Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Carrie Yardley
How to tap into Maine’s network of business resources
Maine businesses have access to a wide range of resources, but knowing where to turn — and when — can be a challenge. In this article, we discuss funding, technical assistance, referrals and the relationships that connect Maine’s business-support organizations. Yardley: Maine has an impressive range of resources devoted to helping businesses start, grow and bring new ideas to market. But for a business owner, the challenge can be figuring out where to begin. Does a business need funding?
Ask ACE: What’s the biggest mistake you see small businesses make before a project begins?
Q: What’s the biggest mistake you see small businesses make before a project begins? ACE advises: “We can work out the details later.” Almost every business owner has said it. Sometimes there is no choice. Most of the time, nothing goes wrong. But when it does, those seven words can become the most expensive sentence in business. The issue is not trust. It is postponing agreement on the details.
Ask ACE: How can my business protect itself legally from the impact of severe weather?
Q: How can my business protect itself legally from the impact of severe weather? ACE advises: Start with insurance. As a lawyer, I often review insurance policies after a loss occurs — or worse, after coverage has been denied. By then the horse is out of the barn. However, when I set up a company I send the owner directly to an insurance agent. A good agent knows how to evaluate the specific risks associated with a business, and to manage those risks through available coverage.
How to write short business articles
Carrie Green Yardley COURTESY PHOTO Business readers are busy. Executives, business owners and managers read between meetings, while traveling, or at the end of a long day. They do not have time for lengthy introductions or unnecessary detail. They want useful information that helps them make decisions, solve problems, or understand an issue better. That is why concise business writing is so valuable — and so challenging. Writing fewer words requires more discipline, not less.
Ask ACE: My company cannot afford a sustainability officer. What is a practical, first-step action we can afford now?
ACE advises: For many Maine small businesses, sustainability isn’t a separate initiative — it shows up in everyday decisions, including choosing your bank. According to Britt Lundgren, director of organic and sustainable agriculture at Stonyfield Organics, small businesses are uniquely positioned to align their banking practices with their sustainability goals. This is an affordable choice.
How do I let my clients know I've set 'take a vacation' as a New Year's resolution?
By Carrie Green Yardley, ACE board member Q: I'm a service professional and I've set 'take a vacation' as a New Year's resolution. How do I let my clients know? ACE advises: For many professionals - especially in service-heavy roles - the thought of a vacation sparks anxiety. The concern isn't missed flights or sunscreen; it's clients - their needs, expectations, and fear that stepping away will cause everything to unravel. You need and deserve time off.
What is greenwashing, and how can we avoid it?
By Carrie Green Yardley, Yardley Esq. PLLC Q: What is greenwashing, and how can we avoid it? ACE advises: As cost-effective sustainability initiatives become central to modern business strategy, many companies are eager to share their environmental commitments. But marketing those efforts carries legal risks - especially the risk of greenwashing by making misleading environmental claims. Greenwashing can damage reputations, trigger lawsuits and violate federal and state consumer protection laws.
Ask ACE: How hard is it to make my LLC an S-Corp?
By Carrie Green Yardley, Yardley Esq. PLLC Q: How do you change the legal status of an LLC to an S-Corp? ACE advises: I get this question every tax season. Every season, I explain: under state law, there’s no such thing as an S-Corp, per se. You form your entity under state law (in your case an LLC), and then you elect S-Corp status with the IRS. If you’re already an LLC, you or your accountant can make the election by filing IRS Form 2553.
Ask ACE: What’s going on with Beneficial Ownership Interest reporting?
Q: What’s going on with Beneficial Ownership Interest reporting? Is it on, or is it off? ACE advises: It is off. For now. The 2021 Corporate Transparency Act requires private businesses to file Beneficial Ownership Interest Reports with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. These reports facilitate investigation of financial crimes by identifying the individuals with the most to gain by committing them. The reporting deadline was set for Jan. 1, 2025.
Ask ACE: Is there a list of legal deadlines I should keep in mind for 2025?
