“Pete” owns and operates a well-established plumbing company, founded in the 1920s. Pete had about two dozen employees and was a fixture in his community and the local Chamber of Commerce. For many years, his business thrived, providing plumbing contracting services to the local public school district. In 2008, the collapse of the real estate Read More

“Johnny” founded an LLC. The LLC was to be an a.m. radio show that covered topics of music, nightlife, and the social scene in New York City. He was also planning an informational website in conjunction with the show with an e-commerce function that would sell promotional merchandise such as t-shirts, hats, key chains and Read More

“Ophelia” is a recently retired New York state corrections officer. I contacted her in advance of her incorporating her business. Her plans were to start a funeral home in the Queens borough in New York City. After listening to her plans, I described what her banking relationship should look like once she was incorporated. She Read More

I had a conversation with a wealthy married couple who wanted to borrow money to renovate two houses for quick resale. They were both financially savvy, and the wife was a talented decorator. At first, they asked about a mortgage to do this, hoping to hold the mortgages for a short period of time and Read More

When starting a business, a location is a very important factor in your marketing. Find the right place for your business according to considerations normal for your industry. For example, do you want to be near your competitors? Consider an arts district for example. The area itself is a destination, so art galleries are located close to each Read More

On a late Saturday afternoon in June, 2016, employees at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub were preparing to open for the night. A DJ set up the booth and checked sound, bartenders prepped the bar area, the club was cleaned and ready to open. Neither employees nor patrons had any idea what was about to happen later that night. At Read More

Emergency planning…really? You have a business to run and grow, so who has time for planning? Simply put, a small amount of planning in advance will save you in the event of disaster, and can get you back up and running in a very short time. In fact, that can be a powerful competitive advantage, Read More