Today I’m going to talk about something that is all over social media at the moment and has been coming up frequently when I talk with my clients and business friends. And that is, 'who owns the copyright if I use Chat GPT?'

In simple terms, Chat GPT is a powerful AI tool that can produce copy for you and assist you in many different ways in your business. However, just like with any tool we need to decide on using, we need to know what the value add of Chat GPT is. It’s also important to understand what the risks and implications are.

So what is copyright? I explain what it is and how our original creative works are protected in Australia. I also address the question I get asked a lot, which is, ‘do I own the copyright or does Chat GPT?’ 

While this is a valid question, copyright legislation is framed around original works being created by individuals. Therefore, I encourage you to think about the question I believe is much more pressing. Is the content Chat GPT creating for you original, or is it infringing on someone else’s copyright?

If you intend on using Chat GPT in your business, I encourage you to make sure you've got your systems and processes developed in a way where you have your checks and balances, you are satisfied that what you are putting out into the world is your work and you can be confident that you're not copying somebody else's.

I hope today’s episode empowers you with the knowledge and tools to help you move forward in your business with confidence. 

LINKS:

Previous episode mentioned: Words in Business & Chat GPT - with Rachel Rennie

Website resource: Trademarks and Copyright: Is it Really Yours?

Connect with Tracey: 

Get your copy of my Annual Legal Checklist here

Website:tmsolicitor.com.au

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/tmsolicitor/

Book a Strategy Session with me here

Do you ever wonder what the phrase business lawyer actually means? Today I shed a light on what a business lawyer does, the approach I take as a business lawyer and the things I don’t do.

Firstly, I explain how a business lawyer differs from other lawyers. The areas of law are not dissimilar to medical specialities - there are different kinds of lawyers for different areas of law. If you’re buying or selling a property, you need a conveyancing lawyer, if you've injured yourself,  you need a personal injury lawyer, or if you've been charged with a criminal offence, you need a criminal lawyer. And, if you are running a small business, you need a business lawyer.

As a small business owner, you've got so much on your plate already - you're wearing all the hats and you need someone to support you on that. You need somebody to be there with you every step of the way. A business lawyer is your sounding board, your peace of mind and your advisor. They will advise you on what you need to do, what you need to know, how to do it and how to comply with your legal obligations.

I run through examples of what can come up for small businesses and the role that a business lawyer plays in helping to resolve those pain points. I also explain my approach to setting businesses up with preventative steps to ensure they avoid situations where they need to call a litigation or dispute resolution lawyer.

I am a small business lawyer who focuses on teaching you everything you need to know, supporting you to do it all and setting you up for long-term success so that your business can grow and scale in a sustainable way without coming unstuck later.

In this episode I explain:

• How a business lawyer is different from other lawyers
• How a business lawyer assists with the common conundrums and tricky situations small businesses face
• The role of a business lawyer in helping small businesses get the foundations right for long-term success
• Why I take a preventative, risk-mitigation approach
• How I work with small businesses utilising a high-touch, collaborative approach
• What to consider when choosing a business lawyer

If you’ve ever been unsure of your legal obligations and don’t know how you might go about setting your business up for long-term success, this episode is for you.

LINKS:

Previous episode mentioned:

Ep 105 - Does The Australian Consumer Law Apply To My Business?

Connect with Tracey: 

Get your copy of my Annual Legal Checklist here

Website: tmsolicitor.com.au

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tmsolicitor/

Book a Strategy Session with me here

Today I’m talking about a game changing strategy that I’ve been using in my business which is my rinse and repeat approach. This is also something that I’ve also been sharing with my clients to help them ditch the overwhelm and bring back a sense of calm into their business.

In this episode, I’m sharing exactly what the rinse and repeat approach is, why I use it in my business and the amazing benefits it brings.

There is a lot happening as we near the end of quarter one and I see a lot of business owners making decisions in reaction to all the noise and distractions that are an inevitable part of running a business. Unfortunately, this reactive state doesn’t set us up for long term sustainable success.

The rinse and repeat approach is about taking a fresh look at your business to discover what works, what doesn’t work, what you can do better and simplifying things to focus on improving your offerings and systems. I share how I do this through analysing data, taking onboard client feedback, and considering the direction of the business, my team and my vision.

