Several years ago during a road trip, while trying to decide where to stop for a quick meal, one of my friends suggested “Kentucky Fried Taco Hut.” Amused, I asked what in the world he was talking about: he meant the multi-branded Yum (a holding company that owns and operates Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut) restaurants that featured two or three of the aforementioned restaurants combined into one convenient location.

Although we decided to avoid the potentially heartburn-inducing digestive tract danger, I have since taken greater notice of these co-branded relationships, what it takes for them to be successful, and how to legally create such partnerships.

The idea behind co-branding two or more different products or companies stems from the desire to – of course – bring in more revenue. The thought is that through leveraging the brand awareness, target demographic and marketing power by each of the goods or businesses, each party will sell more.

In fact, according to entrepreneur.com, A&W and Long John Silver’s at one time believed combination franchising to be “potentially the biggest sales and profit driver for the restaurant industry since the advent of the drive-thru window.”

It’s not just restaurants that have gotten into the game, although it is the most noticeable use of the concept. Lexus and Coach have partnered up, offering Coach-branded leather seats, interior and even a bonus Coach leather tote. We’ve also seen fast-food shops like McDonald’s team up with toy companies and kids’ movies to create fun value-added prizes for happy meals. You may have eaten Lay’s potato chips featuring KC Masterpiece barbeque flavoring. Ever brushed your teeth using Crest Whitening toothpaste with Scope Outlast breath freshening action? Stopped into Walmart only to find a Seva salon available for a quick mani/pedi?

All great examples of co-branding in efforts to gain more market share and/or cut down on operational costs.

The legal structure of these mergers are often rather complicated and specific – and rightfully so! A brand wants to safeguard its name and trademarks while protecting itself from liability. There is also the important financial arrangement, exclusivity issues, the term of the partnership and the termination provisions. Let’s take a look at each of these issues so you can decide if a potential co-branding relationship would be worth exploring for your business.

Licensing: this portion of the agreement will clearly define the manner in which one brand may utilize the other brand’s name, logo and intellectual property.

Payments and royalties: here, the document explains how the co-brands will divide sales revenue resulting from each entity’s use of the other brand.

Exclusivity: The contract will prohibit the co-brands from entering into agreements with third parties that would compete with the business of the co-brands or interfere with maximizing revenue.

Term: this part of the arrangement will define the amount of time that the brands agree to co-brand; usually a short initial term is negotiated (long enough for the brand strategy to take hold and produce revenue) followed by optional extension periods depending on the success of the program.

Termination provisions: the agreement will discuss specific events that would trigger a right of either party to terminate the co-branding agreement, such as one party violating the other’s trademark or a failure to meet certain revenue or performance goals.

Clearly, the creation of a solid symbiotic co-branding agreement that results in a win-win situation for both parties is of utmost importance. Of course, the concept must be sound as well (for example, co-branding 3M course-grit sandpaper and Cottonelle toilet paper would be disastrous, to say the least).

But legally speaking, without an attorney’s assistance, it is likely that important deal points will fall through the cracks resulting in an ill-conceived partnership destined for difficulties and lost revenue.

St. Patrick’s Day weekend is over. Maybe you’re recovering from a wee bit too much Guinness, or perhaps you went a little crazy with the corned beef at Aunt Abigail’s annual family dinner. Whatever the case, there’s no rest for the weary … March Madness is in full swing! Buck up campers, it’s time to join the thousands of fans across the land in trying to figure out how to get out of work to watch your favorite match-ups.

I came across a particularly funny article at collegehoops.net, where the blogger gave his top ten excuses to get out of work for the tourney. Some of my favorites include:

10. I can’t make it in to work today. My keys are locked in my car, my car is locked in the garage and my wife is away for the week with the key to the garage.

4. You see my girlfriend’s friend’s cousin, her mother is a total flake and her three kids are getting taken away by Children’s Services and she is going to jail, and my girlfriend is working. Her cousin is out of town, so you see I have to stay home and watch them.

1. And the number one excuse for missing work is…………………..diarrhea!!! Just the mere mention of the word and your boss will immediately stop asking questions.

You may have also come across Dove’s fabulous Facebook promotion with Shaquille O’Neill. It’s “Shaq’s Big Excuse,” where you can craft the perfect reason that you won’t be in the office, submit your boss’s number and schedule a time for the message to be delivered. Shaq (or, obviously, a recording of Shaq) will call your manager and do the dirty deed for you! Check it out at: http://www.facebook.com/dovemencareus

But let’s just say – hypothetically – this rock-solid excuse for missing work is questioned by your superiors and they discover that you were actually down the street at Champp’s watching three simulcast games, sipping a cold one and eating nachos grande? What then? Well my friend, you are probably in some trouble.

