You don't have to read the news to realize that our country is in hard economic times.  Unemployment on the national level stands at 9.7% with 16 states over the 10% mark.  14.9 million people are unemployed right now, yet only 4.78 million are collecting unemployment benefits.  So, what are the other 10 million people doing to make money? It is my belief that we are going to begin to see a large uptick in small business start ups in the coming months, and years.  However, with most businesses failing within the first three years of opening their doors,  you need to do a lot of research and leg work to make sure the odds are stacked in your favor. You have a great idea for a product, or you simply have a talent you want to use.  Where do you go from there? The very first thing you need to do is figure out how to structure your company.  For most purposes, at least in the beginning, starting out as a sole proprietorship will suit you just fine.  This is the easiest, and … [Read more...]