Do you find contracts, insurance and the legal side of your small business a bit daunting? Well, this episode is JUST for you. My special guest, Rachel Brenke takes the fear out of legally protecting yourself and your business, breaking it all down in simple, practical terms.

Rachel’s genius is in helping creative entrepreneurs with understanding their legal needs and shares her wisdom on The Simplifiers Podcast.

Because as Rachel says, “ignorance of the law is not a defense of the action.”

Here’s how to (simply) protect yourself and your small business. 
IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:

• Common legal mistakes entrepreneurs make such as using others intellectual property and causing “copyright infringement” • Why “re-gramming” someone else’s photo (on Instagram) that they found on Google is illegal and the NUMBER 1 thing Rachel has been dealing with in her law business • Mary shares a horrifying tale of a woman in Egypt who stole The Simplifiers logo and name from a Google search and starting her own company...and how she stopped it • Why you need to have a line item in your budget for legal stuff (hint: it’s a non-negotiable!) • What is the “Legal Trifecta” that ALL businesses should have in place to protect your business. Think of these three things as hurdles between you and your clients so that, if a problem arises, they have to go over them before they can get to you personally.

• Business Formation - forming a separate legal entity so if you are implicated and liable, you personally, your family or your home assets will not be in jeopardy.      • Sole Proprietorship (NOT recommended)      • LLC (the majority of businesses)      • Corporation • Liability Insurance (homeowners will not protect you!) • Legal documents (website terms and conditions and privacy policy are both non-negotiable in Rachel’s opinion) • Tips for drafting your website’s Privacy Policy and contracts for services (terms and language to include when it comes to attorney’s fees) • How legal documents are your “front line,” enabling clients to see you as being professional and building confidence in you and your business • Why it’s best to acquire BOTH a lawyer AND a CPA • The latest tips on GDPR regulations in Europe and how you can and cannot use the emails that you capture.

PRO TIPS OF THE DAY: • Call your insurer once a year! • Invest upfront in legal help before you find yourself in a much more expensive predicament.

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/011-rachel-brenke/