Goodbye W. Africa... For Now

The headline out of Detroit today reads as follows; "Congresswoman Candice Miller: Temporarily suspend visas to west African countries impacted by Ebola." Is this move too little, too late? Should this order come from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)? Well, yes on both!

I fudged the truth with Congresswoman Miller's statement. You see, she has formally noted a filing with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Jeh Johnson, and Secretary of State John Kerry to make a temporary suspension come to life. Right now, there are 13,500 visas out there from the three impacted countries plagued with Ebola right now. So, yes- with Ebola now in the USA- it is a little too late and the DHS should have jumped on this sooner rather than assuming we had everything under control.

Either way, do you know what the symptoms of Ebola are? I've listed them below. Keep coming back, however, as I cover this subject more on the day-to-day blog. I'm sure once Congresswoman Miller obtains the suspension, we will have a lot to discuss!

Nausea and vomiting.
Diarrhea (may be bloody)
Red eyes.
Raised rash.
Chest pain and cough.
Stomach pain.
Severe weight loss.
Bleeding, usually from the eyes, and bruising (people near death may bleed from other orifices, such as ears, nose and rectum)

Ebola is usually transmitted from animal meat to the host. From there, infected people typically don't become contagious until they develop symptoms. Family members are often infected as they care for sick relatives or prepare the dead for burial.

Until tomorrow,

Twyla N. Garrett

Legal Business Myths Exposed!

Many business owners have preconceived ideas about what the law can and can't do for them. And, most of these ideas are wrong. i'm going to write a bit on the top three legal myths that many business owners actually believe. If you have a question about a legal issue, ask an attorney or send in the topic. I would be happy to provide you with a generic answer and you can take that information further with a legal review of your specific circumstances.

#1. An LLC will always protect your assets. Forming a corporation or an LLC does provide some protection, but it’s far more limited than you realize. In most cases, if someone really wants to go after your personal assets, not only can they pierce your business entity, they will.

#2. You’re liable for damages due to injuries on your property. This couldn't be further from the truth! You’re not responsible for the negligence, clumsiness, stupidity, or criminal acts of others- period! I don't care if this happens on your property, you're not responsible for it.

#3. A contract has to be complicated. A great contract is to simply communicate the terms and intent the parties agree to. That’s what minimizes disputes and litigation after the fact. You don’t even need an attorney to negotiate and draft a legal agreement. If you note all the facts, costs and a cancellation policy- you should be good. When contracts build in loopholes, you should be concerned.

Business is complex enough. Knowing what is a myth and what is fact will help you navigate your way to success!

Twyla