Unsure if she is an independent contractor or employee? Click through to learn the test you’ll use to decide plus 7 examples. And grab a PDF checklist!
Grow and percolate
Does my business need to be financially self-sufficient before becoming an LLC?
How much money does your business need to be making before it’s time to become an LLC? Can you create an LLC if you aren’t financially stable? Watch this video to learn!
Does my LLC need a real business bank account?
Does your LLC need a “real” business bank account? Or can you just get away with a personal bank account where you only keep the LLC’s money? Watch this video to learn!
I have multiple projects. Can they go in the same LLC?
When is it a good (or bad) idea to have multiple projects, brands, or businesses in the same LLC? The short version is is it’s okay when you are fine with them impacting each other. Watch the video to learn more.
How can I find an attorney for my creative business?
Your creative business is growing and it’s time to bring on a legal expert to help you. But how do you find an attorney for your creative business? Watch this video to learn!
How to quickly (and easily) write a business plan for your creative business
A business plan is critical for every creative business. Check out this post to grab a 1-page business plan template for your creative business, plus learn exactly how to quickly and easily fill it out.
Do you need to find a way to add ease to the legalese?
Before law school, I was a wildlife biologist. And after nearly a decade of counting birds and rodents, I was ready for a change. But I wasn’t sure what that change was. At the time, I was showing my nature photography in galleries and I debated trying to go full time. But law school had […]
“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”
In my late 20s, I worked at an environmental consulting firm. When I first started I had a boss that believed that he was the only one that could look good. He took all the credit for good ideas and passed all the blame to us. Needless to say, it was a very unhappy team […]
Is LegalZoom good or bad?
LegalZoom is cheaper than a lawyer, but you’ve heard good and bad stories about it. When should you run far away? When might it be okay to use it? Before you use LegalZoom make sure you check out this week’s episode of Ask Kiff. Watch the video | Listen or download an audio-only version | […]
Does having my VA email on behalf of my business turn her into an employee?
Want to tame your inbox by delegating it to your virtual assistant? Would you like them to answer emails, book appointments, or respond to customer requests? Then you won’t want to miss this week’s episode of Ask Kiff. Watch the video | Listen or download an audio-only version | Read the show notes | Read […]
Certain legal projects are a waste of your time and money if…
Writing a business plan sounds like business basics, not legal. But it is because some legal projects waste your time and money if they don’t move you forward. Click through to read why and grab a FREE 1-page business plan.
What I learned from my website being hacked
Two weeks ago, I woke up to an ominous email in my inbox. It was from Google Search Console saying that a new website owner had been added to my account. I logged in and quickly realized that my website had been hacked. This is never the kind of thing that you want to happen. […]
If I’m the only owner of my LLC, how should I sign a contract?
Congrats you are an LLC! Now you have to act like one! In this Ask Kiff video, you’ll learn how your LLC should (and shouldn’t) sign a contract! Watch the video | Listen or download an audio-only version | Read the show notes | Read the transcript Show notes Read what else LLC’s are required […]
Tell me about your creative business! (2018 reader survey)
I’m a legal nerd. Everywhere I turn, I see how the law applies to my (and your) creative business. My goal is to give you practical legal information that adds ease to the legalese of running your creative business. But I can’t do that if I don’t know about you. So today, I’m asking you: […]
How I’m using my WHY to add ease to 2018 (+ the 3 big changes)
This blog post contains an affiliate link. (The link with a * after it.) I use these links because the small commission I make allows me to keep creating intuitive, practical legal (and biz) resources. Plus it never changes the price you pay. I own this book and am including it because I think it […]
Creatives! You need to do fewer legal projects than you think
Overwhelmed by that business legal checklist you downloaded? You probably don’t have to do all those legal projects right now. Click through to learn how to prioritize them and grab a worksheet that will help you sort them.
Are you on the path that’s handed to you or the path you want to be on?
Hate your to-do list? Then your first step is to decide where you are headed. And then eliminate everything that won’t help you get there. Click through to read the three swift kicks the universe gave me before I learned my lesson.
How to motivate yourself to take action, even when you don’t want to
Having a bad day? Learn why you shouldn’t just create a plan but plan for curve balls. So that you can have a plan to power through the bad days.
How to reduce overwhelm by knowing what you value
Knowing your business values is one of the keys to reducing overwhelm and filtering out the noise. Click through to grab a checklist you can use to determine your creative business’ values.
Join me Friday to get answers to your legal questions!
