Small Business Lawyer (International & Domestic)

Does Your Small Business Need U.S. Customs Forms?

2011-02-18T14:28:00.003-05:00

If your small business needs U.S. Customs forms, then visit the Customs and Border Protection's forms website that contains may commonly used forms. Customs and Boarder Protection is the arm of the United States government responsible for overseeing the enforcement of a variety of customs-related laws and regulations.

www.ctsmallbusinessattorney.com

Do Your Export Activities Meet the 9 Principles?

2011-02-03T09:32:00.003-05:00

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) sets out Nine Principles for an Effective Compliance Program. Compliance with these principles may mitigate penalties levied against you as a small business exporter. Check out the the BIS web site that contains a publication entitled Don't Let This Happen to You, which includes the nine principles (page 6) and a number of illustrations of non-compliance. There is also a short presentation concerning similar subject matter with a checklist tool that the BIS utilizes.

www.ctsmallbusinessattorney.com

Tips for New Importers and Exporters

2011-01-29T10:04:00.003-05:00

If you are looking for tips specific to importers and exporters, then take a look at Customs and Border Protection's Tip Site for links to information about importing into the United States and exporting out of the United States customs territory. The links lead to good information about the processes of importing and exporting for both the novice and expert.

www.ctsmallbusinessattorney.com

Are You a Small or Minority Owned Business? Look at Contracting Opportunites with the State of Connecticut

2011-01-13T12:20:00.005-05:00

If you are a small business or a minority owned business you will want to take a look at the State of Connecticut’s Supplier Diversity Program. The program's website contains information about procurement set asides for small business and explains the process for small businesses to obtain certification to participate in the program.

www.ctsmallbusinessattorney.com

Starting a Small Business in Connecticut?

2010-10-10T10:17:00.004-04:00

If you are thinking about starting a small business in Connecticut, then take a look at the federal government's website that provides a step by step guide to begining your small business. The site features a guide to issues a prospective small business owner should consider in creating a small business in Connecticut. Some of the issues addressed are business plans, tax issues, state permits, and location selection.

www.ctsmallbusinessattorney.com

Trade and Service Mark Basics

2010-10-06T09:36:00.004-04:00

If you have preliminary questions about trademarks and service marks, then take a look at the United States Patent and Trademark Office's small business specific website. The site features direct answers about trademarks and service marks as possible beneficial additions to your small business. The site also discusses international registration of United States trademarks.

www.ctsmallbusinessattorney.com

Small Business Jobs Act

2010-09-28T11:53:00.003-04:00

If you are looking for a synopsis of the recently enacted Small Business Jobs Act, then check out the White House's bullet point summary of the new law's major points available here.

Of particular interest to small business operating or contemplating export activities are sections 1201 to 1209, which deal directly with small business export assistance. The text of the entire law is available here.

www.ctsmallbusinessattorney.com

Basic Questions on the H-1B Visa?

2010-09-08T17:36:00.004-04:00

If you are thinking about hiring a foreign worker under the H-1B visa program, the U.S. Department of Labor has an H-1B Advisor that provides basic information about the requirements of the program and eligibility. The focus is on regulations related to U.S. employers who utilize this visa program. The Advisor leads you through an initial question of who is seeking information on the H-1B visa and then provides numerous links to topical information about various aspects of the visa program. Explore the Advisor to learn more about this type of lawful immigration for U.S. employers to utilize foreign workers in their U.S. commercial activities.

www.ctsmallbusinessattorney.com

Choosing a Small Business Structure

2010-08-31T12:11:00.003-04:00

Many small business entrepreneurs are faced with the difficult decision of which business structure/entity to house the operations of their small business. The Internal Revenue Service provides a concise break down of different U.S. business structures available to American small business. Whether your small business will elect to be a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, S corporation, or a limited liability company impacts the governance and taxation of the company. The site features links to short explanatory sections as well as links to tax information and forms.

www.ctsmallbusinessattorney.com

EU Good practices in SME policy

2010-08-20T13:11:00.003-04:00

If you are looking for information about SME (Small and Emerging Enterprises) and the European Union's approach to SME as well as polices related to SME operations at the European Community level, then take a look at the Good practices in SME policy website of the European Commission.

