🥳 [FREE LEGAL TRAINING] 5 STEPS TO LEGALLY PROTECT YOUR ONLINE BUSINESS 🥳

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How to track business expenses ⤵️ (Advice fro

How to track business expenses ⤵️

(Advice from an attorney-turned-entrepreneur!)

❌ You should not pay for your business expenses through your own personal cards or accounts (if/when you can help it! Read on...)

It’s confusing and messy, but it also puts your business at legal risk if anyone ever challenged your LLC.

✅ Now, let’s talk about what TO do:

💰 Set up an LLC and then a business bank account (which is just a regular checking account that the bank labels as being for your business).

That’s the account where your business money (ie., revenue) goes. From that money, you’ll pay for your business expenses like: domain name purchases, software costs, contractor payments, equipment, etc.

When you setup your business bank account, the bank should give you some sort of business debit card you can use to charge your expenses to. When you can, upgrade to a business credit card so you can stash those points! ✈️

You always want to act like an LLC so you maintain the protection you think you’re getting from it.

Paying for things correctly and “cleanly” (through your business, and not personal, accounts) is one of the major ways you can act like an LLC.

If you ever make a mistake & charge something to your personal card — don’t sweat it! Keep the receipt and log it in your bookkeeping software.

Learn more about charging expenses to your personal cards by tuning in to Episode 104 of @onyourtermspodcast! Comment “LISTEN!” below and I’ll DM you the link ⤵️

Bonus tip! Of course you’ll have expenses before you start your biz. Did you know you can count them towards your biz expenses? Learn more in Epi 91!

xo,
Sam

#legaltemplates #legaltips #onlinebusinesses #onlinebusinesstips #businessexpenses #coursecreator

Do you have to legally protect your website?! 👀

Do you have to legally protect your website?! 👀

Yes! Here's why:

1️⃣ PRIVACY POLICIES ARE LEGALLY REQ'D

We don't really have a choice on this one 🤣 Several state, Federal, and now even int'l laws (hi GDPR 👋) require us to have a legit, well-drafted privacy policy on our site if we collect personal info on it (ie someone's name and email).

PS If you run Facebook ads, you're req'd to have a PP on any page you lead people to (even a landing / opt-in page).

2️⃣ FREE CONTENT IS STILL RISKY

We can get sued for our free content, too. If someone uses your site and claims they experienced some harm, got injured, lost money, got sick etc — you can still get sued for it. You need a solid website disclaimer to legally protect you from that as much as possible.

3️⃣ PROTECT YOUR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

To safely keep copycats off your content, purchasers of any downloadable products from stealing it, and freebie downloaders for suing you over it — you've got to have a Terms & Conditions policy on your site. In it, you'll have a strongly worded policy to protect your IP, and let users know how they can properly share your stuff.

So to review, the 3 website policies you need are:
✔️Privacy Policy
✔️Disclaimer
✔️Terms & Conditions

Luckily for you, I have all of these ^ available to download in my DIY Legal Template shop @samvanderwielen

Unsure what you need to legally protect your online biz? Comment CHECKLIST below & we'll send you a link to download my free "5 Steps to a Legally Legit™ Business" checklist.

xo,
Sam

#legaltemplates #legaltips #onlinebusinesses #onlinebusinesstips #coursecreators

Can you get by with one of those free privacy poli

Can you get by with one of those free privacy policy generators.... at least for now?

Your website must have 3️⃣ docs to be legally protected:

1️⃣ privacy policy
2️⃣ disclaimer
3️⃣ terms & conditions)

Let’s dive into 1️⃣ ⤵️

A privacy policy tells your website visitors when and what type of personal information (i.e., name, email address, email sign-up, etc) you collect from them, how you use it, and what they can do to change it.

It also says what you’ll do to keep their info private. If you have an email sign-up form, contact form, take people’s info anywhere else on your site, or run FB/IG ads, you’re LEGALLY REQUIRED to have one.