You have lots of questions about the legal aspects of your business. Join me Friday, November 17 to get answers to all your legal questions in a comfortable, conversational environment. Save your seat and leave your question! It can be scary, not to mention expensive, to ask legal questions. Maybe you worry that your question […]
6 legal tasks to help you end 2017 strong
Performing a legal check-up of your creative business isn’t fun, but it’s important. To close out the year there are 6 legal tasks you should tackle for your creative business. Join us 11/3 for an In Session mini-workshop to learn what these tasks are and how you can accomplish them. Save your seat Running a […]
5 keys to dealing with difficult clients
the artist’s Courtyard Resource Create a Contract Master Workshop Get access to a master workshop designed to help you finally ditch the annoting, selfish clients. By creating a contract that you (and your clients) love. Members Only Not a member of the artist’s Courtyard? Join and get instant access to this resource and 100s of […]
Are your difficult clients bugging you non-stop? This could be your real problem
the artist’s Courtyard Resource Create a Contract Master Workshop Get access to a master workshop designed to help you finally ditch the annoting, selfish clients. By creating a contract that you (and your clients) love. Members Only Not a member of the artist’s Courtyard? Join and get instant access to this resource and 100s of […]
What’s the next legal step for your creative business?
Are you overwhelmed by all the possible legal to-dos? Not sure what your next legal step should be? Members of the artist’s Courtyard have access to our private online community, hosted via Mighty Networks. And when members first join, the question they get asked is, What’s your current biggest roadblock in your creative business? And […]
How to easily complete your Q3 tune-up with these 6 legal tasks
Running a regular legal check-up of your creative business sounds boring. But it is critical to building a foundation to support your big goals. And unless you turn it into a habit, then it’s hard to change your pattern of behavior. (Pssst…my favorite book about habit forming is The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg […]
3 simple things you need to collect when hiring an independent contractor
” height=”532″ />And to get rid of some of these hats, you might consider hiring an independent contractor. Because this allows you to take specific tasks off your plate. It can get exhausting wearing all…the…hats… Are you hiring an independent contractor? Learn the three items you should collect in your digital files for each of […]
Announcing the artist’s J.D. virtual book club + our first book: The ONE Thing
I’ve always got at least two books going, a nonfiction business-y book and a novel. And sometimes, I’m juggling several books at once. In fact, I joke that every time I move, the first people to know me are the librarians, since I’m there multiple times a week. Last month, I did a bunch of […]
I want to invite you to join me for a virtual summer camp!
Running a creative business is a rollercoaster. You have amazing days and tough days. Last month, I was in a serious funk. The tough days seemed to keep piling up. And for a few days, I fantasized about burning everything to the ground. And after that running away to a cabin in the woods for […]
How to make your biz feel Kanye West legit by becoming an LLC
When does (and doesn’t) it make sense for your creative business to become an LLC? A free 1-hour workshop and workbook Enter your email to get instant access to a free training where you’ll learn why Mama bears are the secret to knowing when it’s time to become an LLC. You’ll also get access to […]
You don’t have to be making lots of money to need an LLC
When does (and doesn’t) it make sense for your creative business to become an LLC? A free 1-hour workshop and workbook Enter your email to get instant access to a free training where you’ll learn why Mama bears are the secret to knowing when it’s time to become an LLC. You’ll also get access to […]
5 legal tasks you should complete in April for your creative business
It’s been almost 10 years since I owned a car. Luckily, I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sometimes getting places on public transit isn’t the quickest or easiest. But most days it’s not a hassle to travel via foot, bike, or public transit. But recently, I’ve been saving up to buy a car. […]
7 easy legal tasks that will support your 2017 goals
Every new year begins with promise. We tell ourselves this is the year it’s going to be different. That this year we are going to finally do it. Maybe for you, it is: eating healthy exercising bookkeeping learning a new language traveling more But unless you turn it into a habit, then it’s hard to change your […]
Creating an LLC? You must complete these 7 steps first
Ready to create an LLC? Grab a checklist to help you jump through all the legal hoops. Enter your email to download a checklist that will walk you through the seven legal hoops required to create an LLC for your creative business. Your privacy is important to us. Learn how we protect it here. I […]
How to easily comply with your on-going LLC requirements
Not sure how to keep your LLC on the up and up? Learn exactly what it takes to stay legit. Enter your information and get a checklist that walks you through the tasks you’ll need to tackle to keep your LLC legit. Your privacy is important to us. Learn how we protect it here. Doing […]
7 Mistakes You Might Not Know Your Creative Business Is Making
the artist’s Courtyard Resource 5 Year Vision Workbook Want to know the 7 questions I use with my clients to figure out where they are headed? Download a workbook that will help you answer them. Members Only Not a member of the artist’s Courtyard? Join and get instant access to this resource and 100s of […]
2 important factors when hiring help for your creative business
What name should you give your team member? Don’t call your new team member by the wrong name! Enter your email to download a workbook that will walk you through the questions you need to answer to decide if they can be an independent contractor. Or if you’ll have to hire them as an employee. […]
8 business foundations you need to secure before getting press
Need to get your website ducks in a row? Play Website Policy Mad Libs and quickly get policies on your website Get your Mad Libs terms of service and privacy policy templates today so that you can have them up on your website tomorrow. Best of all these templates were updated in May 2018 so […]
Do you work from home? How to protect your business
t=”225″ /> Overwhelmed by all the legal to-dos? Click here to get a free legal tip each week in your inbox from your friendly legal eagle. San Francisco is famous for its hills. And a couple years back early one morning, I was on top of my favorite hill, Tank Hill. At the time I […]
Learning the Ropes: Sharon Fain
Today, the lovely Sharon Fain is sharing her story with you. Sharon is one of the founders of Academy of Handmade, a community of makers creating sustainable businesses together. Academy of Handmade has some amazing resources on their blog to help makers build sustainable businesses. They also host an Awards Show recognizing makers who create beautiful […]
Are you making this mistake when paying your employees?
