Consultant’s Corner
Consultant’s Corner: Do I Need a Website Privacy Policy?
Q: If we do not collect customer data on our website, do we need to have a privacy policy? We have provided legal reference information and general business comments below for your consideration; however, since your GSB general business consultants are not lawyers and do not provide legal services, you should plan to consult your…
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Consultant’s Corner: Business Name and Domain Name Change
Question: What is the best way to transition from our existing domain/company name to a new one? There are several things to consider when transitioning from one company and domain name to another. Business Name Change A business that changes its name can notify the IRS of the name change by following the procedures described…
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Consultant’s Corner: Employer Protection Considerations
Q: What do I need to do to protect myself from any wrongful termination claims or unemployment claims against my company? From a general business perspective, the basic ways to protect a business and owner (and management staff) from employee claims and other labor law issues are identification of the applicable federal and state laws, effective recruiting procedures, written company personnel…
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Consultant’s Corner: Organizational Charts
Q. What is the optimal way to structure an organizational chart of business processes? Are there commonly used modern tools that I can use for this? Flow charts are still the common tool to illustrate business processes and related employee jobs in a graphical or textual view. The following are example product comparisons and explanations…
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Consultant’s Corner: What is Workers’ Compensation Insurance?
Question: What is workers’ compensation insurance and how does it work? Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system designed to provide benefits to employees injured as a result of their employment activities and to limit the liability of employers. Because it is a no-fault system, the employee does not need to prove negligence on the part…
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Consultant’s Corner: Photography Pricing Strategies
Q: I’m a photographer and videographer in Atlanta. How do I determine how much I should charge? There are several factors that potentially influence wedding photography prices, including hours of service, number of events, locations(s), photo format (album, digital file, video, etc.), and photographer experience and name recognition. Due to the variables, a form of…
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Consultant’s Corner: Business Entity Selection
Question: “How should I go about choosing a business entity type?” Many small businesses are structured as unincorporated sole proprietorships and General Partnerships due to their formation and maintenance simplicity and costs; however, the primary disadvantage with a sole proprietorship or General Partnership is that it is not a separate legal entity, even when it…
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Consultant’s Corner: Establishing Business Credit Rating
Q: How do I improve my business credit score? To establish and build a separate credit history and rating apart from the credit history and rating of its owner(s), a business must establish a separate credit file with the credit bureaus or rating agencies. For example, a sole proprietorship (with or without a Doing Business…
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Consultant’s Corner: Working with Volunteers
Question: I own a small pet store and want to begin working with volunteers and a local non-profit to hold weekly pet adoptions. How should I do this to protect myself and my business? It is unusual for individuals to volunteer their services to for-profit businesses. It is more common for nonprofit organizations to utilize…
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Consultant’s Corner: Should I Register as a Woman-Owned Business?
Question: What are the benefits of registering my business as a woman-owned business? How do I register on a national and state level? As a woman, of course, if you own your business, then it is a woman-owned business; however, whether any type of minority or women-owned business certification would possibly be an advantage for…
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