Screenwriters: How to Find An Agent

ScreenwritingU is offering a free teleconference on a topic many new screenwriters have lots of questions about - how to land an agent. Sign up here.

Tips for Starting a Part-Time Side Business While Still Employed

Tips for Starting a Side Business from balance.com include:

[C]onsider running your business as a part-time operation alongside your current job...

understand and follow your employment contract to the letter, especially if it makes reference to inventions and intellectual property (IP) that you develop as part of your job. Almost always, anything developed on company time and using company property belongs to the company.

Screenwriters: Find An Agent (or Manager) with Script Contests

Getting representation from an agent or manager in Hollywood is not easy. You have to find someone who believes in you and your work, and you need to believe that they are both capable and willing to sell your work.

One of the better ways to get noticed by agents, managers and producers is script contests. ... it can lead to an offer of representation.

5 Script Contests Actually Worth Entering, Screenwriting Magazine, Sept. 16, 2016

Inspirational Quotes for Entrepreneurs

Some of my favorite quotes of interest to entrepreneurs and small business people from a collection of 20 Small Business Quotes ("20 Small Business Quotes That Will Inspire You", about.com, March 15, 2016):

“The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It’s as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer” - Nolan Bushnell

“If you're going to run a small business, you need to know what everyone is doing, be the first one in and the last one out, and work weekends.” - Glen Mazzara

“In America, small business is a big deal.” - Bob Beauprez

Client Launches New Science Fiction Website

Today, a client launched a new website - www.recursor.tv - "The Future Reflected" - dedicated to original and aggregated science fiction videos and web series. Please visit and enjoy!

California personal income taxes

Two-thirds of California's overall tax revenue comes from personal income taxes, with the top fifth of income earners paying 90% - and the top one percent paying 45% - of these taxes.

Source: The tax man cometh, and California rich – getting richer – pay most

See how California compares to other U.S. states, including the seven that have no personal income tax, here:
2016 Top State Marginal Income Tax Rates.

State of the San Francisco and Los Angeles, California Legal Markets 2015 / 2016

A recent survey of 15,000 California lawyers uncovered the following statistics concerning the Los Angeles and San Francisco legal markets and the lawyers who work there:

New business growth slowed by 16 percent in Los Angeles and 26 percent in San Francisco; however, growth in Los Angeles (2.7 percent) was still lower than San Francisco (6.7 percent) in 2015;

Los Angeles has one lawyer per 23 businesses, while San Francisco has one lawyer per eight businesses;

Growth in the number of newly barred attorneys in 2015 was comparable in Los Angeles (1.6 percent) and San Francisco (1.4 percent);

The number of newly barred attorneys across all of California in 2015 was the lowest it has been in 10 years;

Hourly billing rates are slightly higher in Los Angeles (on average $302 - $410) than in San Francisco (on average $293 - $408); and

Customer satisfaction with legal services in both Los Angeles (86 percent) and San Francisco (84 percent) is slightly higher than the California average (82 percent).

Source: UpCounsel's 2016 Los Angeles Business Law Report.

2016 California Minimum Wage Increase

California has implemented legislation that is slated to increase the state minimum wage to $10.50 for larger employers on January 1, 2017, with employers of 25 or less employees following behind a year later. Further annual increases will push the state's minimum wage to $15.00 per hour by year 2022.

That is, unless the law's economic downturn provisions delay the implementation of the increases. After the $15.00 level is reached in 2022 (2023 for small employers) - or later if the governor delays implementation of the increases - then further increases tied to inflation will occur automatically.

Either way, Los Angeles' minimum wage law will increase the city minimum wage to $10.50 on July 1, 2016, with phased increases to $15.00 by 2020, and a similar Los Angeles County law will do the same thing outside of city limits.

The current California minimum wage can always be viewed on the Department of Industrial Relations website. Employers must generally comply with the highest of the U.S. federal, California state, or local city minimum wage where their employees work.

Jerry Brown Signs $15 Minimum Wage in California, Sacramento Bee, April 4, 2016:

California and New York become first states to commit to $15 minimum wage;

Bill expected to avert costly November ballot measure fight;

Labor unions celebrate, while Republicans and business groups groan

Hillay Clinton Calls for Estate Tax Increase

As part of her campaign, Democratic candidate for president Hillary Clinton has called for increasing the estate tax rate and the number of estates the tax would apply to. Specifically, her proposal calls for reducing the individual estate and gift tax exemption from its current level of $5.45 million to $3.5 million, and raising the estate tax rate from 40% to 45%.

President Obama has supported similar tax increases, but a Republican Congress has not enacted them.

Some estate planning techniques that critics term loopholes would remain under her plan, including some she and Bill Clinton have used themselves.