Choosing to set aside distractions and trying to do all the things will bring a refreshing sense of calm to your business, no matter how busy you are. This approach helps you establish boundaries and means that you’re making decisions in a considered and calculated way that is aligned with your business.

I hope you find this episode of great value. I encourage you to look at your business with fresh eyes and take the time to analyse the data so that you can identify where you need to be spending your time, energy and money in order to create a sustainable business.

LINKS:

Connect with Tracey:

Get your copy of my Annual Legal Checklist here

Website:tmsolicitor.com.au
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/tmsolicitor/

Book a Strategy Session with me here

Over the past 20 years in my career as a lawyer, I’ve had the honour of supporting small business owners. One thing I have said time and time again is that prevention is better than cure because most of what I saw in my years working in litigation and dispute resolution could have been avoided. 

In this episode, I’m sharing 5 red flags to look out for in business which alert us to the fact that something is not right in business. These are telltale signs of things going wrong from my years of working with small business owners and if you can catch them early enough, you’ll be able to steer your business in the right direction and avoid disaster.

As I share these red flags, my goal is to help you identify areas where your business might be struggling and actionable steps you can in your business now to avoid going down the path that you don't want to go down.

Two common areas where I see warning signs popping up relate to cash flow and client satisfaction. If you have clients consistently delaying payments, asking for refunds, becoming disgruntled and complaining about workflow, these are all telltale signs that something is not right. Your business shouldn’t be operating this way and I share how these issues can be rectified by asking yourself questions, reviewing your internal processes and systems and getting your legal documents in order. 

The other area that is all too common is when business owners are overwhelmed. If you are wearing all the hats and doing all the things in your business, your business is not sustainable. I share how this issue also reflects back to the need for the right systems and processes to support your business in a way that also supports you. 

Carefully tailored legal documents and the right systems and processes in place will help you avoid these common pitfalls and set your business up for success. 

I hope this episode leaves you feeling supported and helps to highlight any areas of your business where you might need help. Don’t leave things until it's too late because the sooner you address these red flags, the better.

LINKS:

Resources mentioned:

Bouncing Back from the Brink in Business

tmsolicitor.com.au/resources

Connect with Tracey: 

Get your copy of my Annual Legal Checklist here

Website:tmsolicitor.com.au

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/tmsolicitor/

Book a Strategy Session with me here

I believe that having authenticity and being anchored to your ‘why’ in business is vital, and today I’m excited to have a conversation on how this translates to your content. I chat with Mel Daniels, a content strategist and speaker who shares her wisdom on bringing more of yourself to your content. 

Mel has always had a passion to understand why things worked like they did. Her curiosity has led her on an varied life journey from academic achiever to corporate leader, mum extraordinaire and now owner of Meld Business Solutions.

Mel’s purpose is to teach and empower women who want more from their businesses on how to use content in a powerful way. She strives to give them the confidence they need to become more visible, seen as the experts that they are and inspired to take their businesses to the next level.

When it comes to creating content, it can be so overwhelming for business owners. It’s tempting to mimic the people we see around us and follow the pack. However, the focus needs to be on showing up as our authentic selves in our own unique way. 

When we create it with purpose and in a way that feels right to us, our content becomes powerful. It resonates with our audience as we align it with our values and beliefs.

Mel believes that when it comes to content creation, it’s all about the ‘who’ and the ‘you’. Who are you speaking to? How can you bring more ‘you’ to your messaging? For a lot of people, it can be more straightforward determining the ‘who’. Mel shares her four top tips around finding the ‘you’ and getting more of yourself to shine through. 

We dive into ideas around:

• Knowing our strengths
• Being aware of the amount of time, energy and resources we have
• Letting go of all the ‘shoulds’
• Getting crystal clear on our values, beliefs and what our message is

If you’re struggling to know how to create content in an authentic way, Mel has such great advice that I know will encourage you to show up as your authentic self with confidence and ease.

