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For Email Newsletters you can trust About the Smartfast Blog
The pace of business keeps you on the run. You need to make (SMART) decisions and take action quickly (FAST). Business attorney Jean Sifleet created the SMART FAST® blog to help. Whether you’re a start up company or an established company, SMART FAST® provides information that can help you make more informed business decisions. This is information – not legal advice.
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Category Archives: Business Practices
Google Books – – What is “Fair Use” in the digital age?
Google Books (http://www.books.google.com) provides access to digitized copies of books. Google scans and indexes the books, making them searchable online. This greatly enhances access to information – from anywhere on the planet. Is this “copyright infringement” or “fair use” in … Continue reading
Posted in Business Practices, Copyright, Intellectual Property, Legal, Uncategorized
Tagged Copyright, Intellectual Property
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Sweat Equity
In the start up of a business, it’s common for some people to contribute money and others to contribute time and effort with “an understanding” that they will share in the future success of the business. Sometimes “equity earn-ins” are … Continue reading
Social Media – Goals & Guidelines for Business and Personal Use
Social Media (blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc) are used by individuals and companies – and really blur the lines between what’s business and what’s personal. In the workplace, employers set the standards for conduct and acceptable speech. Outside the workplace, … Continue reading
Have you read — “The 12 Secrets of Highly Successful Women”?
In her new book, Gail McMeekin has pulled together some really practical advice — – into 12 essential steps. The book is inspiring – with the stories and experience of thirty successful women — and the patterns reinforced with her thirty years … Continue reading
Posted in Business Practices, Innovation, Legal, Uncategorized
Tagged Collaboration, Creativity, Entrepreneur, Intellectual Property
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Checklists – Think checklists are boring? Think again.
Or better yet, read The Checklist Manifesto by Boston surgeon Atul Gawande. It’s a great read! With compelling stories and diverse examples (from a broad range of occupations including surgical teams, airline pilots, complex construction projects with many subcontractors, restaurants … Continue reading
Posted in Business Practices, Uncategorized
Tagged checklist, Collaboration, Employees, Intellectual Property
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Convert “Pirates into Partners”
At a conference on Innovations in Learning, sponsored by Brandon Hall Research (See: www.brandon-hall.com), I learned about how new technologies are being used to create “communities” that engage users – and help to improve products and services and build businesses. … Continue reading
Posted in Business Practices, Business Systems, contracts, Copyright, Innovation, Intellectual Property, Legal, Social Media, The Cloud, Uncategorized, Web-based services
Tagged Amazon, Collaboration, Copyright, eBay, Fair Use, Harry Potter, Intellectual Property, Partners, Pirates, Star Wars
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Don’t Let Lawyers Derail Your Deal
Not all lawyers are adversarial, but the sad truth is that lawyers make more money when there’s a fight. Lawyers have an economic incentive to turn amicable business relationships into protracted negotiations and even adversarial outcomes. Here are some warning … Continue reading
Posted in Business Practices, Legal, Uncategorized
Tagged adversarial, goals, lawyers, negotiating
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“Being Wrong” – Learning from Mistakes
There is an old adage that you learn more from your mistakes than your successes. But “being wrong” is hard to face. The natural human tendency is to want to be “right” and to dig into positions based on “beliefs” … Continue reading
Checklist for Contract Review
When you receive a contract from a prospective client or for a contractor role, you’ll want to read it and compare it with your checklist. Sometimes, the legal boilerplate is dense and difficult to read – so keep a checklist … Continue reading
Posted in Business Practices, contracts
Tagged checklist, Contractor, Independent Contractor, Intellectual Property
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Franchises — Advantages and Disadvantages
Want to own your own business? Don’t want to start from scratch? Is a franchise right for you? Franchises are a way to get into business quickly, with a brand name, proven methods of operation and a support structure. Franchises … Continue reading