Legally Legit® Podcast

With Q4 wrapped up, and Q1 kicking off, it’s time to hone in and think about not just our big goals for the year, but what it will take to reach those goals.

The excitement of a new year can leave us almost with a squirrel-like brain! We are still in a bit of fog from the holidays, we have ideas coming and flowing to us and we think we need to jump on everything NOW! It doesn’t help that we are seeing things on social media that are telling us not to wait, to jump in head first, and that we should be a certain point by now for Q1 to be successful. 

In part two of this podcast series, I want to take you on a journey of creating your roadmap of your goals and how this will set us on the right path to creating a rock solid foundation for the rest of the year. And like I mentioned, having this roadmap is really going to help curb the squirrel-like brain you may be feeling. Because as business owners, we are here to create lasting, sustainable growth and in order to do that you need to have a foundation that is as rock solid as the contract you send your clients. 

START WITH SMOOTH OPERATIONS + PROVISION 

I want you to imagine that you could snap your fingers or wiggle your nose and INSTANTLY achieve all of your goals! But hitting all your goals overnight would probably not be all good news. Usually we are not prepared for this type of growth overnight.  I want you to use this prompt as an exercise to uncover what you truly need to do to not only hit your goals, but to have a solid foundation in place to support them! 

What would go wrong? 

What would break? 

What other issues would this cause in your life / biz? 

This prompt will help you uncover the people, processes, systems, and tasks that are essential to your success. You could even say they are squirrel-proof!

To give you an example, let’s say one of the big goals you set was launching a course and enrolling over 100 students. If you enrolled those students right now, what would the onboarding look like? Would you even be able to send out that many contracts, accept that many payments, and actually be about to onboard everyone with customer service top of mind? 

Now I want you to break down all that needs to be done, so things don’t go wrong. So sticky situations hopefully don’t happen. What do you need to put in place now in Q1, what do you need to plug into Q2, and Q3 to make this a successful launch? Because odds are if you are launching something in 2023, all the prep work needs to be done long before Q4. 

It’s important after we have set our roadmap for our big goals, to get clear on finding any leaks that could be exposed or amplified when achieving that goal. Again, as we go back to our road trip we are on for 2023, this would be making sure there is air in all 4 tires, that the windshield washer fluid is full, that you don’t need an oil change any time soon. Sort of putting out the fires before they become fires. 

MORE FROM THIS EPISODE

Tune into Episode 151 and learn more about setting a roadmap for 2023 including preparing your taxes, using contracts and insurance, and smooth operations. If you want more helpful business advice as you’ll hear on the podcast, be sure to join The Legal Paige Facebook Community where thousands of entrepreneurs just like you are getting real-time answers about running a professionally and legally legit business.

With Q4 wrapped up, and Q1 kicking off, it’s time to hone in and think about not just our big goals for the year, but what it will take to reach those goals.

The excitement of a new year can leave us almost with a squirrel-like brain! We are still in a bit of fog from the holidays, we have ideas coming and flowing to us and we think we need to jump on everything NOW! It doesn’t help that we are seeing things on social media that are telling us not to wait, to jump in head first, and that we should be a certain point by now for Q1 to be successful. 

In this two-part podcast series, I want to take you on a journey of creating your roadmap of your goals and how this will set us on the right path to creating a rock solid foundation for the rest of the year. And like I mentioned, having this roadmap is really going to help curb the squirrel-like brain you may be feeling where nuts are falling all around you (whether that be on social media, in your work email inbox, talking to your friends) and you want to munch on them all. But, that’s not sustainable and its hard to know which ones work best. Because as business owners, we are here to create lasting, sustainable growth and in order to do that you need to have a plan and lay the proper groundwork for everything to be properly built on top of.

WHY YOU SHOULD SET A GOALS ROADMAP 

During the first few weeks of the New Year, it’s imperative for small businesses to set concrete goals for the upcoming year. Without gaining the clarity on what it is you want to achieve in 2023, and without connecting the dots…you are going to find yourself in the first sticky situation of the year- squirrel brain. If we go to the metaphor of our road trip, this is going to have you driving in circles all year, stuck in the everyday doing motion and it’s going to take you off the path of your aligned dreams. Having a path is essential in every road trip. 