On the site you will find links to Applying the Think Small First principle; Simplifying start-up procedures; Internationalisation of SMEs; Education for entrepreneurship; Bankruptcy and fresh start; and Reducing the administrative burden. All of the links provide good information on these essential areas to all SME operations.

www.ctsmallbusinessattorney.com

What is the National Export Initiative (NEI)?

2010-08-04T14:56:00.002-04:00

If you are looking to discover news and information about the new governmental agenda to reform export administration rules and regulations take a look at the National Export Initiative’s website. http://www.export.gov/nei/index.asp
The site features a fact sheet that concisely explains the key areas of the reform initiative and how such reforms could impact small business.

You might also want to check out the Small Business Export Enhancement and International Trade Act of 2009, which is currently pending in the Senate. A summary of the bill is viewable at the following link. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:SN02862:@@@D&summ2=m&

www.ctsmallbusinessattorney.com

Small Business Taxes

2010-04-29T18:54:00.002-04:00

Looking for information on taxes applicable to your small business? Try the IRS Virtual Tax Workshop sponsored by the Internal Revenue Service, which is a multi-lesson video format program answering basic questions about taxes levied on small businesses. The workshop may be accessed via http://www.tax.gov/virtualworkshop/

www.ctsmallbusinessattorney.com

Exand Your Business into the UK

2010-03-02T09:16:00.004-05:00

Thinking about expanding business operations to England or Wales. Take at a look at what the UK Trade and Investment organization can do for your small business.

UK Trade & Investment

In addition to assisting UK based SMEs, the organization also helps US small business in accessing the UK market. Check out the above link to learn of opportunities to grow your small business.

www.ctsmallbusinessattorney.com

Export Working Capital Program (EWCP)

2009-12-14T14:29:00.003-05:00

The Small Business Administration (SBA) is pushing for more exporting by small business. Explore the SBA's Export Working Capital Program (EWCP) by clicking HERE

The program is administered through small business lenders or private banks for a maximum of 2 million US dollars. Through a co-guaranty program with the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Small Business Administration guaranties up to 90% of the loan.

www.ctsmallbusinessattorney.com

Looking for Information on the SBA ARC Loan Program?

2009-11-04T14:25:00.009-05:00

The Small Business Association's ARC Loan Program may help your small business that faces immediate financial hardship. Explore the Small Business Administration's website to learn about eligibility and additional information on these loans by clicking here.

www.ctsmallbusinessattorney.com

Looking for Federal Government Contracting Opportunities?

2009-10-01T20:16:00.003-04:00

If you are interested in searching for federal government contracting opportunities, then check out the government's database of business contract projects. The site includes Recovery and Reinvestment Act opportunities. Try a search of the site by clicking here.

www.ctsmallbusinessattorney.com

EU OSH Complaince

2009-09-04T10:33:00.003-04:00

Looking for information on good practices to comply with EU regulations? Check out the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work's website focusing specifically at these issues. The contains links to databases, topic, sectors, and more, which cover various areas relating to occupational health and safety.

www.ctsmallbusinessattorney.com

Looking for Trade Leads?

2009-08-12T16:13:00.002-04:00

Looking to expand your small business overseas? Take a look at the trade leads gathered by the U.S. government's Commercial Service located on their trade leads database.

www.ctsmallbusinessattorney.com

Need to Post Employment Notices?

2009-08-11T11:36:00.002-04:00

Are you looking to comply with the positing requirements of several regulations applicable to small businesses? Take a look at the U.S. Department of Labor's Poster page to acquire the posters you need.

www.ctsmallbusinessattorney.com

Is Your Business Small?

2009-07-25T19:00:00.006-04:00

Take a look at the Small Business Administration's regulations to see if your business qualifies in its particular industry classification as a small business.

http://www.sba.gov/contractingopportunities/officials/size/GC-SMALL-BUS-SIZE-STANDARDS.html

There is also a table for easy reference indicating industry and monetary size for review of whether your company is a small business.

http://www.sba.gov/idc/groups/public/documents/sba_homepage/serv_sstd_tablepdf.pdf

SBA Export Express Assistance Program

2009-05-28T15:38:00.002-04:00

The Small Business Administration has an express loan program called Export Express for exporters with loans up to $250,000.00. Check out the Small Business Administration's site especially detailing this program.

