Business guides, webinars, and newsletters from Surge Business Law.
Finding out an employee has been stealing from you, money, client data, company photos, or billing for services never rendered, is one of the most disorienting things that happens…
If your business uses independent contractors, you’re managing legal risk whether you know it or not. The classification question doesn’t resolve itself because you signed a 1099…
Iowa is an at-will employment state. That means you can terminate an employee for any reason or no reason, as long as the reason isn’t an illegal one. What it doesn’t mean is that…
The decision to hire your first employee is usually exciting and immediately followed by a low-grade panic about what you’re supposed to do next. Federal forms, state registration…
You found someone who can do the work. Now you need to decide how to pay them. Choosing between a 1099 independent contractor and a W2 employee feels like a payroll question, but…
Closing day isn't the finish line. It's the starting line. If you're wondering what to do after you buy a business, the first 30-90 days are critical. You need to transfer ownersh…
Buying out a business partner is one of the most common, and most emotionally charged, business transactions. Whether you're parting ways amicably or dealing with a difficult situ…
Buying a franchise is different from buying an independent business. You're not just acquiring assets and customers. You're entering a legal relationship with a franchisor that go…
The SBA 7(a) loan program is the most common financing tool for small business acquisitions. The SBA doesn't lend money directly, it guarantees a portion of the loan made by a par…
Seller financing is one of the most common ways to fund a small business acquisition. The seller agrees to receive part (or all) of the purchase price over time instead of getting…
Not every business acquisition is funded by a single bank loan. In practice, most small business deals use a combination of financing sources, and the more creative you are about…
"Buy a business with no money down" is one of the most searched phrases in business acquisition. It's also one of the most misleading. Can you buy a business without putting up ca…
The asking price is where negotiation starts, not where it ends. In most small business acquisitions, the final deal looks meaningfully different from the initial offer, and not j…
A Letter of Intent (LOI) is the document that moves a business acquisition from "interested" to "serious." It outlines the basic terms you and the seller are agreeing to before ei…
Not every business for sale is a good deal. Some are overpriced. Some have problems the seller isn't disclosing. And some look like problems on paper but are actually excellent op…
The purchase price is just one part of what you'll spend when buying a business. There are legal fees, due diligence costs, financing charges, license transfers, and working capit…
Some business buyers try to handle the transaction themselves to save money. They download a template purchase agreement, skip formal due diligence, and hope for the best. Sometim…
An Asset Purchase Agreement (APA) is the legal contract that governs the sale of a business. It defines exactly what you're buying, what you're paying, and what protections each s…
Due diligence when buying a business is the investigation you conduct after signing a Letter of Intent but before committing to the purchase. It's your one chance to verify the se…
Buying a business is one of the fastest ways to become a business owner, but the legal side of the transaction is where deals succeed or fall apart. A bad contract, missed liabili…
When you started your business, you were probably willing to take big risks. You launched something from scratch, figured things out as you went, and pushed through all the uncert…