Using Professional Advisors
Even before beginning the environmental evaluation, the entrepreneur often will decide whether to perform that evaluation himself or herself, or engage an accountant or attorney to assist him or her. Professional advisors, such as attorneys and accountants, can greatly enhance an entrepreneur’s review of a potential business. This is true for at least two reasons. First, those professionals will have no emotional attachment or stake in that review process; their objectivity may serve as an important counterbalance to an entrepreneur’s enthusiasm. Second, those professionals should be able to provide thorough review of financial or intellectual property information provided, and should be knowledgeable of any potential obstacles to the success of the business (such as the need for licenses or permits). For instance, it is important that someone thoroughly evaluate financial information supplied by a seller or offeror, or pro forma information prepared by the entrepreneur, and in many cases a professional is best suited to that task.
CREDITS: This is an excerpt from A Guide to Starting a Business in Minnesota, provided by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, Small Business Assistance Office, Twenty-eighth Edition, January 2010, written by Charles A. Schaffer, Madeline Harris, and Mark Simmer. Copies are available without charge from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, Small Business Assistance Office.
This post is also part of a series of posts on Minnesota Environmental Protection Programs and how they affect starting a business in Minnesota.