Traditionally, business owners have had the same few choices when it comes to incorporating. Either go unincorporated (as a sole proprietor or partnership), or form an LLC, S or C corporation. The differences between these various entities typically come down to taxation, the ability to have foreign shareholders and which corporate formalities must be followed. None of them specify what a given company’s values and commitments are – until now.

Enter the B corporation (or “Benefit Corporation.”) It’s a new legal structure that designates a business as “socially responsible.” Unlike a standard S or C corporation, B corporations exist to codify explicit commitments to societal stakeholders.

Origins

The B corporation is a relatively new development. Created in 2006, the entity was first conceptualized by Pennsylvania firm B Lab. Essentially, the B corporation was envisioned as a way for any company to codify and advertise its commitment to “socially responsible” business practices. Becoming a B corporation occurs only after a lengthy certification process during which companies are evaluated on social and environmental matters.

We are happy to announce that next week we’re launching our national TV campaign on MSNBC. Check out the latest commercial featuring our favorite mascot, Gary.

In today’s society, people are working less in the office and therefore the need for a virtual phone system is growing. One industry where this is especially true is Real Estate. Based on feedback from customers in the real estate business, here are a few ways Grasshopper can help:

1) Informational Extensions

You can give your clients information they need without even talking to them! When a client calls an 800 number listed outside a property they’re interested in, they can hear specific information about the property, including housing details, address, and contact information.

2) Call Routing Extensions

In any industry involving sales, it’s important that customers never hear a busy signal or wait on hold too long. It’s also important in Real Estate that your employees get an equal number of incoming sales calls. Call Routing Extensions make this happen. Call routing extensions can help ensure that all of the agents in the office get an equal number of calls and your customers don’t become frustrated by your phone service.

In honor of our National Entrepreneurs’ Day Petition, we thought we’d take a look at some famous entrepreneurs and find out where they started. If you haven’t signed the petition yet, be sure to check it out.

Starting a new business can be a turbulent undertaking. For one thing, there are no guarantees of success. Businesses fail every single day, and plenty of entrepreneurs come away with nothing to show for months or years of hard-fought effort. The idea of sacrificing a steady salary for an uncertain, hoped-for payday also tends to provoke anxiety.

While some are undeterred by these obstacles, others opt to play it safe and scrap their business plans altogether. Below are six of the most prevailing reasons why people are afraid to start businesses (and whether they make sense.)

1. The Economy

Some of the most common fears about starting businesses relate to how “the economy” is doing. If the economy is in a lull, many would be entrepreneurs assume that now must necessarily be the wrong time to get started. This belief is reinforced by nay-saying politicians and journalists who exaggerate even the very worst economic news.