No matter how much you wished it were different, you only have 24 hours in a day. And you are juggling at least ten different roles in those 24 hours. You’ve got to: deliver your product/service keep your customers happy find new customers do the bookkeeping feed yourself write your content answer all the never-ending […]
Do you know the answer to these 8 questions?
When I’m wearing my attorney hat, I see the nitty gritty ins and outs of lots of creative businesses. I hear successes, struggles, fears, and triumphs. I know about exciting things before you can share the news on social media. But also hear your frustrations when things go wrong. I’m the keeper of many secrets […]
How to build trust with team members: destroy test projects
I’m in the process of finding a website developer to work on some exciting new projects. And I’ve got a really solid lead that I’m thinking is the right person. Last Friday I was having coffee with a friend and telling her about the project, process, and status. I told her that I had narrowed […]
How to hire an intern who will be your biggest fan
Even though it’s been four years since I graduated law school, I can always tell when the semester is about to start or end. How? By one type of email: the request for an internship at my firm. Here’s a recent example: I want to say yes because I learned so much from those that […]
How to effortlessly establish boundaries with your new employee
Hiring an employee is a terrifying experience for many business owners. As you go through this process you’ll probably feel: Scared about giving up control, will the person you hire do it right? Excited because you no longer need to do [task you hate] and can instead spend your time doing [task you love]? Terrified […]
How to hire your first employee without pulling your hair out
At a certain point in your business, you are going to need help if you want to grow. There are only so many hours in the day and you are only capable of doing so much. I usually suggest that you start by hiring out the tasks that you don’t love to do. Maybe you’d […]
Now you can have the money you need to grow your business
I’m sure you don’t like to login to your bank account and feel dread in the pit of your stomach. I can’t imagine a single person likes that feeling. But I know that many creative business owners feel this way frequently. I know that when I first started my business, this was a regular occurrence. […]
The secret to deciding that it’s time to become a LLC
Psst…I have a secret. Last week I encountered several creative business owners dealing with the same struggle. All were fretting, researching, and didn’t know what choice to make. They knew that making this choice was going to come with a price tag and probably a trip to a lawyer’s office. This, of course, didn’t excite […]
How to easily organize your businesses’ legal documents (like a lawyer)
Want help putting together your LLC records? And would you like to understand exactly what’s expected of you now that you are an LLC? Then check out my course designed to help you keep your fence strong and accomplish all the one-time and on-going tasks that an LLC is expected to do. Learn more The […]
2 contracts that will secure the foundation of your creative business
the artist’s Courtyard Resource Create a Contract Master Workshop Get access to a master workshop designed to help you finally ditch the annoting, selfish clients. By creating a contract that you (and your clients) love. Members Only Not a member of the artist’s Courtyard? Join and get instant access to this resource and 100s of […]
Are you confident in where your business is headed?
The other day while wearing my lawyer hat, I was conducting an intake session with a potential client. During these sessions, I ask some pretty non-typical lawyer questions. Things like: What are your goals? Short-term? Long-term? What’s your timeline for meeting these goals? What does success look like for you? How will you know when […]
Can drudgery be simple and easy to carry out? Yep, it can.
Last month I wrote a guest post series for Oh My! Handmade Goodness on shoring up your business foundations. We talked about getting your website, contracts, structure, and intellectual property shored up. One of the post comments totally made my day. Arianne Foulks wrote: Thanks so much for making this seeming drudgery accessible and actionable. This comment […]
1 powerful question you should ask to grow your business
On an average day, I probably get asked hundreds of questions. Questions via email, questions when I’m chatting with clients over Skype, questions from opposing counsel, or just questions at a social gathering when people learn what I do. After three years of hearing these questions, very few surprise me. But last month I got […]
Are you ready to get off the hamster wheel?
Recently I had lunch with a friend who also is a service provider. She and I were discussing a challenge that she’s facing in her business: either she’s slammed with client work or she has nothing. Her client work is on this crazy roller coaster, resulting in her exceeding her income goals or falling far […]
Another reason a LLC might be right for you
Most of the time when people call my law firm they are calling because they are in a jam. While I prefer to work with clients to prevent those jams from occurring in the first place, I have come to accept the fact that most of you only want to talk to a lawyer when […]
3 simple ways to protect yourself by limiting your liability
Thinking about becoming an LLC? Click here to download your free copy of a workbook that will help you decide if it’s the right time. Sometimes when the law and business intersect, we have to talk about unhappy, scary, rather not think about things. On deck today – lawsuits. I wouldn’t wish a lawsuit on […]