Q: Looking ahead to 2025, is there a list of legal deadlines that I should keep in mind? ACE advises: Here’s a list to help Maine businesses prepare for the new year: 1. Corporate compliance: Make a note on your calendar to file your annual report with the Maine Secretary of State by June 1, 2025. Missing this deadline will result in penalties or even loss of good standing. 2. Tax considerations: Make any final adjustments to your expenses to maximize deductions.
Ask ACE: If I use AI to write something, do I hold a copyright in the content?
Q: If I use AI to write something, do I hold a copyright in the content? ACE advises: Copyright law protects an author’s interest in the author’s unique expression of an idea. The idea is not protected, only the expression. “Hamlet” and “The Lion King” share many plot elements, but If Shakespeare were still alive, he would not have an infringement action against Disney. Now, open ChatGPT and type, “Write a short story based on Hamlet where Hamlet is an alligator” in the dialogue box.
Ask ACE: How should I set up a partnership with another entrepreneur?
Q: I’m partnering with another entrepreneur on a project. How should we set up the partnership? ACE advises: You do not have to get married to go to the movies. The answer depends on whether your project is a collaboration expected to end when you achieve a common goal, or whether it is intended to become an ongoing business. The first — a date — would usually be referred to as a “joint venture,” which might or might not be a partnership.
Ask ACE: Do all agreements need to be in writing now?
Q: I believe that if you expect trust, you should show trust. I used to be able to do business on a handshake, and rarely got burned. Do all agreements need to be in writing now? ACE advises: Verbal agreements may be enforced. Some agreements must be in writing. We’ll identify those. The real question is not whether agreements must be in writing, but whether they should. History lesson: The handshake deal sustained a body blow in 1677.
Ask ACE: How can my company make a real commitment to ESG goals?
Q: My company has expressed its commitment to environmental and social responsibility, and we need to make that commitment real. How? ACE advises: You may be familiar with investors’ use of responsible Environmental, Social and Governance factors to make investment decisions. Attracting capital is a powerful incentive. For business owners like yourself, decision-making based on sound environmental, social and governance principles is simply the right thing to do.
Ask ACE: What regulations and legal issues should I consider when expanding into New England?
Q: I’d like to expand sales into the rest of New England. My product is highly regulated, so I know I’ll be dealing with new regulatory agencies in each state. Are there other legal issues I should consider? ACE advises: Barriers to entry are obstacles that new and expanding businesses may encounter as they try to enter a market or expand market share.
Ask ACE: What are the advantages and disadvantages of online 'plug and play' contracts?
Q: What are the advantages and disadvantages of online ‘plug and play’ contracts? ACE advises: Downloadable forms are affordable. Lawyers subscribe to online services of forms for a wide variety of transactions. We develop our own forms for common deals; my toolbox includes a few I found online. But when the form’s source tells you not to rely on the form, believe it. All forms in this database are provided without any warranty, express or implied, as to their legal effect and completeness.
How to level up your business with a VIRAL self-assessment
It looks like a board game. The players choose the stakes. For coaches and spectators, it’s serious business. Why play? Village Capital’s Venture Investment Readiness and Assessment Levels (VIRAL) tool has been adopted by many of the members of Maine’s small business development community, notably the Maine Technology Institute, Maine Center for Entrepreneurs and Maine’s Small Business Development Centers.
Ask ACE: Can I save money if I act as my own general contractor?
Q: I’ve heard that I can save money if I act as my own general contractor, and that our construction will be completed more quickly if we do it on a design/build basis. Is this right? ACE Advises: Everyone agreed the owner would be the general contractor. Everyone agreed it was a design/build project, with the building contractor acting as the designer. Everyone believed that this was the least expensive way to build the indoor rink.
Ask ACE: How can I get ready to sell my business?
Q: I’m thinking about selling my business. How can I get ready? ACE Advises: Housekeeping. In most business sales the buyer will want to take a good look under the hood, so as you plan for a sale, even before you have a buyer, get the business ready to withstand scrutiny. Selling a business always takes more time than the parties expect, because there are several steps after you negotiate and sign the purchase and sale agreement.
Ask ACE: What legal tools are available to manage risk in my small professional service business?
