BusinessWeek has an Article Posted on who is responsible for settling an LLC’s debts after a Dissolution:

Creditors of a valid LLC can collect only from the assets of the company, not personal assets or wages, and garnishments cannot be used against wages unless a money judgment has been awarded in court.

However, this is contingent on the LLC having been properly maintained:

Unfortunately, it’s also possible that you took some action while your company was in business that removed the protection of your LLC, such as signing a personal guarantee with the landlord or mingling personal and company funds.

Fortunately for MyNewCompany.com clients, our LLC Formation Packages include access to the “New LLC Handbook”, which tells you everything you need to know about running your LLC properly so that you can maintain your Liability Protection.

Business Know-How has an Article Posted with helpful hints for launching a new website or redesigning an existing site:

Whether you want a small site with just a few pages of text or something a lot more complex, you can keep costs down and get your website up and running much more quickly by defining the purpose and scope of the project before you look for a web developer. Answering the questions that follow will help you accomplish that first, critical step in your website project.

MyNewCompany.com clients can get a web site and Domain Registration at the same time HERE

The Washington Post’s Business Page has an Article Posted on how confusing licensing and certification can be when starting a new business:

Aside from questions about loans, grants, and generally getting started in small business, one of the most commonly asked questions on the Small Business Administration (SBA) Web site is “How do I get a business license?”

One of the many benefits of using MyNewCompany.com’s Formation Services is that all our clients receive access to a Startup Checklist specific to their state which includes built-in links to all the applicable state and federal agencies and step-by-step instructions on how to properly set up your new business!

As many of our readers know, we’re obsessed with small business owners “automating” their business so they can focus on more important aspects of their business. The book, Work the System: The Simple Mechanics of Making More and Working Less is a great example of a book that shows you how to do it step-by-step.

The author, Sam Carpenter, shows how he went from 100 hour weeks to only 2 hour weeks while increasing his income 20 fold. Pretty impressive stuff and is a great companion to our other highly recommended book, The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It.

Either way, the lesson is that a small business should copy the successful strategies that make franchises much more likely to succeed: documenting and creating procedures for all aspects of your business.

SmallBizTrends has an Article Posted on local pay-per-click ad campaigns and small business:

A new study from Borrell Associates found that 90 percent of small business owners quit their local paid search campaigns within 6 months of starting, saying they are unhappy with the results and can no longer justify the costs.

More accurately, according to the study, up to 50 percent of SMBs will quit their paid local campaigns within 90 days of starting, while another 40 percent will join them by the 6 month mark.

The article has helpful hints for building an effective local online advertising campaign. Online advertising is just one facet of maintaining an effective Marketing Strategy.

Small Business Trends has an Article by Tim Berry on the lessons learned after 22 years of bootstrapping:

Last week a group of students interviewed me, as part of a class project, looking for secrets and keys to success. They were asking me because after 22 years of bootstrapping, my wife Vange and I own a business that has 45 employees now, multimillion dollar sales, market leadership in its segment, no outside investors, and no debt. And a second generation is running it now.

Bootstrapping (self-funding your startup) is just one method of Finding the Money to start your new venture. Of course, it always helpful to have a good Business Plan before looking for funding.

BusinessWeek has an Article Posted with helpful information regarding the tax implications of choosing S-Corporation or C-Corporation status when forming a new company:

The debate on proposed tax rate increases for the country’s wealthiest people has just begun, and the potential increases would not happen until 2011. Still, tax experts say it is not too early for small business owners to think about defensive strategies. Whether they’re contemplating moving from S-corporation to C-corporation status, accelerating income, or deferring compensation, their decisions should be thought through in the larger context of their business and personal goals, says Lester Law, senior vice president at U.S. Trust’s National Wealth Strategies Group(BAC), in Naples, Fla.

MyNewCompany.com can form a DBA, an S-Corporation, a C-Corporation or an LLC for you using our Company Formation Service. Many of our clients will consult with their tax advisor (CPA, Bookkeeper, etc.) to see which entity type will give them the maximum tax benefits for their individual tax situation before having us form their company. To see the benefits of using our Formation Service instead of an attorney or other filing service you can visit our page “Compare Us to the Competition”.

Small Business Trends has an Article Posted on why now is the perfect time to start a new small business:

It may not seem so smart to start a business in a down economy, but according to Tim, this is actually the best time to do it. Costs are lower, you can get better talent for less, and people are a lot more receptive to entrepreneurs because of the fragile state of things. And don’t tell anyone, but the economy is actually looking up. (Switch that. Tell everyone you know. We need good news.). But even if it wasn’t, starting a business “now” is almost always better than starting it “later”.

Once you take your new idea and turn it into a Business Plan you’re ready to go! MyNewCompany.com’s Formation Services will make starting your new business as easy and hassle-free as possible. Don’t forget to check out our Free Tools and Resources Page for useful information on the process of starting and managing your small business.