It might seem like an non-essential purchase, or one that you can scrimp on, but... I really don’t recommend buying a cheapo privacy policy (or any legal template for that matter)

Why?

Because if it’s free and not drafted by a lawyer — it means it has the quality of something that’s free & not drafted by a lawyer.

Privacy policies (or any policies/contracts, for ex) aren’t one size fits all (what is, really? 🥴). What you need more than anything is a policy that legally covers your tush.

To see if you have a legit policy that actually covers you, ask:

✍️ Can I REALLY customize it to fit my biz?
🌐 Is it written specifically for online businesses and the type of content I’m producing?
👩‍💻 Do I get updates? What if the law changes?
🚀 What happens as my business grows? Then what?

Chances are, those big box legal templates don’t include a step-by-step video walkthrough. Or the option to email the lawyer who drafted it (hi, it me) directly with questions. Not to mention getting a new version of the privacy policy if/when it ever needs an update.

That’s exactly what you’ll get from all of the DIY legal templates inside my online shop — including the essential website privacy policy.

What questions do you have about your website’s privacy policy? Comment below ⤵️! I’m here to help!

xo,
Sam

#legaltemplates #legaltips #onlinebusinesses #onlinebusinesstips

🚨 LEGAL NIGHTMARES AHEAD! 🚨 As an entrepren

🚨 LEGAL NIGHTMARES AHEAD! 🚨

As an entrepreneur, there are plenty of legal issues that can make your head spin. But fear not! In Episode 103 of @onyourtermspodcast, we’re breaking down three common legal nightmares and giving you the tools to avoid them.

🔥 First up: How to handle client relationships that go south. Learn how to pre-qualify, use disclaimers, and be crystal clear about what you do to protect yourself and your business.

🔥 Next, we’re tackling content theft. Discover why having terms of use and copyrighting your paid content is so important for your online courses and programs.

🔥 Last but not least, we’re discussing the importance of having an LLC and acting like one to avoid getting sued personally.

Don’t miss this episode if you want to keep your business legally protected and avoid the headaches of these common legal issues! Tune in now (link in bio) and let’s get your legal ducks in a row! 🦆🦆🦆

🎙 LINK IN BIO TO TUNE IN!! 🎙

xo,
Sam

PS: Tell me what you think of today’s episode by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts! Be sure to take a screenshot of your review + DM it to me so you can be entered to win a $20 Starbucks gift card! ☕🙌

#legaltemplates #legaltips #onlinebusinesses #onlinebusinesstips #legaltipsforbusinessowners #coursecreator

🚀3 Ways Legal Protection Can Grow Your Biz 🚀

🚀3 Ways Legal Protection Can Grow Your Biz 🚀

Wondering if legally protecting your online biz can actually GROW it? 👀 I’ve got answers for you in Ep 102 of @onyourtermspodcast!

Legal protection can boost your business’s:

📣 VISIBILITY

Over the past 6 years, I’ve heard from thousands of customers who share how once they got legal protection in place — whether it was an LLC, a legit contract, or knowing what they were legally allowed to talk about — they felt confident & free to talk more about their biz.

You can put 2 + 2 together to guess what happens when you talk about your business more on social media 😜

🧱️ TRUST

Once you legally protect your business, it’s incredible how you show up differently. Even if your business isn’t the big-success it’s going to be in the future (!!), it’s important to start acting like you’re heading in that direction.

Having legit contracts and looking like you have your ish together is more attractive and safe for future-clients of yours. They’ll be more willing to work with someone who looks legit.

💰 BOTTOM LINE

If a client doesn’t pay your invoice or issues a chargeback threat to their bank/credit card, you have to have already had your legal stuff in order when the client/customer purchased. Otherwise, the complaining customer will always win. One UB member was able to recoup tens of thousands of dollars in 2022 alone, just because of having her legal ducks in a row.

