Who Owns Northwest Registered Agent

Have you ever wondered who runs Northwest Registered Agent? Let's dive into the details of its ownership and what it offers.

There's a common curiosity that surrounds the ownership of successful, privately held companies.

For instance, Northwest Registered Agent has been a household name in the business formation and compliance service industry for over 20 years.

Yet, no one seems to have a definitive answer to the ultimate question: Who owns Northwest Registered Agent? For all you curious cats, find out below.

Who Owns Northwest Registered Agent?

If you've been wanting to know who owns Northwest Registered, there's good news and bad news.

The bad news: Northwest Registered Agent is all about privacy, even when it comes to its own bosses. So, unfortunately, this privately held company doesn't publicly disclose its ownership.

The good news: Several sources indicate it's a family-owned and operated business. The company was founded in 1998 and has remained under family ownership since.

The company emphasizes being independent and avoiding outside investors or corporate influence.^[1] This means that Northwest Registered Agent is not a publicly traded company.

In other words, its ownership structure isn't accessible through stock filings. However, its structure and governance may shed some light on the "human element" behind Northwest.

Company History

1998: Northwest Registered Agent was founded in Spokane, Washington, to offer reliable registered agent services. Over the next two decades, it opened offices in all 50 states and even expanded to Puerto Rico.

Its strategic office locations in major business hubs help ensure the prompt delivery of documents, a critical aspect of its registered agent services. Additionally, Northwest's nationwide presence raised the bar compared to competitors who rely on virtual offices.

As the company grew, so did its range of services. Northwest started offering business formation and compliance services, including LLC formation, annual report filing, and operating agreements. It became a one-stop shop for starting, running, and maintaining a business.

2007: Northwest launched its groundbreaking Privacy by Default® service. This unique feature allows clients to use its address on all forms, including:^[2]

• Registered agent address
  
• LLC organizer address
  
• LLC business and mailing address
  
• LLC member or manager's address

This is perfect for entrepreneurs who want to keep their private details off public records or for those looking for an anonymous LLC registered agent.

2020: Northwest introduced another groundbreaking service called Law on Call. As the first nonlawyer-owned law firm in the United States, it helps entrepreneurs with legal matters without the prohibitive costs typically associated with legal representation.

Structure and Governance

Northwest Registered Agent has maintained a flat organizational structure with minimal bureaucracy throughout history.

However, a look at its LinkedIn confirms that the company also has typical corporate roles. Dan VanGouden has been the company's CIO since 2011. Meanwhile, Paul Stern has been in the company for more than seven years, with four years as a product manager.

LinkedIn reveals other roles such as Chief Legal Strategy Officer and Human Resources Administrative Specialist. The people holding these positions have stayed in the company for more than five years, which suggests that Northwest is a good place to work.

That said, Northwest has a staff page that paints a picture of its structure and governance. The company emphasizes the importance of its employees, aka "Corporate Guides."

Many Corporate Guides have backgrounds in law, accounting, and entrepreneurship. As the backbone of Northwest's customer support system, they assist clients with various tasks, from business formation to ongoing compliance and inquiries.

Northwest Registered Agent Services

Northwest Registered Agent's Corporate Guides are trained to help start, run, and grow your business. They can help with:

1. Filing Services
   Form a limited liability company, corporation, or nonprofit for $39 + state fees. A Corporate Guide will help prepare and file your formation documents with the state. Then, you can receive a free year of registered agent services.

2. Registered Agent Services
   Northwest's registered agent services typically cost $125/year after the free year. A registered agent receives mail for your business and notifies you on the same day it's received.

3. Business Compliance
   A Corporate Guide can help you file a BOI report. It includes detailed information about the business' beneficial owners, including name, birth date, and address.

   If needed, they can help you file annual reports with the state. It provides updated information about your business, including a new address, contact number, and members.

Business Formation Service - $39 + State Fees

• Form Your LLC, Corporation, or Nonprofit Today
• A Fully-Formed Business
• Registered Agent Service
• Business Address
• Mail Forwarding
• Privacy by Default

Find Out More

Registered Agent Service - $125/year

• Business address included
• Free mail forwarding
• Lifetime guide service with business experts
• Never sell your data. Ever.

Find Out More

Virtual Office Service

• Mail Forwarding for Individual or Business
• Receive Your Mail in California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Montana, New York, Texas, Utah, Washington, or Wyoming
• Physical Forward or Digital Scan Delivery Method

Find Out More

Employee Insights

Northwest Registered Agent's admirable reputation is primarily attributed to its Corporate Guides. After all, they're the people who help you at the other end of the line. So, it's not surprising that Northwest prioritizes the well-being of its employees.

Employee reviews on Glassdoor commend Northwest for its positive work environment and great benefits. A Corporate Guide recommends working at Northwest because of these perks:

Employee reviews also confirm that Northwest has a horizontal company structure. However, this may not always be a good thing, as shared by one of the Corporate Guides:

Despite glowing employee reviews, one can't help but wonder whether other players in the industry have the same organizational structure. Find out below.

Ownership Comparison to Competitors

Northwest Registered Agent isn't the only household name in the business formation and registered agent services industry. Bizee, LegalZoom, and ZenBusiness are also big fish in the pond.

They all offer the same services at similar price ranges. However, of these prominent players, Northwest is the only company that doesn't reveal its ownership details.

• Bizee, formerly Incfile, was founded by Nick Siha and Dustin Ray.^[3]
  
• ZenBusiness, advertised by Shark Tank TV personality and billionaire businessman Mark Cuban, was founded by Ross Buhrdorf and Shanaz Hemmati.^[4]
  
• LegalZoom, known for its business formation and online legal services combo, was founded by Brian S. Lee, Brian Liu, Edward Hartman, and Robert Shapiro.

But unlike privately held Northwest Registered Agent, LegalZoom eventually went public in June 2021 and trades on the NASDAQ under the symbol "LZ."

Bottom Line

The lack of a definitive answer regarding Northwest Registered Agent's real ownership doesn't seem so bad.

It never raises prices. It has more control in protecting its clients' private details. And, the lack of public investors hasn't stopped Northwest from expanding to all 50 states, plus D.C. and Puerto Rico.

So, for all you curious cats, the key takeaway is that Northwest Registered Agent is not owned by a larger corporation or conglomerate. It's a family business that maintains control over its operations and decision-making.

Want to learn more about the company's US-based Corporate Guides and comprehensive services? Read Northwest Registered Agent reviews and pricing for more information.

References