Mashable has an enormous list of 270 online tools for businesses. The list includes tools for project management, marketing, invoicing, collaboration and more. Highly recommended.

MyNewCompany.com uses BaseCamp for project management and we highly recommend that as well – there’s a free plan and paid plans start as low as $12/month.

Inc.com has an Article Posted on the process of bringing your idea or product to market:

You’ve got a great idea. But negotiating your way from the invention you first sketch out on a napkin to a successful product can be daunting.

Laying careful groundwork can make all the difference in whether your invention ever makes it to market. “I’m continuously surprised by the number of entrepreneurs who throw a product up on the wall and see if it sticks,’’ says Professor Tim Faley, managing director of the Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Michigan.

One of the most important steps in the process of Starting a Business is creating a Business Plan. We have a page about Business Plans that contains many helpful hints and resources for developing your business plan.

Forbes.com has an interesting Article posted listing 7 business ascensions and 7 business tumbles:

To lend some perspective, we assembled some of the most spectacular corporate ascensions and steepest tumbles across an array of industries

One of the best ways to position yourself to take full advantage of opportunities for fast growth is by Automating Your Business. This frees you up to work on business development rather than getting bogged down in the day-to-day operations of your business. MyNewCompany.com has a helpful Resource Page on this topic. Clients utilizing our Formation Services also get access to our New Corporation or New LLC Handbooks (as well as useful business forms) in the “My Account” section of our site, which contain all the information you need to set your company up properly so that you can concentrate on growing your business!

Inc.com has an article/ slideshow online about the lessons that can be learned from Zappos. Zappos is an online shoe retailer, founded in 1999, that is growing by leaps and bounds. One of the reasons for their expanded sales is their focus on customer service:

For customers, he has focused on the art of surprise. Zappos advertises free ground shipping, but most orders are mailed overnight. The idea is to give customers an unexpected sense of joy–and, of course, to get them to buy another pair of shoes.

In a tightening economy surprising and delighting your customers is a great way to gain market share while your competitors are cutting back on their service or engaging in business-as-usual practices.

One of the best ways to provide consistent customer service is by properly automating and organizing your business. A business that is organized around a “franchise model” will be able to provide the same exceptional service to their clients every time!

BusinessWeek has an Article Posted on a new type of business insurance – trade credit insurance – which can be useful for companies that depend on receivables:

A business can purchase trade credit insurance for individual customers or as a blanket policy, covering a percentage of its receivables. Within a blanket policy, key accounts are identified for coverage. Once a policy is approved, the insurer sets a credit limit for each account and monitors them closely using proprietary risk management tools. If a customer appears to be in trouble, the insurer notifies the policyholder and will usually either reduce the credit limit or tighten the credit terms. In the event of a default, most policies provide full payout, minus a 10% deductible.

Obtaining Business Insurance is already the 9th step on MyNewCompany.com’s Start-Up Checklist. It is always recommended to obtain a general Business Insurance Policy after starting your business. Trade Credit Insurance can provide an added safety net for your company beyond what is covered with a general policy.

BusinessWeek.com has an Article Posted pointing out that now is a great time to be starting new advertising campaigns:

Prime-time TV slots are going for 25% less than they sold for just last year, says Steve Cox, spokesperson for the Better Business Bureau. “The playing field for TV advertising is becoming more level, and small business owners can now take advantage of steep discounts for prime slots, as well as cut rates from PR firms and productions companies,” he says.

Not only are ad rates down (not just for TV ads – radio and online advertising is also dropping in price), but new ads can be more effective because viewship is increasing:

In addition to more flexible rates, small businesses can get more bang for their ad bucks today because viewership is up, Hroncich says. “People aren’t going out as much; they’re staying home watching TV or looking at the Internet. So these venues are getting more impressions but they’re charging less money” for their ads, he says.

During a slow economy many businesses immediately reduce or eliminate advertising as a cost-cutting measure. This may seem sensible, but can actually be a missed opportunity to strengthen your market position while your competition remains stagnant.

MyNewCompany.com has a Free Tools & Resouces page, which includes a general overview and useful resources on the Sales & Marketing Process.

SmartBiz.com has an article posted with 7 Tax Tips for Small Business:

Small Businesses have an especially hard time when it comes to taxes. Here are seven tips that will help keep you focused and could help save you money.

All MyNewCompany.com clients have access to the “My Account” section of our site, which contains “The New Corporation Handbook” or “The New LLC Handbook”. As well as telling you everything you need to know about properly running and maintaining your new company, the Handbook contains a section on taxes your new company will have to pay, including due dates. Clients who select our Entrepreneur or Complete Package also receive our MyCompanyForms CD which includes all your federal tax forms and a tax calendar, as well as over 200 sample business forms. Clients who did not order the CD as part of their Formation Service can always order a copy of the CD for only $35!