Learning Objectives : Understand the importance of protecting your assets through insurance

1. Learning Objectives : Understand the importance of protecting your assets through insurance Explore insurance needs for your specific business Investigate and initiate loss-prevention strategies for both internal and external crimes Build awareness of cyber-crime issues Recognize the need to file all tax forms in a timely manner Prepare for your exit at the start Recognize that ethical behavior is required of the owner before ethical behavior can be expected of the employees Understand the daily ethical dilemmas entrepreneurs face Learn seven steps to better decision making Understand the importance of tax planning – not just tax filing Chapter 12: Protect Your “Baby” and Yourself - Insurance, Crime, Taxes, Exit Strategy, and Ethics

2. Insurance and Managing Risk • Identify the risks your business faces • Work with a broker to determine what risks to insure, which to assume and which to share • Check into group policies • Consider the following: • Probability & size of a potential loss • Financial resources available to meet a loss • Probability of lawsuits • You can reduce risk but must also assume it – don’t risk more than you can tolerate losing

3. Insurance Planning • Personal injury to employees & the general public • Legal action stemming from hiring, firing, sexual discrimination, libel & so on • Loss to the business caused by the death or disability of key employees or the owner • Loss or damage of property • Loss of income resulting from interruption of business caused by damage to the firm’s operating assets • Business interruption against consequential losses • Workers’ compensation • Vehicle

4. Fire and general property insurance Consequential loss insurance Public liability insurance Business-interruption insurance Crime insurance Malpractice insurance Errors and omissions insurance Employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) Key person insurance. Product liability insurance Disability insurance Health insurance for employees Workers’ compensation insurance Extra equipment insurance Directors’ and officers’ liability insurance. Cyber-crime insurance Other Standard Coverage

5. Action Step 50: Protect Your Venture • Network your way to a business insurance broker and/or your trade association • Read information online that focuses on your industry & make a list of questions • Review your insurance needs with your broker • Discover the cost of insuring your business for the first year & how insurance needs and costs will change as you grow

6. Employee Crime: Be Prepared – Take Preventative Steps • 30% of small business failures attributed to employee theft • Be prepared to prevent both internal and external crime • Insurers offer specialists to work with industry-specific issues: ● Credit card fraud ● Theft of items from stockroom, layaways & displays ● Check deception ● Computer fraud ● Shoplifting ● Sabotage ● Cyber crime ● Theft of private information ● Cash mishandling ● Manipulation of time card data ● Fraudulent refunds ● Illegal use of company time ● Counterfeit money ● Fraudulent expense reports ● Fitting room theft ● Sweethearting (discounts for family & friends) ● Burglary ● Theft of trade secrets ● Robbery ● Theft of intellectual property ● Bomb threats

7. Credit Card Fraud: 5 Steps to Protect Your Business • Get all the information related to the credit card • Be wary of orders that use different “bill to” and “ship to” addresses • Watch out for unusually large next-day delivery orders • Do everything possible to validate the order before it is shipped • Take immediate steps to reduce damage if fraud is discovered

8. Cyber Concerns • Be vigilant in your protection of employee, customer and company data • Install appropriate software & train employees • Never stop reading about security issues • Firms today face “reputational risk” • Hire carefully – data theft by employees pose a huge threat today • Consider cyber-crime liability insurance

9. 5 Reasons Cyber Security Matters to Small Businesses • Smaller companies are more likely to be attacked than bigger ones • Breaches are potentially business-ending events • Can you be sure you are properly controlling the access of your employees & business partners? • Attacks could ruin your company’s reputation • Your company could be putting its best customers at risk

10. Train employees in security principles Protect information, computers & networks from cyber attacks Provide firewall security for your Internet connection Create a mobile device action plan Make backup copies of important business data & information Control physical access to your computers & create user accounts for each employee Secure your Wi-Fi networks Employ best practices on payment cards Limit employee access to data Passwords & authentication 10 Cyber Security Tips for Small Businesses

11. Questions Is it really a bigger deal today than 5 or 10 years ago? Isn’t it really just a by-product of other processes and risks? How much control do we really have over it? Who typically “owns” it? What’s the most common blind spot when it comes to addressing it today? Answers Absolutely. Damage can spread at lightning speed. Yes, but it is also its own thing & it can ripple. Wrong word – strive for “risk intelligence” It depends – bigger issue is who’s on the hook for it? Organizations underestimate the importance of their employees in managing it. Risk Angles: Five Questions about Reputational Risk

12. The Tax Man Cometh • IRS Pubs: “Tax Guides for Small Business” & “Starting a Business & Keeping Records” • Must consider state as well as federal taxes • Income Taxes • Self-Employment Taxes • Employment Taxes • Sales Taxes • Considerable fines for violation of tax laws

13. Action Step 51: Tax and Exit Strategy Planning • Review the tax material provided in the text • Make a list & print out tax forms you need • Read through IRS Guides • Make a list of questions – contact the IRS or your accountant for the answers • Review Action Steps 1-5 in Chapter 1 & make appropriate changes • Begin to develop your formal exit strategy for your final Business Plan

14. Exit Strategy • Depends upon your goals • May change over the years due to business or personal issues • Work with lawyers and accountants • Consider an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) if you want to share your business with your employees

15. The Business World is Shrinking Keep cultural differences in mind Find Common Ground Use translation if needed & know the boundaries Be Accommodating Recognize time differences & the need for info in other languages Keep it Legal Business Ethics in a Global Marketplace

16. Action Step 52: Access Ethical Positions & Design Your Venture’s Code of Conduct • Respond to questions in Ethical Issues for Entrepreneurs • Have potential partners complete the questionnaire • Identify problems & how you will work them out • Do you want to be in business with your potential partners? • Discuss the Ethical Principles for Entrepreneurs & look for areas of agreement and disagreement • How will you solve ethical disagreements with partners? • Review The Seven Step Path to Better Decisions • How would your ethical decision making change if you followed the steps? • Develop your firm’s code of conduct

17. You will be confronted with many ethical issues Ethical decision affect all your stakeholders Passion for Silence & Helping People with Disabilities “What goes around comes around.” Remember the Golden Rule: “Treat others as you want to be treated.” Rotary International’s Four-Way Test: Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned? Ethics

18. Honesty Integrity Promise-Keeping & Trustworthiness Loyalty Fairness Concern for Others Respect for Others Law Abiding Commitment to Excellence Leadership Reputation & Morale Accountability Ethical Principles for Entrepreneurs

19. The Seven-Step Path to Better Decisions • Stop and Think • Clarify Goals • Determine Facts • Develop Options • Consider Consequences • Choose • Monitor and Modify

20. Think Points for Success • Protect your investment with insurance. • Reduce the risk of employee theft and crime with loss-prevention strategies. • Find and hire an expert accountant and financial advisor • Pay taxes on time. • Keep impeccable, organized records. They will help you survive an audit & enhance your ability to sell your business. • Plan your exit strategy. • Follow the golden rule.