This opening module frames the course, explaining why statutory words like “business” matter and how they act as levers for state jurisdiction.

Unpack how the term functions as a strategic legal tool, distinguishing private acts from regulated conduct regardless of intent or profit.

Explore model statutes and state variations that sweep ordinary actions—owning property, advertising, or hiring help—into the realm of doing business.

See how the law focuses on what you do, not who you are, creating the fiction that you run a business when activities merely resemble commerce.

Map the obligations that follow classification—registration, taxes, annual reports—and the penalties for non-compliance or unqualified operation.

Compare lists of qualifying vs. exempt activities across jurisdictions to illustrate how broadly states read “doing business.”

Analyze landmark cases (International Shoe, Perkins, Complete Auto) to understand how courts stretch statutory reach and affirm state authority.

Work through real-world examples—a retired mechanic, a pastor renting space, an online crafter—to show how informal or charitable acts trigger business rules.

Learn practical tools—trusts, private contracts, limited advertising, affidavits of intent—to reduce the risk of being deemed a business.

Review key insights, connect the five concepts, and outline next steps for applying this knowledge to real-world decisions.