LINKS:

Quiz: Unlock Your Content Creator Archetype

Connect with Mel:

Instagram: @meldbusiness

Facebook: @meldbusiness

Website:    www.meldbusinessservices.com.au 

Podcast:    https://meldbusiness.podbean.com/

Connect with Tracey: 

Get your copy of my Annual Legal Checklist here

Website:tmsolicitor.com.au

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/tmsolicitor/

Book a Strategy Session with me here

The business journey is not linear. There will always be ups and downs and times of ebb and flow. This is why it’s vital that we learn to weather the storms and have a solid foundation in place to be able to bounce back even stronger. 

If you are experiencing a challenging season right now, you are not alone and it will not be your last. A lot of business owners have been coming to me with questions about this topic and seeking my guidance on how to withstand the rough seasons. 

So today I’m sharing 3 key factors that I see consistently in the businesses that come through these challenging seasons. With these 3 core elements in place, you’ll be able to go through the rock seasons and bounce back with a real zing in your step. 

I talk about having the right support in place and how this goes hand in hand with your processes and systems. If you’re managing the sales, lead generation, conversions, onboarding and invoicing yourself, it’s likely you’re on the way to burnout. Even if you’re experiencing a decrease in revenue, the right team in place will help your business run smoothly and be able to facilitate more sales. 

Clarity is another big factor I see in businesses that are able to keep going during a lull. Anchoring to your ‘why’ and being crystal clear on who you are serving will make it so much easier to not panic during those challenging times. 

As simple as they are, if you can nail these 3 key factors in your business, you’ll be able to weather any storm that comes your way and bounce back even stronger.

LINKS:

Get your copy of my Annual Legal Checklist here

Website:tmsolicitor.com.au

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/tmsolicitor/

Book a Strategy Session with me here

In today's episode, I want to shine a light on three of the most common legal issues that I see affecting Australian business owners: risk mitigation, legal documents, and systems and processes. They might sound simple, but these are really important issues that if not addressed, can have an enormous negative impact on businesses.

The first of these legal issues is the inherent risk that comes with starting and running a business. The most effective ways to mitigate risk is through your business structure, insurance and legal documents. I’ll take you through why you need to choose the correct business structure that will suit your business, whether it’s a sole trader or a company. If you’re a sole trader, your personal assets are exposed (that includes your home and savings accounts!) so it’s absolutely vital that you consider your risk when choosing the right business structure. 

Insurance is a vital part of your risk mitigation strategy because you never know what the future will bring. We've all got insurance for our cars, homes, contents, etc. but when it comes to businesses, I don’t see enough business owners making sure they’re covered and protected for whatever tomorrow brings. 

Starting a business involves a significant amount of legal work and documentation, from registering the business to drafting contracts to protecting intellectual property and that brings us to our second issue - legal documents. It’s essential that small business owners have a good understanding of the legal requirements, have their legal documents in place and always seek professional legal advice when needed. If you don't have your documents drafted properly for your business, you’re leaving money on the table and you’re leaving yourself exposed every single time. 

Thirdly, let's talk about systems and processes. In order for a small business to operate efficiently and effectively, you need to have well-defined systems and processes in place. These include things like accounting systems, inventory management systems, and customer relationship management systems. You should take the time to carefully evaluate your business processes and identify areas that could benefit from improved systems or automation and not using DIY legals or templates. This may involve investing in new software or hardware, legal advice and documentation, or it could simply involve refining existing processes to be more efficient.

Tune in and take a moment to reflect on these three legal issues to reduce your risk, protect your business, and create a really solid foundation for growth and success. 

LINKS:

Previous episodes mentioned: 

• You DO need insurance, here’s why, with Laura Meyer

Resources mentioned:

Get your copy of my Annual Legal Checklist here

Website:tmsolicitor.com.au

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/tmsolicitor/

Book a Strategy Session with me here

I’m excited today to be joined by my very own copywriter, Rachel Rennie from Frankly Write, to discuss the importance of words in business and how to navigate the topic everyone is talking about now - ChatGPT.

As a copywriter, Rachel interacts with words on a daily basis. Her job is to craft compelling messages that engage audiences and motivate them to take action. Rachel takes us through how she creatively uses words in her copy to help sell products online without the icky feeling of being pushy or salesy.