Export Express

Does Your Small Business Need Financial Assistance?

2009-05-13T10:16:00.003-04:00

Looking to shore up or expand your small business? Take a look at the financial assistance offered by the Small Business Administration. The site provides an online tutorial of the types of financial assistance available to established small businesses.
http://www.sba.gov/services/financialassistance/index.html

Wondering What Your U.S. Representatives are Doing for Small Business?

2009-05-05T12:08:00.002-04:00

Keep tabs on pending and proposed legislation before the U.S. House of Representatives. The House Committee on Small Business is chaired by the Representative from New York. The site contains reports, statements, press releases, and a newsletter.

http://www.house.gov/smbiz/

Outline for a Business Plan

2009-04-25T12:00:00.002-04:00

Thinking of starting a small business in this economic downturn? Take a look at the Small Business Association's outline about what such a plan should include.

http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/plan/writeabusinessplan/SERV_WRRITINGBUSPLAN.html

Traveling to a New International Client...

2009-02-11T10:29:00.003-05:00

An excellent resource for information about travel requirements and the like is the State Department's website for International Travel.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/travel_1744.html?cm_sp=ExternalLink-_-Federal-_-State

Simply click on a region and a county to discover information on visas, crime, medical facilities, and embassy locations. The site is a must visit to get vital information on the country you visit while you expand your US business internationally.

New York City Small Business Activities

2009-01-06T12:16:00.003-05:00

Looking for information on New York City Small Business Services try http://www.nyc.gov/html/sbs/html/home/home.shtml

The site is a wealth of basic information of issues and items relevant to small business in New York City.

Certification Needed As a Women Owned Business?

2008-12-17T12:32:00.003-05:00

Take a look at the following site that describes the process in California to be certified as a Women Owned Business through the Public Utility Commission
http://www.asianinc.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=35

Canada Helps Small Business in Writing a Business Plan

2008-10-23T15:06:00.003-04:00

Need help writing a business plan for your small business? Take a look at Canada's Interactive Business Planner at the following address:
http://www.canadabusiness.ca/ibp/eng/index.cfm

Looking For Trade and Tariff Stats?

2008-08-28T10:26:00.005-04:00

Is your small business looking for statistics on trade volume or tariff information. Take a look at the WTO's statistics site, which breaks down trade volume into imports or exports as well as gives detailed tariff information for all WTO members. The database is searchable and you are able to select specific criteria to search by utilizing a straight forward interface.

http://stat.wto.org/Home/WSDBHome.aspx?Language=E

Try South Africa as a locale for your Small Business

2008-06-27T10:30:00.004-04:00

The Small Enterprise Development Agency posts a wealth of information concerning small business and entrepreneurship in South Africa.

There website is http://www.seda.org.za/

Export-Import Bank of the US and Small Business

2008-04-29T10:32:00.003-04:00

Looking for financial assistance in exporting as a small business.

Take at look at the Import-Export Bank of the United States.

http://www.exim.gov/smallbiz/index.html

Try the UK as a Place to Expand Your Business.

2008-03-20T14:47:00.003-04:00

UK Trade and Investment offers a good source of information about why the UK may be a good place for your business to expand into. Take a look at their informative website, which contains pertinent information about expanding small business operations into the UK.

http://www.ukinvest.gov.uk/en-US-index.html

Do You Know Your Customers?

2008-02-18T20:42:00.004-05:00

Take a look at the Bureau of Industry and Security's (BIS) guidance on identifying red flags concerning your overseas customers.

http://www.bis.doc.gov/complianceandenforcement/knowyourcustomerguidance.htm

The site indicates the importance of ensuring small business compliance with the BIS regulations.

The Overseas Private Investment Corporation Assists Small Business

2008-01-17T11:17:00.000-05:00

The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) provides financing and political risk insurance to small business. Take at look at their website for more information. http://www.opic.gov/smallbusiness/

Need An Export Credit Insurance Policy?

2008-01-08T11:48:00.000-05:00

If you are a small business new to exporting goods, then check out the Export-Import Bank of the United States Small Business Export Credit Insurance Policy for your small business export venture.

http://www.exim.gov/products/insurance/small_bus_multi_buyer.cfm

SEC and Small Business

2007-12-23T10:40:00.000-05:00

The Securities and Exchange Commission has resources devoted to small business. Check out the Commission's small business website http://www.sec.gov/info/smallbus.shtml for a host of resources concerning small business.

