Have you ever heard the saying: The whole is greater than the sum of its parts? This old adage is often used nowadays to highlight the advantages and opportunities of teaming up with other people in a business context. Realistically speaking, however, a business partnership rarely comes without its risks. If you are thinking about partnering up with others, you should carefully consider both the potential risks and benefits.

As lawyers practicing in the area of business law, we often get asked by our clients how to limit the risks involved in a business partnership. In a rush to get a new business start-up off the ground, the answer can be easily overlooked.

Part II: Developing Brand Awareness

In Part I, we defined what a brand is and provided some strategies on how to create a new brand completely from scratch. Once you have clearly defined and developed all the elements that define your brand, you are prepared for the next step – building and increasing the awareness of your brand. This process is challenging, time-consuming, and requires continuous effort, but it’s also one of the best ways to ensure a company’s growth and longevity. So how do you go about it? In this article, you will find 5 practical tips to help you build brand awareness. In order to do so, it’s helpful to understand what brand awareness is and how it benefits your business.

The line between independent contractors and employees can be murky. The courts and the Canada Revenue Agency look at multiple factors and tests to determine whether someone is an independent contractor or an employee.

The prospect of incorporating a business in Ontario may seem exciting or overwhelming, perhaps both, but there’s a reason you’re thinking about incorporation, right? For example, it gives your business several layers of protection that sole proprietorships don't get. Here’s a look at that advantage and others.

Part 1: Creating a Brand

Thanks to the advances of the digital age, becoming a global brand is no longer the domain of big, multinational corporations with formidable starting capital. Today, with the help of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other popular social media platforms, and a bit of search engine optimization (SEO) know-how, even small brands can quickly go from obscurity to international fame. On the other hand, popularity created and based solely on social media buzz can be a two-edged sword. The attention span of Internet users is short, and Web 2.0 fads fade quickly. So, if you’re trying to create a brand with lasting appeal and an allure that will endure decades rather than months or years, you need to look up to companies that have managed to achieve this extraordinary feat.

Some people dread it. Some obsess about it. Some simply want to be through with it. If you’ve ever done it yourself, you’d probably agree that the process of choosing a name for your company or brand tends to stir extreme emotions. But is a name really that important? After all, your clients and investors will surely appreciate your business for its products and services rather than its name. Right?

To incorporate or not to incorporate in Ontario, that is the question. It’s an important one indeed, and what you do is likely to have a significant impact on your business and even your personal life. As far as the benefits of incorporation go, running a simple internet search brings up a tantalizing array of advantages such as the ability to raise capital, access to government grants, protecting your personal assets with limited liability, tax benefits, perpetual existence and the ability to bring on multiple owners.

The business that may have started as a germ of an idea has grown by leaps and bounds, and you’re ready to incorporate in Ontario. There are two main paths to incorporation that you can take. One is to go it yourself, maybe with help from a do-it-yourself online service. The other path is to enlist a lawyer to help. All things considered, the second path is better. Here’s a look at why.