But how does ChatGPT fit in?

ChatGPT is a tool created by OpenAI that you can keep in your toolkit to help you write your ideas. It works as an artificial intelligence (AI) language model that can generate human-like responses to text-based prompts. ChatGPT can be used for a variety of tasks, including writing, translation, and even answering questions.

From a copywriter's perspective, Rachel discusses how ChatGPT has several benefits. For one, it can help you generate ideas. If you’re stuck on a headline or a tagline, you can give ChatGPT a prompt and see what kind of responses it generates. While not all of the responses will be useful, some of them may spark an idea that you can build upon.

Another benefit of ChatGPT is that it can save you time. ChatGPT can help you automate certain tasks, such as creating product descriptions or writing social media posts. This allows you to focus on other creative and sales generating aspects of your job, such as brainstorming and engaging with clients.

While ChatGPT has many benefits, it's important to note that it's not a replacement for human creativity and expertise. ChatGPT's responses are based on the data it has been trained on, which may not always align with your brand's voice or tone. As a copywriter, it's Rachel’s job to ensure that the messaging she creates is on-brand and resonates with the intended audience.

Tune in to today’s episode to learn Rachel’s brilliant ideas about using words in your business to create a customer journey without feeling pushy and start playing around with ChatGPT to help out when you get stuck.

LINKS:

Connect with Rachel Rennie: 

Website: www.franklywrite.co.nz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frankly.write/

Get your copy of my Annual Legal Checklist here

Website:tmsolicitor.com.au
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/tmsolicitor/

Book a Strategy Session with me here

One of my favourite topics to talk about is the Australian Consumer Law and it’s a topic that a lot of small business owners ask me about. What exactly is it and does it apply to me? So, today I’m demystifying the Australian Consumer Law because it’s very likely that you’re asking some similar questions. 

In this episode, I discuss what the Consumer Law is and why it’s absolutely vital that you do everything necessary to comply with this law. Otherwise, should someone request a refund, cancellation, or worse - damages, you’ll be left wide open with no leg to stand on and unable to defend yourself. 

I explain how to go about making sure that your business complies with the Australian Consumer Law, particularly by looking at your legal documents, systems and processes and ensuring that you issue your terms and conditions at the right time in the right way. 

Regardless of what type of business you have, if you offer products or services to consumers within Australia, the Australian Consumer Law applies to you. I discuss some of the misconceptions surrounding this law and touch on what can happen if your business does not comply. 

I also talk about how compliance is for the benefit of both the consumer and you as a business owner. Knowing that you have met your legal obligations under the Australian Consumer Law will leave you in a position of strength, should the worst case scenario happen. It does happen but my hope is that it won’t happen to you if you’ve been listening to this podcast and making sure your legal documents and processes are in order. 

LINKS:

Get your copy of my Annual Legal Checklist here

Join The Legally Empowered Entrepreneur Masterclass Series here

Website:tmsolicitor.com.au

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/tmsolicitor/

Book a Strategy Session with me here

Today I’m going to talk about a topic I get asked about a lot, and that is saving money when it comes to setting up a business.

 Whether you are in the early stages of setting up a business or you have been operating your business for a while, you need to have legal structures in place to protect your business. 

It can be tempting to overlook this and direct your budget to graphic design, business coaching, copywriting, Google ads... However, skipping over your legal processes can put you at risk. 

I share the importance of ensuring your legal documents are in place and the cost effective ways you can achieve this. 

We know that cash flow is the cornerstone for every small business and that knowing and managing your money is powerful. It’s abundant, empowering and important. Money is not a dirty word. 

It’s important to analyse and scrutinise where your money is going so that you can ensure you are investing where you need to. You can then set your business up for sustainable success. 

In today’s episode, I encourage you to think long term and set things up right from the start.  Prioritising the important things will save you time and money, and you won’t regret it. 

I hope you find this insight enlightening and that it offers a new and empowering perspective for you and your business. 

LINKS:

Get your copy of my Annual Legal Checklist here

Join The Legally Empowered Entrepreneur Masterclass Series here

Website:    tmsolicitor.com.au

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tmsolicitor/

Book a Strategy Session with me here