As you are setting these goals, I also encourage you to set milestones metrics with your new goals. These milestones help you and your team to identify the progress you are making and reassure you that you are on the right path! How much do you hope to be making by certain points in the year, if you are running launches and sales… How much revenue and students do you hope to bring in and enroll? And if you aren’t sure what metrics to set, look at how well you did the previous year and what you want to grow by. This is going to give you a clear direction on where you need to go, and help prioritize what needs to be done next. Kind of like setting your GPS for your road trip knowing which turns to take and what highways to avoid. 

MORE FROM THIS EPISODE

Tune into Episode 150 and learn more about setting a roadmap for 2023 including communicating about your goals, getting team members on the same page, and more! If you want more helpful business advice as you’ll hear on the podcast, be sure to join The Legal Paige Facebook Community where thousands of entrepreneurs just like you are getting real-time answers about running a professionally and legally legit business.

With the holidays quickly approaching, the week between Christmas and New Years can seem like the most hectic time for business owners. How  are we supposed to prepare for year end + focus on the new year all while trying to spend quality time with our family and create memories? It’s easy to feel the pull, and the guilt of what we should be doing in our business-  frantically checking and refreshing emails- and what we should be doing with our family (aka lounging, snacking on delicious meals, and wondering what day of the week it is). 

In today’s episode I am going to share why your business won’t spontaneously combust if you take the week off between Christmas and New Years and some easy tips for setting boundaries during your down time. 

TIP #1: TURN YOUR OUT OF OFFICE ON

Write a cute little holiday message, and let your clients know when you will be back in the office. I promise you, there will be ZERO emergencies between now and then. By setting the boundary and letting your clients know should they email you– you’re providing the customer service we all strive for. 

TIP #2: DON’T WORRY ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA . 

Plan a holiday post, and then delete the app for a bit. I promise NOT sharing your services, or ways to work with you is not going to make or break your business.  Likely your ideal clients are always going to be off social media and with their families as well. So save that hard hitting business post for 2023, where it’s likely to gain the traction it deserves anyways!

TIP #3: LOCK AWAY YOUR WORK COMPUTER 

I’m sure that course you bought over Black Friday is super enticing to do on this week off, but is it really time off? From experience, if you do try to tackle that business course, you likely aren’t going to be putting the energy behind it that it deserves. Any action steps needed to take will likely slip off your to-do list. I recommend waiting until 2023 to tackle that project. 

MORE FROM THIS EPISODE 

Press play on Episode 149 and hear my full  run-down on taking time off between the holidays! If you want more helpful business advice as you’ll hear on the podcast, be sure to join The Legal Paige Facebook Community where thousands of entrepreneurs just like you are getting real-time answers about running a professionally and legally legit business.

If we learned anything this past year, it’s that things are ALWAYS changing. As an entrepreneur, it can be incredibly consuming to keep up with it all and to figure out what you should be implementing, marketing, and doing as a business owner when things shift on the daily. Not to mention– there isn’t much extra time to give! Between working with clients, taking care of yourself, and spending time with loved ones…who has time to research the trends and predictions for 2023? 

That’s where this podcast episode comes in. In Episode 148 I did the research for you and am sharing the biggest trends we are going to see with business’ next year. 

More From This Episode

Plain and simple, no one wants to be left in the dust while all the other businesses are adapting to what consumers want. Tune into Episode 148 for more details about each of these trends so that you can stay on top of your game plan for 2023. 

And remember…as you are looking at how your small business can adopt these trends and others, always make sure you are legally legit!

As all the Black Friday sales start rolling in it’s really easy to get swept into thinking, “I want to buy EVERYTHING! That course, that contract, that program and that cute branded mug…” 

But maybe you're sitting there wondering what makes the most sense. Do you really need another course- and with year end coming soon (the holidays, taxes, etc.) - is it smart to wait and revisit in 2023? In Episode 147 I am going to show you how to approach Black Friday with your business hat on, manage all the deals + flashy marketing, and take advantage of some deductions before the end of the year. 

HOW TO AVOID PANIC-BUYING + MAXIMIZE YOUR BLACK FRIDAY BUDGET

First things first: Look at your finances and then see what you actually need. Are you a photographer who needs new lenses or a graphic designer whose business solely relies on your (rapidly aging) computer? Maybe you hit a few bumps in the road and your contract just wasn’t up to par? Look at the essentials that help your business physically run, bring in more revenue, and potentially save you from a lawsuit. 

