Rise Up In Business

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever agreed to work with a client despite your gut screaming “No”? I have, and it didn’t end well. Today I’m sharing a story that my clients have asked for again and again – my worst client experience ever.  I’m not just complaining or airing grievances, I’m talking about the impact this experience had on how I approach my business and, more importantly, how I choose my c...

Send us Fan Mail The delivery of a premium client experience is not a set and forget process - it’s something that takes continuous work.  While I’ve personally learnt a lot about the client journey throughout the years, I still ensure that I’m putting energy into refining my approach day by day.  Someone who shares this ethos of putting the client front and centre is Marcus Syversten, a soul-led...

Send us Fan Mail I work with a lot of creative business owners and even though my clients span numerous industries, I’ve noticed some common legal issues for coaches, creatives and consultants that leave them vulnerable.  1. Scope Creep If I had a dollar for every time I've spoken to a creative client about the pain points they face due to scope creep, I'd be a wealthy woman. Scope creep...

Send us Fan Mail Our interactions are becoming more digital every day.  For many of us in business, this means transacting in a digital or electronic way with our clients.  A question I'm asked all the time by my clients is whether having their clients sign their agreements electronically is legal. Today, I’m diving into this topic and explaining the differences between digital and electronic...

Send us Fan Mail DIY is for Bunnings, not legals. I say this for good reason: the amount of business owners using templates in order to save money is more than a little eye-watering.  I understand that with all the costs involved in running a business, there’s a certain allure to the convenience and cost-effectiveness of legal templates. But trust me, after over 12 years as a litigator, I've...

Send us Fan Mail Think back to when you started your business. I bet you were full of excitement, and nervousness.  So maybe, like a lot of people, you looked around at successful businesses and decided to follow their lead. It makes sense, I mean if it’s working for them, it should work for you too, right? Wrong. When you look at another business, you’re only seeing the surface. Even if things lo...

Send us Fan Mail Adrenal fatigue, poor health, burnout - three struggles that many female business owners, including myself, are all too familiar with. If you’re a woman in business, it’s likely you’ll have experienced one - or all - of these symptoms of hustle culture. The question is, why do we accept the pressure of working ourselves into the ground as the norm?  It’s been a long time coming, b...

Send us Fan Mail When it comes to topics I talk about regularly, I often assume that everyone has already heard me say it. There are insights and ideas I speak on often not just with my clients, but also on the podcast. However, the truth is, when we’re sharing content, not everyone catches every piece.  So today, I’m thrilled to share five key things you should know about me before we work togeth...

Send us Fan Mail Today on the podcast, I’m thrilled to welcome Sofia Bernardi, a mindset and business coach known for her refreshing honesty and dedication to helping her clients. In our conversation, Sofia shares invaluable insights into her journey, the importance of mindset in business and the frequent pitfalls coaches encounter when focusing on scaling their businesses. Voted as one of the top...

Send us Fan Mail Competition in business isn't necessarily a negative thing. In fact, it's a crucial aspect of the marketplace. Clients and consumers deserve choices, and honest and good faith competition is something I genuinely believe in.  Knowing who your competitors are and staying informed about industry trends is wise. It’s just good business - and being aware of what others are d...

Send us Fan Mail Coaching can be an immensely valuable service for a business owner. Over the years, I've had some fantastic experiences with coaches who made a significant impact on my business journey. However, as the coach, it's crucial to make sure that you are running your business with an unwavering commitment to risk mitigation.  If you’re a long-time listener, you would have hear...

Send us Fan Mail Since launching my business I’ve seen business growth play out in many different ways. Sometimes it’s fantastic, with businesses taking off and flourishing. However, sometimes it doesn’t end so well. Some businesses have folded, others have suffered considerable losses—both financially and in terms of infrastructure. So, why does this happen? When growth occurs too quickly it beco...

Send us Fan Mail Every now and then on the podcast, we reach out to our community to ask what you would like to hear from us. In today's episode, I address a question from one of our long-time listeners: What are my favourite legal documents to design?  Today I’m diving into one of the aspects of my work that truly sets my soul on fire—drafting client service agreements for small business own...

Send us Fan Mail I've noticed that I have the same recurring conversations and answer similar questions from my creative clients. So today I’m revealing the answers in one spot so you too can know the legal secrets that every creative entrepreneur must know.  The Power of Tailored Client Service Agreements Your client service agreements, when customised for your unique business, can be the mo...

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, we're exploring one of the most complex and controversial issues in employment law: restraint of trade clauses in employment contracts. I'm diving into this because in the small business circles in which I operate, there's a lot of discussion around whether or not restraint clauses are valid and whether we can have them.  It has also become...

Send us Fan Mail This week's podcast episode is one I’ve been planning to record for a while, and it's finally time to share it with you. I've been working for some time on how to articulate in a really succinct and clear way how it is I do what I do when working with my clients, and how it is I create legal documents that work for small business owners. Now, if you’ve been listenin...

Send us Fan Mail Intellectual property (IP) is a term you often hear in the world of creative businesses. I've observed that many business owners have a general understanding of IP but they don’t necessarily comprehend how to protect it effectively. That’s what I’m going to shed light on today so that you can understand what intellectual property means for your creative business and what you...

Send us Fan Mail Unfair contract terms is a phrase you may have heard, but understanding this concept as a small business owner is more pressing now than ever before. In the past, small businesses were exempt from certain regulations regarding contract fairness. However, as of November last year, this is no longer the case. New legislation has made it critical for small businesses to ensure their...

Send us Fan Mail As an interior designer, you translate a client's dream space into reality. You meticulously curate elements, organise renovations, and breathe life into functional and beautiful environments.  But amidst the mood boards and material selections, a crucial element often gets sidelined: the legal foundation that safeguards your creative vision and protects your design business....

Send us Fan Mail One topic that has been coming up a lot lately with my interior design clients in particular is commission payments and referral fees. If you are considering a referral arrangement or perhaps you already have an affiliate relationship in place, there are certain considerations you need to keep in mind. Commission Payments vs. Referral Fees Commission payments and referral fees are...

Send us Fan Mail As someone who has been practising law for quite some time, you can imagine I’ve gotten a lot of questions over the years like: “what's it like to be a lawyer? Is it like Suits, LA Law, The Good Wife ?” Sadly, it’s not quite that sexy or entertaining - and really not that dramatic. That's not to say that we can't take inspiration and little nuggets of gold along the...

Send us Fan Mail Did you know that the current small business failure rate is 36% above the average? It’s the worst it’s been in 11 years and the estimate is that ten thousand businesses will close down this financial year.  It’s a concerning trend, and we cannot ignore this. I don’t want to scare anyone with this episode, I  want to equip you with the knowledge to safeguard your business. As I’ve...

Send us Fan Mail In business, unforeseen challenges can arise at any moment and in my years working in dispute resolution, most of what I saw in the courtroom could have been avoided. With never ending to-do lists, getting legal documents in order is a task that often gets buried under a pile of other demands . Unfortunately, this neglect leaves businesses completely exposed without a leg to stand...

Send us Fan Mail The process of engaging a business lawyer can feel a little daunting for business owners. You don’t know what you don’t know and it can be difficult to know where to start. How do you know if someone is the right fit for you and your business?  Your relationship with your business lawyer is a significant one for the health of your business so this is something you want to get righ...

Send us Fan Mail Today’s episode is very special for me, as we’ve just celebrated our 5 year business birthday! It's been a wild ride, but one of the absolute best things I've ever done.  As I’ve been reflecting on all that I’ve learned so far, I thought I would share the 5 key lessons I’ve learned with you, so you have the best chance at success in your own business 1. Who You Surround...