Tune in to learn how legal protection can help you grow your biz! 🌱

xo,
Sam ️

#legallyprotectyourbiz #businessgrowth #podcastlove #onyourtermspodcast #legaltips

3 KEY THINGS TO HAVE IN PLACE BEFORE YOU HIRE⤵️

In 2022, I hit a MAJOR business milestone by hiring my first full-time employees! Yep, plural 😉

Now I'm at 2 full-time employees + 3 contractors. (Soon-to-be 4 contractors — we're onboarding a new social media coordinator! 🎉)

Being able to hire an employee (let alone 2!) was such a huge dream for me. Not because it sounded cool or because it was some box I wanted to check off -- but because I knew it'd feel so supportive and fun in my business.

I wanted teammates -- people who are "in it" with me everyday. And why's that important?

I knew I'd be a better, more strategic, entrepreneur if I surrounded myself with really smart, passionate people ✅

But you also wanna have your ish together before you ever hire... or else you're going to go down faster than Theranos.

SO, WHAT DO YOU NEED TO HAVE IN PLACE BEFORE HIRING?

1⃣ A SOLID LLC

You'd want to have a solid business structure setup so you're not personally liable for any employment claims.

2⃣ EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK + CONTRACT

A handbook is great IF you're actually going to abide by what you say in it. In it, you spell out the company culture, policies, discipline procedures, do's and don'ts, etc.

You can also have your employees sign a contract with a non-disclosure agreement (they gotta keep everything they learn confidential), non-solicitation clause (they can't solicit your other team members if they leave to go with them or poach your clients), and maybe even a non-compete (they can't work for a competitor in a certain industry for a limited time.)

3️⃣ INSURANCE

Your state (and your employees' states) may require different types of insurances when you hire employees. For me, I had to get workers comp insurance and make sure our policy covered all of their states. I also had to get a family leave policy, and a policy to cover the 401k I offered them (offering a 401k is optional, but getting a policy to cover it isn't).

Tell me in the comments! Have you hired yet? Do you ever want to? Was this helpful?! Can't wait to chat with you ⤵️

xo,
Sam

#legaltips #onlinebusinesses #onlinebusinesstips #businesscoaching #legaltemplates

CAN YOU BORROW CONTRACTS? ⤵️ Have you ever bo

CAN YOU BORROW CONTRACTS? ⤵️

Have you ever borrowed your coach or friend’s 1:1 contract? 👀 🚩

If this is you — or you’ve been tempted to do this “as you get started” — you need to know 3 things:

1⃣ Borrowing a contract could = stealing it, especially if they bought that as a template
2⃣ Their contract won’t protect you, your services, or your clients because it’s not tailored to you.
3️⃣ It might not even be any good 🤣 Just because they’re using it, doesn’t make it legally sound.

It’s better to have a customized contract for YOU so that you:

✅ can rest easy knowing your contract specifically protects you & what you do
✅ confidently know how to explain your contract to clients (they ask!) and how to edit it, too
✅ keep it updated as your business changes & grows (you might change your mind about that refund policy!)

Remember, your contract doesn’t just protect you and your biz. It also protects your clients. You’ll attract much better-fitting clients if you have a professional-looking client that shows you want to protect them, too.

What’s 1 contract question you have about your business? Drop it in the comments and I’ll hop in! ⤵️

🥳 Pssst! Did you know that I have downloadable contracts ready for you to grab for your own business? I’ve done all the legal writing for you and I walk you through how to customize it as your own in the How-To Video Tutorial that comes with each of my legal templates.

xo,
Sam

#legaltemplates #legaltips #onlinebusinesses #onlinebusinesstips #onlinecoaches #legaltipsforbusinessowners

WHY ARE PEOPLE QUITTING ONLINE BUSINESS? I’ve s

WHY ARE PEOPLE QUITTING ONLINE BUSINESS?

I’ve seen SO many big names in the industry suddenly announce they’re leaving IG or even shutting their biz down completely lately.

My heart goes out to them. ♥️ BRAVO for following your heart. Am I right?!

And there’s nothing wrong with “quitting” or changing your mind. It’s a beautiful thing to pivot and go for what you want vs. staying in something that’s not working for you. Online biz isn’t the end all be all 🤣

Running your own business, especially at this size in a very public and social media driven way, is HARD.

But I also can’t help but wonder how much aspirational marketing, consumerism, and shady industry tactics have to do with it.

I’m running and growing my multi 7-figure business a little bit differently than what I see online, and I’m only reminded even more of why I’m doing this when I see so much (understandable) burn out around me.

Here’s what I’ve noticed:

🥵 Burnout is real and can happen to anyone at any stage of biz
💅The amount of $ someone (says they) make doesn’t mean they produce results OR like what they do
😫The pressure of aspirational marketing we put on ourselves (& keep buying into) is keeping us stressed
💵 Money doesn’t have to be your main measure of success. You get to decide what that looks like for you.
🛍️ Trying to keep up with trends + playing into consumerism is keeping us broke and tired

I sat down & got real with you on Epi 101 of my podcast @onyourtermspodcast this week called: Real Talk: Why Some of the Biggest Online Business Owners Have Quit.

Pop in your headphones, throw on your hot girl outfit and let’s walk + talk. Can’t wait to hear what you think in my DMs.

🎧 Comment “LISTEN” below and I’ll DM you a link to Episode 101 🎧

xo,
Sam

#onlinebusinesses #onlinebusinesstips #mindsetcoaching #mindset
#wellnesscoaching #careercoaching #businesscoaching #coursecreator

HOW A PODCAST CAN GROW YOUR BIZ 👇 (+ FREE GIVEA

HOW A PODCAST CAN GROW YOUR BIZ 👇 (+ FREE GIVEAWAY!)

True to my style — I started a podcast way after my business was already up and running.

Until then, I’d focused on SEO, social and my email list — but I always wanted to get my thoughts (& let’s be honest... my rants) onto the podcast waves.

But being the business woman I am, I knew I didn’t want a podcast that flopped around. I wanted it to be a strategic, intentional and yes VERY helpful podcast that would drive traffic, leads, and sales to my business.

And in 100 episodes, I’ve done just that 💅

In Epi 100 (!!), you’ll get all my best podcasting tips, and how I use my podcast to actually support and grow my business🎙️

I’ll even share:
• Tips on how I plan my content 📝
• My favorite tools and software 🤖
• Editing tricks and hacks 🎧
• A rapid-fire Q&A with your most burning podcast questions 🤔

🥳 GIVEAWAY! 🥳

🎉 I’m also giving away my EXACT PODCAST SET-UP including my mic, headphones, and pop filter windscreen. These are must-haves if you want to record a beautiful sounding pod!

👉 All you have to do to enter is submit a legal question to samvanderwielen.com/legalquestion before March 16th. You’ll be entered to win and also have the chance to get your legal questions answered! 🎉

So what are you waiting for? Comment ‘LISTEN!’ below👇 and I’ll DM you a link to the episode + where to enter to win my podcast setup! ⤵️

#onyourtermspodcast #podcastingtips #podcastersofinstagram #podcastgiveaway #100episodes #onlinebusinesstips #legalquestions #podcastsetup #rdsofinstagram #careercoaching

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5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business

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This is not a law firm. Nothing on this site should be construed as legal advice. Sam does not provide you or your company legal advice. We simply provide legal information & education for you to customize and use on your own and have reviewed by your own local attorney. Sam is an attorney licensed in NJ and PA, but is not practicing law or establishing an attorney-client relationship with you, ever. Some states may consider this attorney advertising (although it isn't intended to be). Thank you!

Copyright 2023 Sam Vander Wielen, LLC. Design & Development by Ansley Fones . Privacy Policy. Terms and Conditions. Disclaimer. Accessibility Statement.

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