Compliance apps for small business: what to look for

Your options for keeping up with regulations

• Do it yourself: sign up for agency email lists and check council agendas and state notices on a schedule. It is free but takes time every week.
• Trade associations and chambers of commerce: they summarize changes for members, but usually for a whole industry, not your town.
• Your accountant or attorney: the right call when a change affects you, but most do not watch for changes on your behalf.
• Enterprise compliance software: thorough, but priced and built for companies with compliance staff.
• Regulation alert apps such as PolyWise: watch the sources for you and send a short alert when something changes.

What to look for in a compliance app

• It covers your location: state, county and city rules, not only federal.
• It filters by what you sell, so you only hear about rules that apply to you.
• Each alert says what changed, when it takes effect and how urgent it is.
• It links to the official government source for every alert.
• It is clear that it is not legal advice: it tells you what changed, not what to do.
• It is priced for a small business, with no long contract.

Questions to ask before you pay

• Which states, counties and cities do you cover today?
• Which industries do you cover, and how do you decide which rules apply to me?
• How often will I get alerts?
• Where does each alert come from, and can I see the source?

Where PolyWise fits

PolyWise is a compliance alert app for small business owners. You pick your location and what you sell, and PolyWise sends one short phone alert when a tax, license, zoning or product rule changes. It is starting in North Carolina with hemp, CBD, vape and kratom shops, and owners can sign up from any state.