Legal Made Easy

As online business owners in the information age, everything we sell is intellectual property. But what exactly does that mean? How can we protect our work when most of what we create is intangible? Tune in for an overview of intellectual property, including the difference between copyrights and trademarks and the steps you can take to protect your content and client work. If you want to own your...

Not sure what to focus on for your 2023 legal strategy? Tune in for a few legal areas that always need attention at the beginning of the calendar year and my best advice for planning a legal strategy that evolves with your business throughout the year. If you're an online business owner who’s ready to take the guesswork out of the legal aspects of your business, watch my free training to learn the...

If you designed your logo on Canva, you probably can't register it as a trademark. Your logo helps your customers recognize your brand, but if it was designed with a Canva template, it may not be unique enough to legally function as a trademark. It's also against Canva's policies to register a design that uses its elements as a trademark. Tune in for a discussion on the implications...

Your business name helps your business stand out and influences how your clients find you. Choosing a strong business name from the start ensures your business is unique, recognizable, and legally protected. Tune in for 3 tips to choose a business name that won't get you in trouble, won't be copied, and helps your business grow. Find the USPTO's trademark electronic search system he...

Forming an LLC is as easy as filing the paperwork... unless you're transitioning an existing business from sole proprietorship to LLC. Tune in to hear the extra steps you need to take to make sure your LLC is fully up and running when you aren't starting your business from scratch.  If you're an online business owner who’s ready to take the guesswork out of the legal aspects of your busi...

Tune in for a candid conversation about the trademark process with one of my clients, Cheryl Furer. Cheryl just successfully registered her logo and business name as trademarks! Here's what that was really like for her. If you're ready to own your brand with a registered trademark, book a call with me to get started: artfulcontracts.com/trademarks If you're an online business owner who’s...

Are you ready for Black Friday? Black Friday brings extra attention to your offers, so it's more important than ever to make sure you have the legal pieces buttoned up. Here are 3 tips to make sure you're ready for the extra attention Black Friday brings your way. We're having a huge sale for Black Friday! We're offering 5 different deals this year starting on Monday, November...

What does it really take to register a trademark? Tune in for an overview of the entire trademark registration process from choosing what to register to getting that shiny gold-sealed registration certificate. Registering a trademark is the only way to truly own your brand. We're running two trademark specials this Black Friday! Preview our Black Friday deals here: artfulcontracts.com/black-f...

What happens if someone else registers your brand as a trademark? First step: don't panic. It doesn't have to mean a rebrand. Tune in for 3 things to consider before throwing in the towel on your branding. Search for your brand name on TESS here: https://tmsearch.uspto.gov/ (remember, this only comes up with exact or super close matches!) Registering a trademark is the only way to truly...

Are there holes in the legal protections around your business? Here are 7 signs that you may need to take a closer look at the legal aspects of your business. If you're ready to patch up the holes in your legal strategy and take control of the legal aspects of your business, it's time to join Cover Your Assets. Cover Your Assets gives you the step-by-step training, templates, guides, and...

Everyone says to create an LLC, but filing the paperwork is just the first step. If you don't maintain it properly, you could completely destroy the legal wall your LLC created between you and your business (and that wall is the only thing protecting your personal money from business lawsuits). Tune in for 6 common mistakes business owners make that risk their LLC liability protection. I&apos...

I'll say it again and again: your contracts support your boundaries. But maybe that feels a little wishy-washy. This episode covers 7 concrete pieces you can add to your contracts to make your life easier when dealing with clients. Did you have these already? Are you going to add any? Send me a DM or share this episode on your IG story and tag me to let me know! instagram.com/artfulcontracts...

What is an LLC and why do you need one? How is this better than a corporation? This episode covers the 4 common types of business entities small business owners can choose from and the pros and cons of each one. If you haven't already, skip on back to episode 2 to hear the 9 Steps to Legally Protect Your Business and then head over here to download the accompanying checklist: artfulcontracts....

You know you need a 1:1 client contract... but is that it? How do you figure out what contracts you actually need? Tune in for my simple system to figure out if you actually need a contract for that. Have you caught the 3 part series yet? Head back to episode 2 to  hear the 9 Steps to Legally Protect Your Business and then head over here to download the accompanying checklist: artfulcontracts.com/...

You need money to operate your business. But you've heard you can't just use your personal money to pay your business expenses if you have an LLC... so what do you do if your business just doesn't have quite enough?  In this episode, we talk about why you can't just pay your business expenses with your personal money and what you can do to give your business a cash injection wh...

Part of the beauty of online business is the freedom and flexibility it provides. But that doesn't mean anything if we're stuck in the rigid schedule and expectations that we were always taught. Tune in to hear about a realization I had recently that really helped me understand myself and take advantage of that freedom. Your support means everything! Please subscribe on your favorite pod...

If you've ever offered a payment plan, you know how terrible it can be when someone fails out halfway through. As a business owner, are there steps we can take to limit failed payments? As a customer, what happens if you really regret signing up for the payment plan? Tune in to hear Amy's takeaways on payment plans, refund policies, and the ethics of high-ticket sales. Your support means...

What is the legal stuff, anyway? When it comes to starting and running an online business, your to-do list is always a mile long. And “take care of legal” is often left to the bottom, because, what does that even mean? Where should you start? In this episode, we’ll dive into the 6 legal areas that impact your risk and your profit in business Your support means everything! Please subscribe on your...

This is part 1 of a 3-part series that covers 9 steps to legally protect your online business. This episode will help you avoid accidentally infringing on someone else's trademark with your business name and protect your personal assets from the risks of doing business. Download the free guide accompanying this series at artfulcontracts.com/legalchecklist Your support means everything! Please...

This is part 2 of a 3-part series that covers the 9 steps to legally protect your online business. In this episode, we're covering business bank accounts, figuring out permitting and licenses for your business, and requirements for your website. Download the free guide accompanying this series at artfulcontracts.com/legalchecklist Grab your website policies templates here: artfulcontracts.com...

This episode wraps up our 3-part series about the 9 steps to legally protect your online business. Even if you skip the rest of the steps in this list, step number 7 is a must. Tune in for details on creating your client contracts, checking business insurance off your list, and landing that first (or next) client. Download the free guide accompanying this series at artfulcontracts.com/legalcheckli...

Welcome to Legal Made Easy, the show that makes the legal aspects of running an online business more accessible to everyone. I’m Amy Nesheim, licensed attorney for small business owners and founder of Artful Contracts.  My goal for this podcast is to provide legal education in your environment that empowers you to make informed decisions so you can manage the risks of doing business and protect ev...