April Ellis is a medical social worker turned urban cowgirl. Like other California entrepreneurs, she started out puttering in her garage, inventing a motorized pony to enter into a neighborhood event. Her zero-emission mount—built on an electric wheelchair base—attracted so much attention that she decided to build a herd to rent out for street tours.…
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Archive | Business
RSS feed for this sectionWhy Commercial Leases Are Like Carnival Games
Attorney Brian Stephenson lays out what every business owner needs to know before signing a lease. Based in Chicago, Brian specializes in real estate, labor and employment, business law and criminal defense. He’s a member of the Rocket Lawyer On Call® network. I remember going to a carnival when I was a kid. They had…
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Pandas, Pies & Promotions | Mission Pony Tries a New Gait
Mission Pony Saddles Up With an On Call(R) Attorney
Last month, I had the pleasure of talking to April Ellis from Mission Pony, and sharing her small business story as she set off on a journey to bring motorized ponies to the streets of San Francisco. At Rocket Lawyer, entrepreneurs like April inspire us to provide simple and affordable legal guidance, so they can…
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Should I Tweet That?
Social media has changed the way we interact with our friends, families, colleagues, and clients. You can “like” your favorite musician on Facebook. You can follow your favorite celebrity or athlete on Twitter. You can share pictures simultaneously with all of your friends and family with Instagram. But social networks have also changed the way…
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Flashback: 5 Epic Patent Battles that Would Make Headlines Today
Patent trolls, patent thickets, international tug-of-wars, and the race to be first to file may seem like the stuff of today’s cut-throat global economy. But they’re old news. Many of the most iconic American inventions were mired in patent battles. As the U.S. joined the rest of the world by shifting to a first-to-file system…
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5 Social Media Fiascos from Businesses Who Should Know Better
There are plenty of ways your small business can use social media: you can run contests on Facebook, respond to complaints on Twitter, or just help your customers stay informed with tons and tons of vaguely humorous LOLcats. What you shouldn’t do is exploit tragedies. Or fire the guy with the working Twitter password. Or…
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6 Tips to Make Your Website Lawful and Look Good
Ninety-seven percent of consumers search for local businesses online, according to Google. That means if you don’t have a website, then you’re missing out on possible customers. You’re also missing out on the opportunity to build and protect your company’s reputation. However, there can be drawbacks if you don’t play by the rules–especially if you…
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Is My Idea Patent-Worthy? 7 Simple Steps to Find Out
You’ve invented something the world’s never seen before—and it’s going to make big waves. Now your friends are saying, “You should patent that!” But what does it really mean to have a patent? In a nutshell, a patent is a limited government granted monopoly that prohibits others “from making, using, offering for sale, or selling”…
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Patent Race Heats Up: What “First to File” Means for Entrepreneurs
What would happen if you were awarded a patent, and then someone else claimed that they had invented it first? In the past, your patent claim could have been on the line. But those rules are changing. On March 16, the US patent office is moving from a “First to Invent” to a “First Inventor…
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Is a Social Purpose Corporation Right for Your Business?
Guest contributor Nic Wolfe explains how a Social Purpose Corporation can help you run a business that also helps the world. Why are you an entrepreneur? For many, it’s just as important to build a company that makes the world a better place as it is to make profits. In fact, doing both can have big…
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