By Carrie Yardley of Yardley Esq. PLLC Q: What legal tools are available to manage risk in my small professional service business? ACE Advises: I recommend three tools: 1) professional liability insurance, 2) the right business entity and 3) a contract that a client can understand, matching the way you do business. Of the three, insurance protects you from a professional’s greatest risk: that you will make a mistake. An insurance policy is a legal tool.
Ask ACE: How do I spend grant money well?
By Carrie Green Yardley, Yardley Esq. PLLC Q: I need to hire an outside technical expert (or two) to bring my small business to the next level. I’ve even identified grants to help pay the cost. How do I make sure my money is well spent? ACE Advises: Get it in writing. Read what’s written. Keep reading and writing until you understand what you’re paying for. Professional services agreements challenge a business owner to grasp unfamiliar technical concepts and language.
Ask ACE: How do I develop a business strategy that contributes to my community?
Q: I want my business to be profitable, but one of the reasons I work for myself is that I have greater input into how my business contributes to my community. How do I develop a strategy? ACE Advises: You are not alone; many businesses want a social purpose beyond profit. You may not realize that many investors also want to contribute capital to businesses with a demonstrated ability to turn aspirations into objective performance.
Ask ACE: What to do when productivity 'improvements' aren’t working
By Carrie Green Yardley, Vice President, Association for Consulting Expertise Q: Something’s off. Top management agreed on a new workflow system to improve productivity, but implementation is all over the place, and we’re not seeing any improvement. One department in particular seems to be the problem. What do we do?
Ask ACE: Any advice on joining a coworking space?
Q: I’m a freelance service professional. A few months into the COVID shutdown I gave up my office space to work from home. My new neighbor relocated to Maine to work remotely for a business in another state. Both of us are looking for a break and are considering joining a coworking space. What are your thoughts? ACE Advises: Coworking spaces are like gyms. You pay dues, not rent. Most provide a kitchen, internet, utilities, maintenance, and shared conference rooms.
Ask ACE: How much is available through the American Rescue Plan Act for private business?
Q: I’ve heard that Maine will receive a large amount of funding through the American Rescue Plan Act. How much will it receive, and how much is available as direct funding to private business? ACE Answers: Maine will receive $4.6 billion to be spent by Dec. 31, 2026. In July the legislature approved Gov. Janet Mills’ 69-page plan. The funding includes significant direct grants to businesses. Since approval state agencies have been developing grant award criteria.
Ask ACE: Set SMART goals for your professional proposals
By Carrie Yardley, Yardley Esq. PLLC Q: I’ve worked remotely for over a year now, and now that everyone embraces remote technology, I’ve been thinking about taking on some side gigs. One potential client would like to start a project soon, and I’d like to start out with a professional proposal. What “legalese” do I absolutely need to include to make it enforceable once the client signs? ACE Advises: Everyone hates legalese, so why do you want to sound like a lawyer? Use plain English.
Ask ACE: How to control your appearances at conferences and meetings
By Carrie Green Yardley, Yardley Esq. PLLC Q: I am a frequent guest presenter at conferences and meetings. While I do not mind having my presentation recorded, I recently learned that the organizer of an event posted a recording without my permission. Adding insult to injury, my name was not mentioned; my introduction was edited out. How can I stop this from happening again? ACE Advises: Creators of original works have exclusive rights to the works’ use and distribution.
Ask ACE: Is there a way to assemble an advisory team?
By Carrie Yardley, Yardley Esq. PLLC Q: My business is evolving rapidly, and I need experienced advice that I do not have internally. Many of the decisions I need to make require advice from a number of perspectives. Is there a way to assemble an advisory team to help me with these decisions? ACE Advises: Access to the right experts at the right time can improve your chances with investors and lenders.
Ask ACE: What an employer should know about the gig economy
By Carrie Yardley, Yardley Esq. PLLC Q. I’m an employer, and I’m concerned about the current economic forecast. I have a variety of staffing needs from backroom support to project expertise; can you tell me more about how I might fill them legally with gig workers?
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Carrie
Contact Carrie, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack