We often have clients who are in business with others – commonly called “partnerships” even though they are more likely “members” or “shareholders” than partners — where all the partners are working in the business. The elephant in the room for many of these partnerships is whether the relationship will work and what happens if... View Article
After a few years of growing and moving my business forward, I remember a point where I felt I didn’t have the knowledge to make smart growth decisions for my business on my own. As a sole owner, I didn’t have anyone who could help me understand what I could or should do differently to... View Article
Over the years, I’ve seen many families find joy and success in working together in a family business – and of course, some that have struggled to maintain balance between these two intertwined parts of their lives. So what’s the secret to success? First and foremost, I would say a recognition of the fact that... View Article
Yeah, we’ve all heard it – you must work “on” your business not “in” it. I’m a big believer; yet I found it, as many business owners do, really tough to execute upon. The reason why? Because it’s easy to find the things that need to be done in day-to-day operations. We know how to... View Article
By Lauren Burgon Washington State’s new Limited Liability Company Act went into effect on January 1. While some of the changes are minor, there are changes that could have a significant impact on an LLC that has not updated its Operating Agreement, or hasn’t gotten around to implementing a written Operating Agreement in the first... View Article
By Lauren Burgon Effective February 1, 2016, nearly every employee working even occasionally in Tacoma is entitled to paid sick/safe leave under a new Tacoma law. This applies to private sector employees regardless of where their employer is located or the size of their employer’s business. While the Tacoma law is patterned after Seattle’s paid... View Article
As you plan for your business, I expect you look at your financials and plan the needed adjustments to marketing, staffing, capital purchases, and other operational activities to meet your goals for the coming year and beyond. In addition, there’s a component of strategic planning which includes review of your bigger goals (BHAGs for those... View Article
Close your eyes and visualize all the aspects involved in moving your business to what it is today. How have you grown? Do you still maintain your core mission and values? How do you make sure your business’ “why” is visible in how you talk about your business? Simon Sinek’s “Start with Why” has resonated... View Article
The headlines associated with audits of independent contractor vs employee relationships have died down, but the revenue agencies are still aggressively pursuing these areas. It’s essential that you have clear documentation that each contractor relationship you’ve entered into meets the legal requirements so that you can present these in the event of an audit and... View Article