rating:  24 reviews
Sales Rank: 306029
Media: Paperback
Edition: 11
Pages: 458
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.5
Dimensions (in): 10.8 x 8.4 x 1.1
ISBN: 1413310559
Dewey Decimal Number: 346.730652
EAN: 9781413310559
ASIN: 1413310559
Publication Date: October 7, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Start and run your business with this all-in-one book.
Small business owners are regularly confronted by a bewildering array of legal questions and problems. Ignoring them can lead to disaster -- but with lawyers typically charging $200-$300 an hour, calling one to answer routine legal questions can be a fast track to the poorhouse.
Fortunately, you have a better alternative. Legal Guide for Starting & Running a Small Business clearly explains the practical and legal information you need to:
raise start-up money
choose between a sole proprietorship, partnership or LLC
get licenses and permits
buy or sell a business or franchise
negotiate a favorable lease
insure your business
hire independent contractors safely
understand small business tax rules
pick and protect a good name
resolve legal disputes
adopt the best customer policies
enter into strong contracts
cope with financial problems
The 11th edition is revised to provide the latest regulations, tax numbers and business realities in a changing economy. It also provides a start-up checklist, an expanded discussion about choosing a business structure, updates to bankruptcy law -- and much more. (20070202)
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 24
 A Must Have If You're Thinking of Owning a Business November 16, 2009
J. Avellanet (Williamsburg, VA United States)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
I own a business now, and if I had to do it all over again, I'd get this book first, use the first four chapters to figure out what kind of business incorporation I wanted, then go get the Nolo book on just that form (such as an LLC or Sole Proprietorship, etc.), and then use this book for everything else from personnel issues, to contracts and leasing, customer service and warranties, and so on. This is the book you will refer to and use again and again until you're at the point where you can hire your own internal legal counsel and human resources director.
Here's why:
1. No matter the chapter's subject, there is a very good, very understandable discussion of "why" you should put some thought into the subject as a business owner, and how - if you don't tackle XYZ subject - it will come back to bite you since you are the business owner. In my experience, there are four ways to get this kind of knowledge:
* Live through it
* Pay an expert (like an attorney or accountant) to explain it to you
* Attend a business school course on each of these chapters
* Simply read through the chapters and follow the suggestions in the book
Frankly, if you can't choose the "preferred" choice among these four, you might want to reconsider if owning a business is really for you.
2. Following the "why" parts, each chapter then explains, in very straightforward language, "what to do" and "how to go about it."
Here are some additional aspects that really made this book standout for me:
1. Chapter 14's discussion of deducting expenses when you operate your business out of the home is not only very well thought out, but I liked the multiple examples of what worked and what didn't and why, plus the inset box on ways to document the legitimacy of your deductions to protect yourself. That kind of advice can run you $300+ to get from an attorney and/or accountant, and alone justifies the purchase of this book.
2. Chapter 15's discussion of hiring, especially how to avoid inadvertently promising job security and how to keep yourself out of trouble with the IRS when hiring independent contractors and temporary workers. Again, advice that alone is worth 10x what this book costs.
3. Chapters 16-17 are very interesting, and I particularly like the elements of an effective customer satisfaction policy and how to get help to resolve customer disputes. Definitely gave me some ideas to think about.
4. Chapter 20 and 21 had some very good insights on how to write a contract the simple way, how to revise a contract after it's signed, typical defenses you can take in court if you're sued over breach of contract (knowing ahead of time this information can help make sure you have your documentation tight just in case you do get sued), and the inset box on the various clauses of contracts: what they mean, why they are there, and what's important about them.
5. Finally, in Chapter 21, we confront the harsh reality: 75% of businesses fail so planning ahead to protect your family assets is absolutely essential when setting up your business. Before you finalize your internal operating agreement or ownership structure, this chapter is a "must read."
Realistically, if you are thinking about, planning to, or even already own your own business, I cannot imagine why you would not have this resource.
Quite possibly the best book on small businesses ever written November 13, 2009
Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States(cashbacher@yahoo.com))
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Based on all the statistics and a great deal of the political rhetoric, small businesses are one of the primary engines of the American economy. Using the same two criteria, starting a small business is relatively easy compared to the difficulty of keeping it viable for an extended period of time. Whether you are in the development stage or have had your business functioning for some time, this is a book that you should read.
The coverage is complete in both depth and breadth and in language that anyone can understand. Everything from acquisition or creation of the business to liquidation upon failure is covered. I have been running my own small business solo for over a decade and even though a great deal of the material did not apply to my situation I still found an enormous amount of extremely valuable information and advice. If someone were to come up to me and ask for my advice on how to start a small business or keep the one they have, my first (and perhaps only needed) advice would be to buy and read this book from cover to cover. I may not get a great deal in consulting fees with that strategy, but I will have given the best service possible.
Explains the law in plain english and in practical terms October 25, 2009
Techie Evan
This book does an excellent job explaining the law to you in plain english as well as in practical terms. It covers a wide range of topics, including:
* how to choose the legal structure most appropriate for your small business depending on the type of activities you'll be engaged in
* how to protect your personal (as opposed to business) assets from different kinds of risks
* how to negotiate leases in case you need space for your business
* how to determine and comply with legal requirements for running a home-based business
* what your legal responsibilities are to business partners and customers, and when hiring employees or contractors
* how to handle legal disputes and financial problems
* how to conduct legal research
Each chapter includes references to additional resources you could explore on your own to gain more knowledge about a topic, and very helpful "Law in the Real World" stories that the author uses to clarify or illustrate certain concepts as well as to discuss practical things you can do to make things go more smoothly, handle disputes, or keep yourself out of trouble.
In addition to helpful legal guidance, the author also shares his candid opinions about a number of subject matters that could benefit readers. For example, in discussing the different ways one could start a business (i.e., from scratch, buying into a franchise, or buying an existing business), the author cautions that going the franchise route may not be the best option for many readers and cites his reasons for saying so.
Oftentimes, when we take on a new venture such as starting a business, there are things we know we don't know, but there are also things we don't know that we don't know. This book does a very good job of preparing you for many situations you may not even know you need to address or think about before you take the plunge. This book will prove very useful to you.
All Small Business Owners Need This Book October 30, 2009
Rebecca Haden (Fayetteville, AR)
NOLO specializes in making complicated things simple, and they've achieved that here. From figuring out what kind of legal structure your business should have, to drawing up contracts, to coping with problems like audits and financial troubles, all the most common legal issues are covered in this book.
In each case, the laws are spelled out and examples are given. The example scenarios are from a variety of kinds of businesses and professional practices, so it's easy to find cases that apply to the reader's situation. The areas where state laws are likely to vary are clearly given, and plenty of resources for further information are listed.
This is not a book you're likely to sit down and read, and the authors have therefore made it easy to find answers to specific questions. They've highlighted the confusing parts or the things that are likely to lead to problems, and the book is written in a clear, conversational style.
This book could save you from a lot of confused calls to your lawyer. When you do call, you'll know what to ask. And you'll know what things you can take care of on your own.
Concrete overviews, clear examples, and good topic coverage November 1, 2009
Lars Bergstrom (Chicago, IL)
The Nolo books always provide clear advice and examples, and this one is no difference. Where many legal books shy away from giving you concrete recommendations, this provides specific guidance on things like how to conduct yourself in tricky negotiation and firing situations and when you really do need a lawyer. It's great to see them continuing to push to give as much advice as possible without resorting to the old 'you should hire a lawyer if you are in doubt' platitudes that plague this type of books.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 24
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