Second: Start looking at more fun things for your business that in 2023, could help elevate it to the next level. I’m talking about marketing courses, Instagram classes, business retreats, workshops, and everything in between. Star, favorite, bookmark all the courses, classes, retreats, etc you would like to attend in 2023 and logically figure out what you have time for in the coming year. 

MORE FROM THIS EPISODE:

Press play on Episode 147 and you’ll learn:

• My in-depth Black Friday shopping strategy.
• Why you should always look at expiration dates for sales.
• The benefits of researching where you are buying from.
• And so much more! 

If you want more helpful business advice as you’ll hear on the podcast, be sure to join The Legal Paige Facebook Community where thousands of entrepreneurs just like you are getting real-time answers about running a professionally and legally legit business.

We are gearing up for our biggest sale of the year in just a few short weeks and I don't want you to miss it. We're talking major discounts in our entire contract shop! Head over to tlpinsider.com to be the first to know when our sale goes live.

At year's end a topic on every business owners’ mind is: Have I fully maximized my deductions this year? We all want to lower the amount of money we owe to the government– but  sometimes it can be a little confusing as to what actually counts. In Episode 146 of The Legal Paige Podcast, I share what purchases you can send to the ‘write off people’ (i.e. the IRS and your state government). 

Pro tip: Getting organized with your taxes + deductions BEFORE the holidays will set you up for success in 2023 and help you feel more prepared. With Black Friday next week, you can save on those write off expenses even more because everyone is having a sale. I always tell people waiting until the last minute (like Dec 30th or 31st) could cost you more when you could have gotten a steal over Black Friday if you were strategic about your tax deductions. 

Be proactive, think things through, and make wise decisions. Your tax-deduction purchases should benefit your business and contribute to your overall success. My accountant always says even though I could deduct that $1000 purchase, I could also not buy it and make 70% of the $1000 dollars. Sometimes keeping $700 of the $1000 is just a better financial decision. You’re in business to make a profit.

MORE FROM THIS EPISODE: 

Tune into Episode 146 and learn:

• Office improvements that count as deductions. 
• How to stock up on supplies + prepay expenses.
• Why legal contracts are a great tax write-off. 
• How to write off bad business debts. 
• Employee bonuses and gifts that count as deductions.
• And so much more! 

If you want more helpful business advice as you’ll hear on the podcast, be sure to join The Legal Paige Facebook Community where thousands of entrepreneurs just like you are getting real-time answers about running a professionally and legally legit business.

We've all been there before with a nightmare client, right? 

And if you're new to business and haven’t had your share of stressful clients- it’s probably a matter of when not if. Less-than-ideal clients are an expected part of business ownership; however, if you haven't legally protected yourself, the damage they do can go far beyond headaches. Sticky client situations can lead to loss of significant amounts of revenue and time as well as decrease your emotional well being and increase your stress with lawsuits. 

While I can't promise you a magic solution to prevent nightmare clients- I do have ways you can protect yourself before you ever find yourself working with them. In Episode 145, I go over the 4 clauses you should have in your contract to set you up for success within your client relationships (and ultimately help save you thousands in needless legal costs)! These clauses will protect you from legal action and provide you with an escape route for when things turn south.

 MORE FROM THIS EPISODE:

Press play on Episode 145 and you’ll learn:

• What is a Scope of Service Clause
• What is a Limitations of Liability Clause
• What is a Scope Creep Clause 
• What is a Cancellation Clause 
• The reason you should peek at TLP’s a la carte clauses to bolster your contract.

If you want more helpful business advice as you’ll hear on the podcast, be sure to join The Legal Paige Facebook Community where thousands of entrepreneurs just like you are getting real-time answers about running a professionally and legally legit business.

Have you been sitting there pondering what 2023 is going to look like?

Maybe you're wondering how you can achieve more next year- reach more people, scale your business to new heights, and even start bringing in new revenue streams! We’ve seen entrepreneur after entrepreneur talk about adding passive income to their business and the various revenue streams that have catapulted them to success. But what ideas are actually going to work in 2023? 

After all, we’ve seen in the past 2+ years, we want to build businesses that can withstand it all. But sometimes the logistics of HOW to implement new revenue streams feel murky. Especially if you are a service provider feeling like the only way to grow your business is to trade more time for money. 

In part two of this two-part series, I am going to help you cut through all the noise we hear online and share the strategies I recommend the MOST. In this episode, I focus on 2 income streams that you can add to your existing business, especially ones that will help you make more while working less. 

By the end of this series, my goal is for you to feel ready to hit the ground running with your new (legally legit) revenue stream. 

MORE FROM THIS EPISODE 

Press play on Episode 144 and listen as I dig into 2 more promising income streams for 2023. You’ll learn:

• The benefits of turning your knowledge into an online course. 
• How to legally protect your business when offering online courses. 
• Why I love subscriptions and membership programs. 
• The legal products your toolkit needs if you want to get into memberships.
• And so much more! 

If you missed it, check out Part 1 of this series HERE! If you want more helpful business advice as you’ll hear on the podcast, be sure to join The Legal Paige Facebook Community where thousands of entrepreneurs just like you are getting real-time answers about running a professionally and legally legit business.

Have you been sitting there pondering what 2023 is going to look like?

Maybe you're wondering how you can achieve more next year- reach more people, scale your business to new heights, and even start bringing in new revenue streams! We’ve seen entrepreneur after entrepreneur talk about adding passive income to their business and the various revenue streams that have catapulted them to success. But what ideas are actually going to work in 2023? 

After all we’ve seen in the past 2+ years, we want to build businesses that can withstand it all. But sometimes the logistics of HOW to implement new revenue streams feels murky. Especially if you are a service provider feeling like the only way to grow your business is to trade more time for money. 

In part one of this two part series, I am going to help you cut through all the noise we hear online and share the strategies I recommend the MOST. In this episode I focus on 3 income streams that you can add to your existing business, especially ones that will help you make more while working less. 

By the end of this series, my goal is for you to feel ready to hit the ground running with your new (legally legit) revenue stream. 

MORE FROM THIS EPISODE 

Press play on Episode 143 and listen as I dig into 3 promising income streams for 2023. You’ll learn:

• Easy digital product ideas that could boost your bottom line.
• How to legally protect your business when selling digital products online.
• Why I love affiliate marketing (and how much TLP brings in from our amazing affiliates).
• The legal products your toolkit needs if you want to get into affiliate marketing. 
• And so much more! 

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this series coming soon! If you want more helpful business advice as you’ll hear on the podcast, be sure to join The Legal Paige Facebook Community where thousands of entrepreneurs just like you are getting real-time answers about running a professionally and legally legit business.

Do you find yourself wishing - DREAMING - of having more time? 

What would an extra 20 hours a month mean for you and your business? 

Let’s face it, as entrepreneurs we wear SO MANY hats (especially in the first few years of business as we start to pave our own path). CEO, CFO, assistant, customer service rep, tech support, designer, social media manager, therapist, coach, visionary…the list goes on and on.

All of the roles and responsibilities on our plate can really take a toll on us as people– but they also can take away from our craft. The more roles we take on, the more time we are away from doing what we actually love. Soon we can find ourselves wondering why we “followed our passion” when our jobs don’t even resemble what we first started out to do. 

Over here at TLP when we are out of our zones of genius, we refer to them as ‘Frankenstein Roles’, …these roles are TIME SUCKERS. 

When your  weeks are filled with Frankenstein Roles, it costs you: 

• Time (In your business, away from your craft) 
• Time (Outside your business, with your family, etc) 
• Money (If you had those hours back to focus on areas that GROW the business) 
• Sanity (When you are sucked into this kind of work, it drains you and leads to burnout a lot faster than when you are in flow doing what you love.) 

So how do you break free? 

The answer is simple: Hiring! 

I know hiring can sound like a big leap! (Where do I start? Who do I hire? What do I need in place before I bring someone onto my team)? In Episode 142, I’m pulling back the curtain to share with you the 4 best hires I made that saved me 20+ hours a month! 

If you want more helpful business advice as you’ll hear on the podcast, be sure to join The Legal Paige Facebook Community where thousands of entrepreneurs just like you are getting real-time answers about running a professionally and legally legit business.