Does your business need a doing business as (dba) or fictitious business name (fbn)? Learn when you need one and why you’ll want to get one in this video.
Lay groundwork
Are you just starting your creative business? Then this post collection will help you build your creative business on a solid legal foundation!
How to increase your chances of a successful creative collaboration
Most collaborations end at some point and discussing these 7 questions before you start your collaboration will increase your chances of ending with a happy parting of ways, not a fiery crash.
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!
Quick and dirty checklist to starting a creative business
Are you starting a creative business? Click through to download a checklist on what legal tasks are (and aren’t) important from Day 1.
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 […]
When I’m naming (or renaming) my business, do I need to do a trademark search?
How do you pick a business name that won’t force a rebrand or get you in legal hot water? Watch this video to learn what a trademark search is, why it’s important, and if you can DIY it. Plus grab a FREE worksheet to help you do a trademark search.
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.
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 […]
5 must-do legal tasks for every creative business
I commonly get asked, What legal tasks do I have to do? No matter what kind of creative business you run, there are five must-do tasks. These tasks are crucial to building your foundation. Once you have these done, then you’ll decide which legal tasks will best support your next step on your path. Season 2 […]
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.
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
5 simple must-do legal tasks for every creative business
Kate Butler and I first connected nearly 3 years ago, when she was preparing to launch her first children’s book, More Than Mud [affiliate link]. Since then she’s published a second book [affiliate link] and started a coaching business. I reached out to Kate to share her story because her business has grown like many of yours. It […]
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 […]
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 […]
How to do a trademark search + avoid the scary lawyer letter
Doing a trademark search helps assure you’ve got a unique name that won’t infringe on anyone else’s trademark rights. Click through for step-by-step instructions on performing a trademark search AND download your free checklist to help you complete all the steps.
Learning the Ropes: Jordan Brantley
Jordan Brantley and I have never met IRL, but we’ve got one of those serendipitous online friendships. We both were watching and tweeting along to one of Tara Gentile’s CreativeLive classes. I can’t remember which of us started the conversation, but we connected that day. And after a few Twitter conversations, we started exchanging emails. […]
Learning the Ropes: Lisa Anderson Shaffer
Lisa Anderson Shaffer is one of my favorite people of all time. She’s wicked smart, talented, and has a wardrobe I constantly drool over. I’ve loved watching Lisa’s business grow by leaps and bounds the past several years. As you might know, in addition to running this blog, I also run a law firm. And […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
