Common Legal Issues for Small Businesses

Week 4 in the Accelerator — Andreina Viera

This is a part of a series of posts written by entrepreneurs of the Winter 2017 Accelerator cohort for EforAll Lowell-Lawrence.

Welcome to 2017! Last week we had a visit from two lawyers from Northeast Legal Aid, a non-profit organization that helps low-income and elders with legal services. Attorneys Sumbul Siddiqui & Carson Wheet were our special guests. They focus on Community Development and Entrepreneurship Practice and the theme was “Common Legal Issues in Small Businesses”.

Sumbul & Carson described the different types of business entities and what’s needed to form them. They also spoke about licensing, permitting, zoning and employment laws. As their presentation progressed I needed to write down the many questions I had. What’s the difference between at-will employees vs. an individual contractor? Does my business model need insurance? And more….

When it came to contracts and documents, I thought I had mostly everything covered but this class opened up my eyes to even higher risks and several liabilities I was simply not prepared for. I’ve learned that entrepreneurs must be diligent when venturing off into a new business. Classes like these help individuals grow their new business and develop their ideas. They have certainly made me more cautious and proactive.

I am thankful for the EforAll program for providing so many resources and uniting a diverse group with similar goals. Every week we share new ideas and distinctive experiences. This program brings a feeling of unity that resonates to my peers and I in a profound way. I’m confident that other EforAll participants, past and present would agree. I look forward to the upcoming weeks and what’s to learn ahead.

See more and the video on EforAll’s Fb page

https://www.facebook.com/EforAllLowellLawrence/videos/654539231392884/

Best Regards,

Andreina Viera

Founder — Viera Admin Solutions