From the category archives:

Franchising

Trademark Filing Without A Lawyer

by Ahmet Kirtok on August 6, 2007

[photopress:trademark_filing.jpg,full,alignleft]It doesn’t matter how small your business is. If you want to create your business name as a brand and invest in it, your first step should be to trademark it. As a small business consultant, I hear horror stories about trademark issues from business owners.

How To File A Trademark?

Assuming that you’ve done your research and the trademark you will be filing is not already registered, you will have 3 options.

1) Hire A Lawyer To File Your Trademark

A lawyer would charge you approximately $1,285.00 to create and file a trademark application. This amount may increase, but will not go below $1,000.00 . If you are very busy, and don’t have any time/staff to file the trademark, then this is your option.

2) File Your Trademark Through LegalZoom Online Service

When I started my first online business, I have asked a few friends about trademark filing, and one of my buddiest have recommended this website. You can File Your Trademark Online in 3 Easy Steps at LegalZoom.com and they charge only $159.00 for this service. It has all the information, tips and tricks which you need to know. They are reliable and very well known name in the industry. Their website claims that last year they have filed more trademarks than the 10 largest law firms combined in the US.

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Top 10 Franchises For 2005

by Ahmet Kirtok on May 15, 2005

What is Franchising ?

The term ‘franchising’ has been used to describe many different forms of business relationships, including licensing, distributor and agency arrangements. The more popular use of the term has arisen from the development of what is called ‘business format franchising.’

FranchisingBusiness format franchising is the granting of a license by one person (the franchisor) to another (the franchisee), which entitles the franchisee to trade under the trade mark/trade name of the franchisor and to make use of an entire package, comprising all the elements necessary to establish a previously untrained person in the business and to run it with continual assistance on a predetermined basis.

The principle is simple – some companies choose to grow, not by developing in the conventional way, but by granting a license to others to sell their product or service.

If you have a capital to invest for your startup business, franchising would be a good option for you. Even though deciding to go with a franchising may increase your startup costs, you will have many advantages of being an owner of a well known business which already has market share, and brand recognition.

Entrepreneur Magazine publishes top 500 franchises each year, and this is the list of top 10 franchises for 2005.

1. Subway
2. Curves
3. The Quizno’s Franchise Co.
4. Jackson Hewitt Tax Service
5. The UPS Store
6. Sonic Drive In Restaurants
7. Jani-King
8. 7-Eleven Inc.
9. Dunkin’ Donuts
10. RE/MAX Int’l. Inc.

We will be reviewing several franchising options at our Franchising category, and also write about advantages and disadvantages of different franchising brands.

You may also review the Top 500 Franchises for 2005 at Entrepreneur.com .

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