Hi Reader! One of the first projects I worked on as an (almost) lawyer was updating a contract. He was a commercial photographer doing dozens of shoots a month. Because he was working with big brands that had their own rules, each shoot had different licenses, timeframes, payments, and distribution of responsibilities. I met with the client, and he told me the story of how, for at least two months, his assistant didn’t update the social media rights section of the contract. And they only…

Hi Reader, In 2011, I passed the California Bar and waited four months for results. I knew I wanted to start my own practice, so I filled that time by having conversations with small business owners I knew. During one of those conversations, a friend who ran a tattoo shop told me something I’ll never forget: “Start a notebook where you record all the stupid shit you do that you don’t want to repeat.” A few months later, after I passed the Bar, he handed me a Moleskine notebook. Inside the…

Hi Reader! I’ve been in a sewing frenzy the past two weeks. I made six shirts and three nightgowns. I also braved re-doing my RV’s dinette cushions. Because I used the existing cushions as a pattern, I unpicked one of each type. This gave me lots of downtime to think. One of the thoughts that popped into my head was that sometimes the fears we have in our heads don’t match reality. And three examples in my business came to mind. The first was related to my mini-sabbaticals. Before I took my…

Hi Reader! Everyone enters a project or collaboration hoping that it’ll be successful. Everyone is excited, and no one goes into it expecting to run into problems. But the beginning of the project, when everyone is friends and in a collaborative mood, is the perfect time to lay some ground rules about how you can gracefully walk away if the project doesn’t work as planned. Because once things start to go wrong, it’s harder to agree on what this process looks like. While it’s a downer to talk…

Hi Reader! Come summer, many creative businesses start thinking about bringing on help. Maybe it’s so you can step away and work less while your children are out of school for the summer. Maybe it’s so you can travel and visit some of your bucket list destinations. Maybe it’s to rest up and restore yourself before you dive into the busy holiday season. But one piece that’s often missing is laying the groundwork to make it easier for your new team member to hit the ground running. Of course,…

Hi Creative! For those of you who offer services, custom artwork, personalized pieces, or bridal jewelry, you should be asking for a portion of the payment upfront. You should be doing this because your time is valuable. And you are setting aside time for this client/customer, and they should compensate you for blocking off your schedule and starting the engine of your brain towards their project. I would also argue that this payment shouldn’t be refundable if the project is cancelled….

Hi Reader! We’ve all had the dreaded experience of a customer asking for a refund. Sometimes, we think their reasons are valid. Sometimes, we think their reasons aren’t valid. And that’s where your refund policies come in. You probably already have them on your website explaining when you will and won’t offer a refund. But your refund policies are just policies and not legally enforceable if you don’t turn them into a contract. For those of you who offer services, you have a services…

Hi Reader! Today is the artist’s J.D.’s 11th birthday. And to celebrate I’m announcing the first installment in a new series: For Real. This edition will be the “Do I Need a Permit for This?” It’s a 5-day supportive challenge to help you figure out which permits, licenses, and registrations you actually need — and what you can skip. No law degree required. Just what you need to know, right now. Because we all know more than once, you’ve Googled, “Do I need a license for this?” And then…

Hi Reader! Ozzy and I have started our slow trek north from Arizona to our summer digs in Wyoming. We take about six weeks to go the 1,000 miles, so we get to enjoy the journey and visit friends and family along the way. This week, a situation came up where a client wanted me to bend one of my standard boundaries, “I don’t start work until the invoice is paid.” The reason I have this boundary is simple: I don’t have the staff or want to spend the time tracking payments down. As a bonus, this…

Hi Reader! Most creative business owners eventually reach a point where the legal side of things feels too big to handle alone. It happens all the time to my 1:1 clients and recently happened to one of you when a trademark copycat forced you to rethink going at it without the support of an expert. Doing this research before you need it might seem pointless, but doing it now will save you stress when you are already in a heightened emotional state. This week, your task is to spend 15 minutes…

Hi Reader! Every business should have a central legal file where its important legal documents are stored. This might seem like a hassle, unnecessary, or even pointless. However, having a centralized file of legal paperwork can save you time and effort when you’re asked for important documents like your sales tax certificate, EIN number, or W-9. Why should you take the time to do this dreary and mundane administrative task? Because keeping accurate and up-to-date legal records will: help you…

Hi Reader! You probably know I’m a big fan of keeping your personal and business finances separate. I’m a big believer of this because: It makes tax time so much easier, because you automatically know if an expense is potentially tax deductible or not. It gives you a firm grasp of whether your business is making enough money to sustain itself. It helps you start thinking of your business as something other than yourself (which is VERY important on the legal side) And these days with dozens of…