WHAT ARE SOME LEGAL QUESTIONS TO ASK A BUSINESS OWNER?

You can ask about liability issues, labor requirements, trademark and copyright issues. Ask if the company is a sole proprietorship, a partnership, or corporation. You could ask about leasing vs buying business property, capital equipment, or vehicles. You could address outsourcing and sub-contracting.

Many issues are extremely personal or confidential, so if I were you, I’d apologize ahead of time for any questions that might be an invasion of privacy. State your awareness that you might ask inappropriate questions unintentionally but assure the person you mean no harm and your blunders would be due to a lack of experience. That can help you avoid unintentionally insulting the businessperson by prying where you have no authority to do so.

If the person requires you to sign a non-disclosure agreement, do so. Even job candidates have to do it…. and that is a question you could ask. Does the employee have to sign a non-disclosure agreement, submit to drug and background checks or sign a non-compete contract to work there?

There are issues about safety and sanitation requirements as well. Do the products have to be certified or pass some kind of inspection. If it is a food establishment, there are even more legal issues to address.

Hope this gives you a place to start. Research the company before you actually do the interview so that you ask well-directed and intelligent questions. It also shows professional courtesy and gratitude for taking the time away from the business for your interview. This is good practice because you must do the same kind of research over and over for job interviews. Sometimes it’s not your answers to their questions that gets the job. Quite often, it’s because of the questions you ask the interviewer that you are chosen over other candidates. So this is good practice for your future career.