If you’ve got cash to invest and you want to put it into a startup, you could be making a great decision. However, you need to make sure you’ve thought this through properly before actually parting with your money. Below are some questions to ask yourself:
There’s absolutely no way you should invest in a company if you don’t understand it. Sure, it could potentially make you a lot of money, but there are so many reasons you should understand the company. Not only will it be more enjoyable for you, it’ll be easier to know when you’re investment is going to pay off.
Can You Add Value?
You should always invest in companies that you believe you can add value to. If you can’t add value to a company, other than your money, then you should consider steering clear.
Do You Have A Legal Professional To Consult Before Signing Contracts?
Before you sign on the dotted line of any contract, you need to make sure you have a legal professional to consult. They will be able to make tweaks to the contract if needs be so that it protects you better, or simply tell you that it’s safe to sign.
Do You Know When To Cash Out?
Knowing when to cash out is a great skill to have too. Make sure you know when you should be calling it quits. Take a look at the infographic below for more information in a more attractive format!
The first twelve months are arguably the most exciting part of running any business. The whole task of finding your feet, the veritable rollercoaster ride of getting everything up and running, the many issues, the exhilarating ups, and the very low downs, but it’s all grist to the mill. And once the honeymoon period is over, and every single teething issue appears to have been resolved it’s time to get down to the real work, but this is where things can really cause hassle and leave you in the lurch. So, what can crop up? Add to Flipboard Magazine. Problem: your employees leaving
Yes, after working your fingers to the bone and constant reassurance to your colleagues that the business is in ascendance, they may jump ship at the worst possible moment. They could leave for various reasons, better pay, a stable work/life balance, and there is nothing you can do about it. It can leave you in a precarious position.
Solution: provide more “security” for them
The real reason anybody leaves their job is because they don’t feel secure enough in the position, either emotionally or financially. If you can provide that metaphorical blanket in one way or another, either by providing more detailed contracts or by appealing to them in a more personal way, it is likely to keep their minds at ease. It’s all about give and take, and you will need to find the right balance, but they need to feel that they are being given enough by you.
Problem: your finances
Finding ways ofcutting back on your overheads will always pose a significant problem, and during that first difficult year, it will consume your thoughts. You could throw money at a situation and end up spending too much on that one problem when your finances could have been better suited to solving another problem. You can easily end up firefighting certain problems by throwing money at it, which can leave you in a quandary.
Solution: hire an accountant
Organization is key to getting your finances in check, and you won’t be able to look after your finances properly while you’re busy looking after the business, so you’re going to have to bite the bullet and get an accountant. It’s an expense, but an essential one for peace of mind. A dishonest tax return, regardless of how little the mistake, can result in severe penalties. And if it’s too late and you’re in the middle of trying to sort the issues yourself before a tax deadline, you can speak to alawyer for taxes for some additional advice. With something like finances, it’s not advisable to try and muddle through. Get professional help.
Problem: the business is not taking off “fast enough”
The first year will always be tough, but you can get frustrated by the lack of impact on your sales and funds and the feeling that you’re not where you want to be can loom large in your mind.
Solution: have more grassroots promotion
Never underestimate the importance of what word of mouth can bring. Have more events, make a bigger splash with one-offs, or actually have a proper business launch. You’ve done the graft, now it’s time to spread the word.
Being involved in a car accident can be a shocking and frightening experience. Anyone unfortunate enough to have been involved in one will know it can be extremely confusing and difficult to know what to do. It is really important to know how to react in a situation like this so read on for information about the important things that need to be done when a car accident happens.
Stop and take a moment to make sure that you, and anyone else that may be in your car is alright. Then, survey the scene to see if anyone involved in the accident has been hurt. Even if everyone seems to be alight, the majority of the time it is still always advisable to call the emergency services. Add to Flipboard Magazine. If it is a very minor accident, however, and everyone appears to be perfectly ok then there may be no need to call an ambulance. The police, however, will still need to be contacted in order to register the accident and deal with any necessary traffic diversions, whilst debris is cleared away and of course, the police need to be contacted in order to deal with the necessary paperwork.
Taking Down Details
Secondly, you will need to make sure that everyone exchanges details after the accident. You will need to give the other parties your details, and you will need to make sure that you take everyone else’s. If you are concerned that the accident was your fault, don’t be too hasty in assuming responsibility or being overly apologetic as this could potentially be used against you if the accident ends up going down the legal route.
The best thing way that you can react is by staying calm and just provide the details that are asked of you.
Insurance & Legal Proceedings
If any damage has been done to your vehicle, you will need to contact your insurance company to make a claim and get the ball rolling in repairing your car.
If you were to blame for the accident you are also going to need to hire an attorney to defend you should the accident be taken to court. If there was any alcohol involved and you were found to be over the limit then you are going to need to hire a DWI defense attorney in your local area, that will be able to help you through the legal process.
Prevention is Always Better than Cure
It is also important to remember that whilst accidents happen, most of them are completely avoidable. By making sure that you don’t drive when overly tired or after drinking alcohol will mean that you only drive when you are completely alert and awake. Also, make sure that you are not open to distractions when you drive.
It is now illegal to answer a phone call whilst driving, and texting whilst behind the wheel can also result in legal action. Grumpy and squabbling kids, eating lunch from behind the wheel are also ways that drivers can get distracted and the result can be accidents. So make sure that you are always taking measures to drive in a calm way and that you are focused on the road, and nothing else at all times.
Health matters to us all. We want to live as long and prosperous lives as possible. And, we like to think our governments are behind us. It may seem strange to link politics and health, but it’s not as far out as you might think. In some ways, our health falls to us. We have to eat right, and exercise. But, our environments, and the world around us, also determine health levels. And, who controls those? Our governments of course.
No one can deny that, in the past, the government hasn’t made the best decisions. In some ways, we have to cut them some slack. Most of the things they’ve done which have damaged health have been down to misinformation. The main incidence is use of asbestos. Many homes built before 1980 contain these minerals, known to cause cancer. Even now, people have to turn to an asbestos exposure attorney to gain compensation for long-term effects. And, who ordered this material to be used? The government of course. You could argue that they didn’t realize the effects, but they should’ve done more rigorous testing. Smoking is another thing backed by the government, and indeed some doctors. These are people whose opinions we should trust, and they were well behind the idea of smoking. Again, the main issue here was that the effects weren’t known. Even so, the fact that tobacco products are still legal is a worrying sign. While the government takes steps, such as unbranded packaging, to sway us, they won’t stop sales. Why? Because of the money! Money plays a common factor in many of the damaging steps government take to harm health. While past mistakes can be chalked up to inexperience, the same can’t be said of errors in the modern age. We may not live in asbestos lined houses, but the government still damage our health in subtle ways. The recent Grenfell Tower building fire in London is a horrific example of this. Investigations have revealed that sub-standard, more flammable cladding was used in the building. Why? Because it was cheaper. Add to Flipboard Magazine.
And, that’s not the only money-saving act of inhumanity we’ve seen from officials this year. In the US, Trump’s recent pull from the Paris climate agreement is worrying news for us all. While the most visible impact is on the environment, the decision could also affect health. If there’s less regulation on pollution, there’s less control of the air we’re breathing. You don’t need us to tell you the damage that could cause. The motivations for such a move seem unclear to most of us, but Trump was honest about his reasoning – climate change was costing too much money. Looking at the facts, there’s no way to deny that our health may not be a priority for the people in charge. It’s worrying whatever way you look at it. But, instead of panicking, take this as all the more reason to take charge and do what you can to live a healthy life.
If you’re a non-US citizen with a view to building business interests in the US then the visa options open to you can be perplexingly various. Hopefully we can shed some light on the best options open to you and where you can get help in pursuing them.
Foreign investment has been a vital part of economic infrastructure that has been actively encouraged to stimulate economic activity in the US for decades and therefore the US has a vested interest in protecting foreign investors. Add to Flipboard Magazine. This is usually controlled by two types of visa, the E-2 and the EB-5. While both have their benefits, only the EB-5 can result in a Green Card.
The best type of visa for you will likely depend on a number of factors including:
Your country of origin.
The amount of capital you have to invest.
The type of business you want to invest in.
A number of jobs you expect to create.
The amount of time you expect to stay in the US.
The E-2 visa
The E-2 visa is intended for a temporary stay (usually issued for 2-5 years) in the US and is dependent on a reciprocal treaty between your country of origin and the US, so the implication is clear here… No treaty, no E-2 visa.
It also requires a ‘substantial’ capital investment, in most cases of at least $100,000 in a company that is majority owned by citizens of your country of origin.
You must be a business owner, manager, executive or contribute an ‘essential skill’ to apply for the E-2 visa.
Those who want to purchase a franchise or small business in the US.
Those who want to retire to the US.
The EB-5 visa
EB-5 visas are more flexible, as they are available to investors of all nationalities, and unlike the E-2 can result in receipt of a Green Card. The EB-5 visa was intended to stimulate economic growth through job creation and to encourage foreign investors to create new commercial enterprises or aid in the recovery of troubled businesses. They are, however, finite with only 10,000 being awarded annually. The application process is stringent and applicants are recommended to consult an EB-5 immigration lawyer to aid in the application process.
While the EB-5 is more flexible than the E-2, it still specific criteria that need to be met. Applicants must create at least 10 US based jobs and present an investment of $500,000-$1,000,000 depending on whether the investment is direct or regional center based.
Direct investment is for those who wish to create a new enterprise or purchase an existing business. These investors are typically expected to invest a million of $1,000,000 unless the business is located in an area of severe unemployment. Regional center investment pertains to investments in areas of business deemed to have an especially high need for economic stimulation. The minimum investment, in this case, is $500,000.
Therefore, an EB-5 visa is best suited to those who not only wish to make a sizeable investment in a US-based enterprise but who also wish to live and work in the US. It affords you and your family (provided they qualify) unlimited residency in the US without the need to re-apply or renew.
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