FDA Small Business Assistance

2007-12-10T15:43:00.000-05:00

The FDA assists small business in the areas covered by the agency.

Take a look at the FDA's small business specific website.

http://www.fda.gov/cder/about/smallbiz/default.htm

Looking for Information about Health and Benefit Plans?

2007-12-03T21:37:00.000-05:00

Take a look at the Department of Labor website offering basic information about health and benefit plans a small business owner may offer to its employees.

http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/health-plans/index.htm

Need To Know About Licenses Required in Connecticut?

2007-11-21T11:13:00.000-05:00

Want to know if your Connecticut small business needs a certain business license? Does the State of Connecticut require your small business employees to obtain a license for their particular trade or occupation?

Take a look at http://www.ct-clic.com/

The State of Connecticut operates this website, which provides a good deal of useful information about licensing requirements.

Looking to Establish a Small Business in Australia?

2007-11-19T08:36:00.000-05:00

If you are looking to expand your small business activities into Australia, then explore the Australian government's website concerning small business.

http://www.smallbusiness.gov.au/Business+Entry+Point/

Interested in What Ireland Thinks of Small Business?

2007-11-08T14:11:00.000-05:00

Take a look at the Small Business Report prepared by the Irish government.

http://www.smallbusinessforum.ie/

The Report contains information on the climate for small business operating in Ireland and proposals for improving the transaction of small business enterprises within the country.

Need Financing for Your Small Business?

2007-11-04T08:31:00.000-05:00

Consult the US Chamber of Commerce Small Business Center's financial toolkit. The site features explanations and resources on each step of the borrowing process.

http://www.uschamber.com/sb/finance/default.htm

The site is specially tailored to small business issues.

UK Small Business Resource

2007-10-27T16:09:00.000-04:00

If you are looking for a resource to find information about small business in the UK, then explore the UK's Enterprise Directorate website specifically about small business http://www.dti.gov.uk/bbf/small-business/index.html

The links on the right-hand side of the page lead to helpful information on taxation, finance, and a variety of other business information.

Export Assistance from US Chamber of Commerce

2007-10-24T17:21:00.000-04:00

If your interested in starting or growing your small business exports, then take a look at the US Chamber of Commerce's Trade Toolbox http://www.traderoots.org/fsMain.asp?i=tt

The site features county reports, stats, market, and industry reports. A wealth of information for growing your small business export capacity.

Questions about Copyright, Trademark, or Patents?

2007-10-23T16:55:00.000-04:00

Take a look at the United States Patent and Trademark office's website specifically devoted to small business http://www.uspto.gov/smallbusiness/

The site features explanations, links, and pdf guides addressing may intellectual property issues concerning small business.

Need Information on Different countries around the globe fast?

2007-10-17T11:36:00.000-04:00

A great resource for investigating or learning about a country your small business might be interested in trading with or operating in is run by the BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/country_profiles/default.stm

Look at individual countries, regions, or international organizations--all in easy to use drop down menus.

Wondering what an SE or European Company is?

2007-10-14T18:26:00.001-04:00

Check out the definition of a 'Societas Europaea' or European Company provided by the UK's Companies House to discover the basic constitution and requires for creating one.
http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/about/gbhtml/gb06.shtml

What is the difference between American and UK Business Entities?

2007-10-14T18:17:00.000-04:00

Take a look at the variety of business entities a company may utilize in the US by visiting the New York City government's business site http://www.nyc.gov/html/sbs/nycbiz/html/starting/business_legal_structure.shtml

Compare the legal structures listed by the New York City government with those discussed on the UK's Companies House website http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/about/gbhtml/gbf1.shtml

Exploring Africa for Potential Business?

2007-10-11T17:01:00.000-04:00

Check out the resources referenced in the Library of Congress' African Business Guide, which provides both internet and print sources for information concerning the business climate for small business in Africa. http://www.loc.gov/rr/business/african/africanhome.html

Need Info on Tax Issues related to Small Business?

