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By: Ogden Glazer + Schaefer

Latest from Ogden Glazer + Schaefer Blog - Page 2

Back to our little soap opera. What dilemma is our start-up hero facing today? Last time, we discussed what it is that we want to sell: Handmade soap. The next question is: Does anyone need or want what you are planning to sell? Wow. Harsh reality hits fast and hard. Just because I want to sell something, it doesn’t mean that someone wants to buy it. That is a very important thing to realize, and…
We get a ton of questions about “non-competes” at OGS. In legal terms, a “non-compete” is a specific kind of “restraint of trade” that is governed by Wis. Stat. Sec. 103.465. However, the type of “restraint of trade” that is right for you and your business may not be a “non compete” and could be several (and possibly, more enforceable) different types. This week, we discuss the general categories of restraints of trade, and in…
We get a ton of questions about “non-competes” at OGS. In legal terms, a “non-compete” is a specific kind of “restraint of trade” that is governed by Wis. Stat. Sec. 103.465. However, the type of “restraint of trade” that is right for you and your business may not be a “non compete” and could be several (and possibly, more enforceable) different types. This week, we discuss the general categories of restraints of trade, and in…
Last time in my soap opera, I discussed professionals that I would need to talk to before I started any soap business. I received a nice email from Gary Barber, a committed volunteer at the Madison Chapter of SCORE. He proposed that his first steps are not the professionals, but rather something else: My first thoughts when someone says the plan to start a business are 1) does anyone need/want what you are planning to…
Spoiler alert – this post is not about the law. Happy (almost) Halloween everyone! Halloween is my favorite holiday, and for the last 25 years or so, I’ve marked it with an annual showcase of the timeless classic, “Garfield’s Halloween Adventure” or “Garfield in Disguise” (depending on your region). GHA is a great special in the Garfield cannon – right up there with “Garfield’s Thanksgiving” or “A Garfield Christmas” but for a number…
If you have heard me present lately, you will know that I have started to make soap. I have gone full nerd on it using graduated cylanders and all. It has been fun to build a new knowledge set, bust out my old chemistry and lab skills, and try out a whole bunch of fragrances. (My latest favorites are lemongrass essential oil and something called Santa’s Pipe fragrance oil.) But what has been really interesting…
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Pizza Hut has my wife’s favorite pizza. Now, I’ve always loved “the Hut” – but I wasn’t a fan of the pizza until I met Kim. So, how can you love a pizza place but not really love its pizza? Its awesome trademark, obviously. Most companies utilize two flavors of trademark – a design mark (aka a logo) and a word mark (aka a name, slogan etc.), but there are many different, more obscure, types…
We’ve all seen the legal dramas on TV where the lawyers storm into court with vicious questioning and killer closing arguments. But in the real world, most disputes don’t end up in court. Many go to what is called “alternative dispute resolution” or ADR. The two most common of those are arbitration and mediation. Arbitration is a bit like court without as many formalities and often the ability to appeal. In arbitration, there is an…
Two weeks ago, we began a discussion about S-Corps and covered the basics. This week, we delve into a little more detail about why S-Corps can be a hassle for startup companies trying to raise money. The biggest single issue with S-Corps for startups is the “single class of stock rule.” In essence, this means that startups (as they commonly do) cannot offer “common stock” to some investors and “preferred stock” with additional benefits to…