The general rule in Pennsylvania is that employee/employer relationships are considered legally to be “at-will.” This means that either the employee or the employer can end the relationship for any or no reason. However, there are exceptions to the rule: an employer can’t fire an employee for a discriminatory reason (such as race, ethnic background, religion, age, sex, or disability.)

Additionally, in Pennsylvania, employers also can be found liable for a “wrongful discharge” if the firing violates public policy. Basically, an employer cannot require an employee to commit a crime, cannot prevent an employee from obeying the law, and cannot fire an employee if a law forbids the firing.

For example, employers have been held responsible for firing an employee for serving jury duty, refusing to take a polygraph test when administration of the test was forbidden by statute, refusing to serve alcohol to an intoxicated customer, and following legal mandates relating to reporting the use of nuclear materials.

So here’s the thing: unless you stopped at Champp’s on your way to jury duty, you are probably out of luck. If you are fired, it’s going to stick.

My advice? Take a vacation day. Enjoy the tourney guilt-free. If you need more information about the topic, please feel free to give me a call anytime. Except for tomorrow. My, uh, sister is getting a tummy tuck and she needs me to drive her to the plastic surgeon’s office. In Miami.

It was Hollywood’s biggest night on Sunday, with hundreds of stars stepping out in their best and millions tuning in to witness the spectacle. While it’s exciting to check out the red carpet, see the host’s opening monologue and watch the acceptance speeches, there is something about the Oscars that gets under my skin.

I don’t know if it’s the self-congratulatory vibe or the smugness of the rich and famous that just seems to emanate through the Kodak Theater. Perhaps it is the idea that these people are extremely overpaid for what they do, while so many are struggling to make ends meet in this day and age. Or maybe it’s a little of that, plus it’s just a really long and boring awards show! All I know is that after about half an hour, I’m ready to move on to another channel, go read a good book or even pop open my laptop and get some work done.

Turns out, though, many stars aren’t just one-trick-ponies, and they do much more than star in a couple movies to rake in the dough. Did you know that Dan Akroyd helped create a line of vodka, free of additives like sugar, glycerin or citrus oil? That’s right: Crystal Head Vodka, founded in 2008 with Newfoundland Liquor Corp and sold in a unique, clear, skull-shaped bottle just reached 55 million in sales. Akroyd’s not the only celeb entrepreneur by far.

Queen Latifah is co-owner of Flavor Unit Entertainment with business partner Shakim Compere, a firm that includes television and film production units, a record label and an artist management company. Alyssa Milano was frustrated at the lack of stylish female sports apparel out there, so she launched Touch by Alyssa Milano in 2007, a chic team-logo apparel company for women. Her business has experienced steady growth of up to 50% over the last three years; she has one million twitter followers and hopes to open on-site boutiques in stadiums around the country.

I know what you’re thinking. “If I had unlimited capital with which to start my own business, I would do it, too!” I get it; however, you don’t need a bank account like George Clooney to become an entrepreneur.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) provides several kinds of loans for budding business people such as you, including the 7(a) Loan Program, the Microloan Program, and the CDC/504 Loan Program.

According to www.sba.gov, the 7(a) Loan Program includes “financial help for businesses with special requirements. For example, funds are available for loans to businesses that handle exports to foreign countries, businesses that operate in rural areas, and for other very specific purposes.”

The Microloan Program “provides small, short-term loans to small business concerns and certain types of non-profit child-care centers. The SBA makes funds available to specially designed intermediary lenders, which are non-profit community-based organizations with experience in lending as well as management and technical assistance. These intermediaries make loans eligible to borrowers. The maximum loan amount is $50,000, but the average microloan is about $13,000.”

The 504 Loan Program “provides approved small businesses with long-term, fixed-rate financing used to acquire fixed assets for expansion or modernization. 504 loans are made available through Certified Development Companies (CDCs), SBA’s community based partners for providing 504 Loans.”

For complete details on all of these options, please visit www.sba.gov and click on “Loans & Grants.” You can also call the Philadelphia SBA District Office and speak directly with a local representative by calling 610-382-3062. Check out the Philly District Office web page for tons of great information and resources on starting a business: www.sba.gov/about-offices-content/2/3141.

Obviously it would be much easier to just HAVE the money, like our celeb entrepreneurs. But then we’d also have to deal with the paparazzi, all the prep for those marathon awards shows, “air kisses,” Ryan Seacrest and competition including the likes of Angelina Jolie’s leg. No, I’ll stick to watching – briefly – from my couch while eating pizza and drinking a beer.