2007-10-11T16:52:00.000-04:00

Take a look at the IRS Small Business specific website for useful information on tax issues facing a small business operating in various fields.

http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/

Is Your Small Business Looking to Expand Operations to China?

2007-10-08T12:40:00.000-04:00

The US government operates a site that assists small business in all aspects of expanding your business into China. The site contains trade leads, events, and trade policy documents.

Take a look at http://www.export.gov/china/ to discover useful information for small business to enter the Chinese market. See if your small business is ready to trade in China and the assistance the US government provides to small business in determining if China is a viable place to export your goods/services.

Looking to Protect Your Connecticut Small Business Against Fraud?

2007-10-02T14:20:00.000-04:00

Take a look at what the Connecticut Attorney General advises on methods to avoid fraud in operating your small business. http://www.ct.gov/ag/cwp/view.asp?A=2066&Q=292366

Along with other obstacles faced by small business owners in operating their business, an awareness of harmful fraudulent activities directed to your small business is necessary.

Wondering if New York Likes Small Business?

2007-09-19T09:17:00.001-04:00

New York State operates two websites a small business owner should take a look at because of the wealth of information and links to helpful sites about operating and growing a small business in New York.

The links are http://www.nylovesbiz.com/default.asp (the main site with information relating to New York businesses in general) and http://www.nylovessmallbusiness.com/home.asp (specific site related to New York small business issues).

Looking for New York Small Business Specific Information?

2007-09-19T09:00:00.001-04:00

Take a look at the IRS website http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=100203,00.html
that collects links to virtually every state agency in New York you will need to consult while operating your small business. This site provides links to municipal agencies as well as state departments/divisions.

Of course tax information and tax seminar events in the New York area are also available through the site.

Need Information on OSHA Compliance?

2007-09-17T15:54:00.000-04:00

Take a look at OSHA Small Business website, which contains a host of information on compliance programs and other information specifically related to small business.
http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/index.html

Wondering if your business is an SME under EU terminology?

2007-09-12T14:19:00.000-04:00

The EU articulates a specific definition for SMEs. Take a look at http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/enterprise_policy/sme_definition/sme_user_guide.pdf

The above link takes you to a booklet that defines SMEs and their importance to the European economy.

Interested in What the Senate Thinks About Small Business?

2007-09-06T09:44:00.001-04:00

Both Senate Democrats and Republicans operate websites about issues appearing before the Senate committee on small business and entrepreneurship. The sites post pending legislation and summaries of laws being considered by the committee. Also posted are hearing and round table discussions and documents.

The Democratic site is at http://sbc.senate.gov/index.cfm and the Republican site is at http://sbc.senate.gov/republican/

Check out these sites to discover what the senate is doing to assist small business--and may be get involved in the issues being discussed by the committee.

Small Business Essentials

2007-09-06T09:37:00.000-04:00

Whether you are starting your business or expanding operations, a great website to explore is the US Small Business Administration (SBA). From guides to logistics to financing, the US SBA website possesses a comprehensive set of descriptive guides to transacting business as a small company.

http://www.sba.gov/

Information from the Government on Business

2007-09-04T19:19:00.000-04:00

Look at http://www.business.gov/topic/Small_Business_Guides to uncover a wide range of information relating to all types of business transactions and US governmental support services available to small businesses.

A Good Source for All Things Relating to International Trade

2007-09-04T19:06:00.000-04:00

Looking for specific information on trading in different foreign countries? Explore The Federation of International Trade Associations market research website at http://fita.org/trade_info.html

FITA's website contains a wealth of preliminary information regarding transacting business in different countries.

Importing into the US?

2007-08-31T13:45:00.000-04:00

Take a look at the Customs and Boarder Protection site, which contains a large amount of information concerning the importation process and policies affecting imports.

http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/xp/cgov/home.xml

Looking to Export?

2007-08-31T13:39:00.000-04:00

One site you might want to take a look at before exporting your goods from the US to a foreign nation is http://www.export.gov/

Explore the site and its information pertaining to Sales and Marketing, Logistics, and Trade Leads.

The site may prove useful in giving a small business owner a basic overview of the process of exporting goods abroad.

Also consider utilizing the U.S. Commercial Service to your company's advantage. http://trade.gov/cs/

New Posts Arriving Shortly!

2007-08-30T09:24:00.001-04:00

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