How to Hire an Attorney for Your Business
For the past few years, we’ve seen an increase in the number of female entrepreneurs in Africa. In the 2017 MasterCard Index of Women Entrepreneurs (MIWE) report, Uganda – as one of the only two low-income economies to be included in the report – had the greatest number of female-run businesses in the world, which corresponds to 34.8%. The country even superseded high-income countries like New Zealand (33.3%), Australia (32.4%), and Russia (32.6%). 2017 has been an amazing year for many African women who chose to take the entrepreneurial path, so as in 2018. If you’re thinking of launching your own business, now is the time to do so. There are many kinds of business that require very small capital, some you can even start from home. Sometimes, a loan can help you get started if your savings are not enough. Why Should You Hire an Attorney? You’ve got a great business plan. A great product. A great concept. But how do you transform all your ideas into a tangible, operational business that is headed for success? Of course, you need help from the professionals. You probably have thought about hiring an accountant already. The reasons are pretty obvious. You need someone to help you with your books, make sure you’ve got the numbers right, and manage all your business taxes. But how about an attorney? You probably haven’t thought about it yet. Or maybe, you think that it’s too soon to get one. But the truth is that you will most likely need a good business attorney at every aspect of your business, from ensuring that you meet all the requirements set by the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) to organize your business (what type of business is most suitable for you as well as your tax structure), getting copyright and trademark advice, and many more. And as your business grows, a good attorney can help you carry out your expansion plans, understand the tax consequences of any changes with your business structure, prepare and execute contracts with your customers, suppliers and business partners, and file or deal with a lawsuit. [bctt tweet=”Do you have an attorney for your business? Read this article for steps on how to hire one” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Hiring an attorney is essential to achieving your business goals. Check out the following tips and suggestions in order to find the best lawyer to help you: 1. Look for an attorney who specializes in business law Like doctors, attorneys are becoming increasingly specialized these days. Some specialize in family law, others in criminal law or real estate law. Basically, you want to hire the attorney who has the experience and skills with corporate and mercantile laws. He or she should be skilled with making contracts, familiar with various business structures, understand real estate (you might have leasing issues for your commercial space), experienced with tax and licensing matters, etc. Depending on the nature of your business, you will also need other legal services. For instance, if you’re into media, design or any other creative type of business, you will need a lawyer who will help you get copyright protection for your work. 2. Look for an attorney who is familiar with your industry He or she may not know every aspect of the industry you’re in, but the right lawyer should be at least familiar with it. Don’t forget to check the track record of the lawyers you are considering. He or she should have a pretty good understanding of the industry’s ins and outs. Also, make sure that the lawyer does not represent any of your competitors. The last thing you want to happen is to have your confidential business info leaked to your competitors. 3. Find someone who educates A good attorney does not just give you the results you want. He or she also keeps you well-informed about the legal concerns your business is facing. The attorney should be willing to educate you and your staff about your current legal needs and situations, how it affects your business, and how similar problems can be prevented in the future. Your lawyer should also be proactive about updating you with recent policies or changes in existing policies that affect your business. 4. Get a good attorney who charges a reasonable fee Most lawyers charge an hourly rate, but some do a fixed rate. Good lawyers are willing to negotiate with their fees without compromising the quality of their services. Choose an attorney who is flexible with his billing. It is not all the time that you will need his or her services so paying monthly or hiring a company lawyer may not be a strategic idea yet, especially if you are just starting your business. Hiring an attorney for your business should not be that complicated as long as you keep all these suggestions in mind. Once you found the right one, keeping a good relationship with your attorney is the key to ensuring that he or she will be there when you need help. This article was written by Lidia Staron Lidia Staron is a part of Content and Marketing team at OpenCashAdvance.com. She contributes articles about the role of finance in the strategic planning and decision-making process. You can find really professional insights in her writings.
How to set goals like the motherland mogul that you are
To me, setting a goal is like aiming that bowling ball at the white pins; the amount of effort and calculation put in determines how many bottles will be cleared which is why your goals do not matter more than the mode of setting them. I’ll give you a better illustration. Setting a goal is similar to aiming a missile at a spaceship from this planet, you don’t know for sure if your aim is going to bring results but you just close your eyes and do it anyway! IT MUST SCARE YOU The number one lesson which is fundamental to setting goals is going way beyond your limit. Now I’m not asking you to be unrealistic, set a goal within your human capacity just let it scare you a bit. How does your own goal scare you? You know you’re scared of your set goals when: I. It’s within the limits a motherland mogul like you does not have II. It’s something you can do even though you think that you cannot attempt it III. You don’t believe it’s something you can do or someplace you can get to BE REALISTIC When it comes to the art of setting goals, my dear you must be very realistic. For instance, you shouldn’t submit your CV for a job which requirements are higher than your professional level knowing fully well that you cannot get those papers before the interview. You must meet the requirements of your requirements! You have to strive to reach the eligibility level and never relax on your oars. UPGRADE YOUR OS I know this is 2018 so everyone probably knows OS means Operating System right? Right. Ever wondered why Apple keeps upgrading the performance level of their gadgets? To keep up with the consumer market! Same way you cannot stop being eligible! You have to continue being the best person for that position, the one they are losing out on if they don’t put their monies on! How do you do this? I. Get professional The ‘masters syndrome’ in today’s Nigeria has ravaged most appointment seekers. What they don’t know is that professional certification singles you out of the master’s multitude. You need to attend a course today, start from somewhere, be it WIMBIZ or a Nigerian Women Techsters training just do something! II. Build your experience Fill your resume with internship/externship experiences, work for free if you have to! III. Get out of your comfort zone Your comfort zone is that place in your existence where you feel totally at peace, rested and fulfilled. I will tell you a secret today (promise not to tell nobody?), your goal will never be in your comfort zone! Beyonce had to go solo, leaving behind friendships and carbs to become who she is, Malala went over the fence of children and women not being heard in a rather conservative state and Joe Okei-Odumakin had so many visits to detention and prisons to be an activist. None of these people felt entirely happy leaving the comfort of friendship, being obedient to repugnant laws and the comfort of their bed and peace to be moguls but they did anyway! That’s my point exactly! Don’t reject offers in other regions! Stop telling yourself you’re too young! Stop telling yourself you’re a woman! Just stop! Learn something outside of your known area of specialization, think of a business idea someone in your society is not taking up, be creative. IV. Don’t try to be regular Try setting goals negating what you were expected to do. For instance, in the legal profession, most ladies decide to work in the civil service to minimize stress in order to combine law with making a home but some outstanding ones still take up jobs as company secretaries, private practice, maritime legal experts etc. Sometimes our purpose lies in our ability to think outside of the box, in order to get the honey out of the rock, you might have to roll up your denim and begin to cut it out instead of just taking your mind off it totally. These tips are great life builders and I hope they help someone. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.