Law & Entrepreneurship News

Archives: Family Businesses

Family Owned Business Series

Business Week Online is running an excellent series on family owned businesses. It is a must read for all entrepreneurs in family owned businesses.

Sustainability of Family Business Important, Achievable

Click here to read an informative, concise article regarding the sustainability, longevity, and community importance of the family-owned business.

ADA Rule Changes May Affect Businesses

Proposed rule changes to the 1991 American’s With Disabilities Act, which, if enacted, would place new requirements on businesses relating to workplace accessibility, may have a dramatic impact on small businesses, including small, family-owned businesses.

Although the 1991 rule changes to ADA catalyzed a dramatic movement toward increased access for employees with disabilities, it appears that those changes may not have been enough, according to NFIB reports.

For example, one proposed rule change would mandate wheelchair access for disabled employees in employee work areas, irrespective of whether the business has any employees using wheelchairs.  Other rule changes, too, may be to the detriment of small business owners, who have already struggled (economically) to comply with the 1991 rule changes.

While the extent to which any of these rules will affect small businesses is unpredictable at this stage, one thing is for sure: if enacted, ADA compliance will be more costly for businesses.

However,-as is usually the case with ADA rule changes that negatively effect business owners- disabled employees would likely experience better, more accomodating working conditions as a result of the modifications.

Small Business Administration's Funding Cut in 2005

Click here and read this nice article from Business Week Online to find out more.

Money to be Allocated to Specialty Crops to Aid Small and Mid Sized Family Businesses

Governor Mark Warner of Richmond Virginia has made a proposal that would, if accepted, allocate money for research and marketing programs focusing on the development of specialty crops. 

This proposal is part of Virginia's focus on building the rural ecomony, officially termed the "Virginia Works Initiative."

Governor Warner stated that "the notion of focusing on specialty crops, like those sold in high-end grocery stores, could provide the profit these small- to mid-sized family businesses need.”

Good Time to Take Family Business Public in Saudi Arabia

For an interesting piece advising taking the family business public . . . in Saudi Arabia, see the following article.

Family Businesses- Plan for the Future

For a review of why succession planning is so important to family businesses, click here.

Interpreneurship (yes, not entrepreneurship), Important to Vitality, Success of Family-Owned Businesses

The Business Journal posted an interesting article today regarding how, by way of the "interpreneurial" spirit, family-owned businesses can "stay entrepreneurial" between generations.

Qualified Family-Owned Business Exemption Eliminated

For a detailed explanation of the elimination of the qualified family-owned business exemption, click here and read.

Single Payer Healthcare

For an informative back and forth regarding whether single payer healthcare is good for business, click here and see the November 11 posting.