The Conscious Counsel Podcast

A lot of wellness practitioners love what they do.   They just do not love marketing it.   In this episode, Cory sits down with Michelle Grasek, founder of Marketing Education for Acupuncturists, to talk about how health and wellness professionals can become more visible without forcing themselves into marketing strategies that feel uncomfortable or inauthentic.   Why This Matters Many acupuncturi...

Most studio owners spend years thinking about how to grow their business.   Far fewer think about what happens when it is time to leave it.   In this episode, Cory sits down with Mitch McGinley, Founder and CEO of Boutique Fitness Broker, to talk about something many wellness entrepreneurs rarely discuss: selling the business you built.   Mitch knows the process firsthand. He and his wife bought a...

Holistic practitioners often start with a gift, a passion, and a desire to help.   But building a sustainable practice requires more than being good at your modality.   In this episode, Cory sits down with Andrew Slater from FOYHT to talk about community, business support, practitioner networking, and why holistic health professionals need the right people around them as they grow.   Why This Matt...

The way you see yourself shapes the way you show up in your business.   If you believe you are “bad at tech,” “not good at sales,” or “not the kind of person who follows through,” those identity statements can quietly limit what you allow yourself to build.   In this episode, Cory sits down with Dr. Kim Foster, author, TEDx speaker, and doctor turned entrepreneur, to talk about self-image psycholo...

Generic legal documents might look fine when everything is going well.   But when a complaint, dispute, injury, or investigation happens, the first question is almost always the same: what does the signed contract say?   In this episode, Cory shares a serious client story involving a licensed therapist offering separate coaching services without customized legal documents clearly explaining the di...

Concussion care is more complex than most people realize.   For many patients, recovery is not as simple as resting for a few days and returning to normal life.   In this episode, Cory sits down with Natasha Wilch, founder of Concussion Nerds and host of the Concussion Nerds podcast, to talk about complex concussion care, clinical mentorship, and why better training for healthcare professionals ca...

A lease is not just another business document.   For many wellness businesses, it is the biggest expense they will take on — and one of the most important contracts they will ever sign.   In this episode, Cory shares a real client story involving a Georgia studio, a 10-year lease, a $150,000 build-out, and several lease terms that could have created major problems if they were not reviewed before...

Some of the most valuable work you do may be happening outside the “official” session.   For massage therapists, bodyworkers, coaches, trainers, and service-based wellness professionals, the conversations before and after the appointment often carry real transformation — but many practitioners give that time away for free.   In this episode, Cory sits down with Laura Wieck, founder of Body Mind Co...

AI can help you create content faster.   But if AI creates your programs, manuals, trainings, or written materials, one major legal question comes up: do you actually own the copyright?   In this episode, Cory shares a real client story involving AI-created teacher training materials, copyright uncertainty, and why contracts may be the best way to protect your business while the law continues to e...

Coaching is changing fast.   With AI making information, templates, and formulas easier to access than ever, the real value of coaching is no longer just knowledge.   In this episode, Cory sits down with Josh Biro, owner of Artha Coaching and one of Cory’s own business coaches, to talk about where the coaching industry is headed and what wellness entrepreneurs should actually look for in a coach....

Trying to save money on legal can feel smart in the moment.   But when something goes wrong, DIY legal work can become much more expensive than doing it properly from the start.   In this episode, Cory shares two real client stories involving a failed DIY trademark application and a self-drafted licensing agreement that left a wellness business exposed.   Why This Matters Legal documents are not j...

The wellness space is getting louder.   More practitioners are leaving conventional medicine, more people are starting their own businesses, and consumers are becoming more careful about who they trust.   In this episode, Cory sits down with Danielle Kepics, founder of Empowered Medicine and host of Strong and Unfiltered, to talk about standing out, building confidence, charging properly, and stay...

AI is changing the way wellness businesses create content. But when AI helps create your programs, manuals, trainings, or written materials, one major legal question comes up: can that content actually be protected? In this episode, Cory shares a real client story involving AI-created training materials, copyright uncertainty, and why contracts may be the best way to protect your business while th...

Great fitness businesses are not built by accident.   They are built with clear values, strong systems, intentional leadership, and pricing that actually supports the business.   In this episode, Cory sits down with Mark Fisher, Co-Founder of Business for Unicorns, to talk about gym growth, culture, owner burnout, raising prices, and what it really takes to build a fitness business that works.   W...

Your studio waiver may not protect every event you run.   If you offer services outside your normal space, your legal documents need to reflect the actual location, activities, risks, and relationships involved.   In this episode, Cory shares a real client story involving a yoga event in a public space, an injury, and the legal problems that came up because the waiver and venue agreement did not m...

Money mindset affects more than your bank account.   It shapes how you price your services, how you talk about money, how you make decisions, and how confidently you grow your wellness business.   In this episode, Cory sits down with Kristen Ricupero, founder of Financial Fitness Coaching and certified Profit First Professional, to talk about the money stories that hold health and wellness entrepr...

This episode marks the first-ever guest interview on the Conscious Counsel Podcast.   Cory sits down with Len Fridman, Co-Founder and CEO of WellnessLiving, to talk about what thriving wellness businesses are doing differently right now — from finding their niche, to improving the customer experience, to using AI for retention and growth.   Why This Matters Wellness businesses are evolving quickly...

https://www.consciouscounsel.ca/47-updating-client-contractsYour business changes over time.   Your contracts should change with it.   In this episode, Cory explains when clients need to re-sign agreements, why outdated contracts create legal gaps, and how one gym’s old COVID-era membership terms led to a refund issue years later.   Why This Matters When your pricing, refund policy, cancellation t...

A lot of studios have waivers and membership agreements.   But very few have a clear sexual misconduct policy.   In this episode, Cory shares real stories involving studio owners dealing with inappropriate member behavior, uncomfortable community situations, and the legal risks of not having clear policies in place.   Why This Matters Without written behavioral expectations, studio owners may stru...

A lot of wellness entrepreneurs think insurance is enough.   But what happens when your policy doesn’t actually cover the situation you’re facing?   In this episode, Cory shares a real story about reviewing a retreat organizer’s insurance policy and discovering major gaps that could leave the business owner personally exposed.   Why This Matters Insurance and legal agreements work together — not s...

Templates might seem easier upfront—but they can become very expensive later.   In this episode, Cory shares a real story about a studio owner who used a templated operating agreement, only to face major legal and financial consequences years later when the business partnership broke down.   Why This Matters Your agreements should reflect your actual business relationships—not generic assumptions....

Most waivers aren’t the problem—it’s what they don’t include that creates risk.   In this episode, Cory shares a real story from a community event where a participant was injured—and why the waiver didn’t fully protect the business.   Why This Matters A waiver only works if it clearly covers the actual activities, risks, and environment. If something happens outside what’s written, your protection...

What you say before someone signs up matters more than most people realize.   In this episode, Cory shares two real client stories that highlight how simple miscommunication—or unclear promises—can lead to refunds, disputes, and serious legal consequences.   Why This Matters If someone enters into a contract based on something you said—and it turns out to be untrue or misleading—that agreement can...

Not all legal risks show up inside your studio.   Some of the biggest ones are now happening on your website.   In this episode, Cory breaks down a major shift in how the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) is being applied—and why wellness business owners are now responsible for making their online platforms accessible.   Why This Matters The ADA used to apply to physical spaces like studios an...

You might think that because you created your training… you own it.   But legally, that’s not always true.   In this episode, Cory shares a real client story where a studio owner lost control of their own training materials—simply because there was no signed agreement.   Why This Matters If you collaborate with someone and don’t have a contract in place, the law may automatically give them ownersh...