Your Business

1. Have you evaluated the various forms of ownership to determine which one is best for you?
              yes q            no q
2. If you have chosen to form a sole proprietorship, can you afford the unlimited personal liability?
              yes q            no q
3. If you have chosen to form a partnership, have you created a partnership agreement?
              yes q            no q
4. If you have chosen to form a partnership, have you determined which partners are general partners and which are limited partners?
              yes q            no q
5. If you have chosen to form a partnership, have you determined how a partner can leave the business?
              yes q            no q
6. If you have chosen to form a partnership, have you determined how a you will settle disputes?
              yes q            no q
7. If you have chosen to form a corporation, have you filed the articles of partnership with the appropriate state?
              yes q            no q
8. If you have chosen to form a corporation, are you willing to tolerate the "double taxation" of this form of ownership?
              yes q            no q
9. Have you considered the Limited Liability Company (LLC) as a form of ownership?
              yes q            no q
10. If you have chosen to form an LLC, have you filed both the articles of organization and the operating agreement with the proper state?
               yes q            no q
11. If appropriate, have you filed a patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for your product?
               yes q            no q
12. Have you given your business, product, and service names proper trademark protection?
               yes q            no q
13. If the answer to question #12 is "Yes," are you using the trademark properly?
               yes q            no q
14. If your business is built around original works of authorship, have you protected them with a copyright?
               yes q            no q

Before You Start: A Basic Checklist	Business Plan Evaluation Scale	Small Business and Entrepreneurship Resources	Small Business Management Audit	Feedback	H o m e

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