I would like to register an LLC in California for my freelance textile design/styling operation. I'm seeking any advice on the topic!

Yes! But is very tricky. I have a C Corp own two LLCs. You should have separate board of directors in the C Corp that are not owners in the LLCs. Pay through bonuses rather than salaries and aggregate expenses of the LLCs as op. expenses as SBUs of the corp. The reasons for having a C own LLCs can vary, my reasons were that it allows me to join or create new ventures without having to formalize them with dedicated teams, just cycle my team to different efforts while seperatig expenses, not reporting publicly what is being worked on, and if the product takes off the formation is already there to grow the product into a division or umbrella product of my main company. LLCs are easy to form, while C corps are not... One example would be having a conglomerate of investors under a c corp and have advisors and creating an LLc for each new rental construction development project completed. Each is his own, if something goes wrong the LLC covers the C entity- this protecting its investor members. Best of luck! Humberto Valle #unthink

I have registered over 20 companies in the last decade and from my experience I can tell you that every country serves a different purpose. I run a small gambling company that I have registered in Malta due to the legality of online gambling there. I have another company registered in Delaware, whilst my main company is registered in the Netherlands. If your business is only online I would advise you to register it in Europe or if you must in the United States in Delaware/Nevada. Credibility wise I would say that registering your company in Singapore or Malta or Costa Rica, will not benefit you much opposed to say Delaware or The Netherlands. I am available for a call if you need anymore help. I am currently doing a promotion for a one time free 15 minute phone call so just send me a message for the discount code.

The one word answer is: ask! Make it a process to systematically ask every client for referrals. Referrals from happy customers are indeed one of the best ways to generate new business. When and how to ask is a matter of taste and practice. Let me give you two examples which apply to B2B. 1. Ask as soon as your prospect has made his buying decision. From Steli Efti, Startup Sales Guide - www.startupsalesguide.com "When a prospect has already made a buying decision, say: Great, but I can’t let you buy just yet. Right now, we are a startup. This means we focus all our energy, time and resources on delivering as much value as we can to our customers. We don’t have a big marketing budget. If you are happy with our product, please recommend us to others who you think might benefit from our solution as well.” 2. Ask when you are about 2/3 of a project, or when you have significantly progressed in the relationship with your buyer. Here is some great material by Alan Weiss: - Asking For Referrals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXJXukZB94s - How to maximize a referral: http://www.contrarianconsulting.com/how-to-maximize-a-referral/ Hope that helps. Put it into practice this week and let us know how it goes!

There are a few ways to track things automatically, but they get complicated: - referral program software - Give your referrers special URL's with parameters that identify them as the referrer (like http://url.com/?referrer=JohnDoe), then push that value into a hidden form field - Create a separate landing page for each referrer I'd keep things much simpler to start. Just tell your social club that there's a referral program in place, then add a form field on your signup process asking who referred the new customer. If John Doe knows that there's a program in place, when he refers someone, he's likely to tell them "make sure you say I referred you". When the new customer joins, they'll likely remember to enter "John Doe" as the referrer. It's not bullet proof, but it's an easy way to start.

You ask the customers, and gauge their level of interest. Better yet, get yourself in front of some customers, and instead of telling them what you make or do, ask them what they need. When you notice that many of them need the same thing, and if it is something you can make or provide, you then have a business idea worth pursing.