Startups Archives - Wiss & Company, LLP

The Importance of Investing in Technology and Automation

Written on February 16, 2023. Posted in Startups, Technology.

By Matt Barbieri The pandemic turned the working world on its head, forever changing how businesses operate. When working from home became the norm, companies were suddenly faced with managing remote staff. As a result, technology and automation solutions that previously seemed visible over the distant horizon became the daily office tools that made business continuity possible. Now that the dust has mostly settled, it’s a great time to reflect on what we’ve learned from...

How and how often should I communicate with my investors?

Written on March 17, 2022. Posted in Early Stage, Startups, Uncategorized.

You’ve honed your business plan, you’ve implemented systems and processes, you’ve pitched (and pitched, and pitched again) to prospective financial partners. You’re finally fully funded, but now you face a new problem: Your investors need to stay briefed on the business. What’s the best way to communicate with your supporters, and how frequently should they receive updates? This question has come up countless times with our clients over the years, and we’ve learned a thing or two...

What is the Angel Investor Credit Program?

Written on March 15, 2022. Posted in Early Stage, Small Business, Startups, Tax.

What if there was a way to guarantee a return on an investment? If your business operates in one of the 29 states currently offering Angel Investor Tax Credit Programs, it may be possible. These programs are popular avenues by which states incentivize innovation, job creation, and economic growth in their region and, in some instances, encourage the development of growing neighborhoods and minority-owned businesses. Parameters of angel investor credit programs vary drastically from...

What did I do wrong? (Common traps small business owners can avoid)

Written on February 15, 2022. Posted in Early Stage, Small Business, Startups.

If you’re like most founders, when you first begin the process of starting a company, you’re focused on being compliant in every way. You aim to build a business people want to invest in. But even with the best of intentions, you could overlook some rules that have big implications. Taxes are an area in which new small business owners make frequent mistakes. It’s not intentional, they’re usually just unaware. Let’s talk about two specific tax-related errors many of our clients make...

How can I take advantage of Qualified Small Business Stock?

Written on February 8, 2022. Posted in Early Stage, Small Business, Startups, Tax.

In the early days of startup formation, it’s helpful to think years into the future — more than five years, to be exact. That’s the minimum term to which the Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) tax exemption applies. QSBS is a big incentive for structuring your U.S.-based business as a C corporation (or converting from an LLC) because it’s reasonable to assume your investors will someday want to exit. When they do, they could be looking to qualify for this huge tax break. What...

How Do I Exercise the Stock Options I Was Granted?

Written on February 2, 2022. Posted in Early Stage, Startups.

If you’ve been offered stock options as part of a compensation package at a startup, it may seem like a no-brainer to accept. And that’s usually true — as long as you clearly understand how to turn the initial piece of paper that grants you those options into a tangible investment on which you don’t have to pay income tax rates. It’s common to assume you should hang onto that paper and let it grow for as long as possible. But if you do, you could be in for a rude awakening when...

Storytelling is Serious Business for Businesses Serious About Reaching Goals

Written on October 21, 2021. Posted in Early Stage, General Business, Small Business, Startups.

Serious business people often think they have to stick to serious business facts to make their points. But introducing storytelling to presentations and meetings is an effective way to deliver a message to an audience rather than lecturing them. Think about your business goals and choose stories that support what you want to do right now. They have to be true, though. As with any other business skill, you can learn to tell stories. There are eight questions to ask yourself to help...

What type of entity should my startup be (a C-Corp or LLC)?

Written on February 1, 2021. Posted in Early Stage, Financial Planning, General Business, Small Business, Startups.

CPA and Partner at WISS & Co., Matt Barbieri discusses the reason he’s doing this podcast (basically to answer all those questions he gets over-and-over) and then answers a question he gets ALL THE TIME from startup founders, which is, What type of entity should our company be? Listen to the episode here… Still need more guidance? No problem! Reach out to a Wiss expert for answers. Contact Us

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