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If you have an agreement with anyone worth any amount of money you see as important, you better put it in a written contract. If you don t how will you ever enforce it if it goes wrong? If you don’t put it in writing, it will be difficult to get your money if your client doesn t pay. You see, it is very difficult to prove what you agreed to if you didn t put it in writing. That is what we understand to be a contract. But, did you know that, legally, contract” has two different meanings. A contract is an agreement between two parties where the obligations are enforceable by law. A contract is also the writing which sets out the agreement between the parties. In this episode, we are going to talk about contracts and what makes one. The goal is to help you understand how contracts impact your business and help you see them more clearly to know when to protect yourself. In this 22 minute episode we will cover: Contract Element #1: Offer Contract Element #2:  Acceptance Contract Element #3: Meeting of the Minds Contract Element #4: Consideration BONUS : Legal Purpose and Competence of the Parties Show Notes and Referenced Content: Episode 52: Creative Legal for Your Customer Agreements (Waiver Episode) Elements of a Contract When Your Contract Should be in Writing Contracts are How We Define Business Highlighted Topics: Legal to English Academy Free Membership Legal to English on Facebook Josh on Twitter Listen to Legal to English with Josh Andrews Below: The post Episode 57: The Four Elements of a Contract appeared first on Legal to English.

For the past several years, I have been working hard on my mission to make sure every entrepreneur and business owner has access to quality information on legal. I have focused on creating free resources, with Legal to English Academy, I am building DIY resources and options, and of course, I offer custom legal services to my clients. My goal with the free resources and low-cost DIY resources is to educate entrepreneurs to understand the legal needs they have in their business. But if you are going to trust me. If you are going to listen to what I have to say and take action based on the resources and information I offer, you need to know what I believe as a lawyer. You need to know how I believe legal works with your business to help you grow. I think it is important, if you are going to trust me with the legal protection of your business that you know more about how I believe legal should work with your business. In this episode, we are going to talk about my thoughts and beliefs. In this 25 minute episode we will cover: Value #1: Business Must Be Authentic Value #2:  Business Must be Scalable Value #3: Business Must be Fair Value #4: Businesses Must Resolve Disputes Amicably BONUS : My Take on Litigation Show Notes and Referenced Content: Building Systems to Develop Your Mission Your Operating Agreement Can Spread Your Vision Intentional Transformation | Thoughts on TEDx Birmingham Jim Cavale on Developing Your Business Purpose Episode 49: How Legal Should Influence Your Business Systems Highlighted Topics: Legal to English Academy Free Membership Legal to English on Facebook Josh on Twitter Listen to Legal to English with Josh Andrews Below: The post Episode 56: The Business Values That Drive My Content appeared first on Legal to English.

People make excuses about legal. A lot. Whether it is too expensive or doesn t matter yet or you plan to get to it later, the reasons you have for avoiding legal are just excuses. The problem is, many people believe what they are saying. What is worse – many business consultants and coaches help perpetuate these myths by spreading the myths. Legal is such an important part of getting a business started. It is just as important as figuring out your budget or understanding your sales cycle. Legal is the way you protect your business as you get started and the way that you stay in business when things get tough. In this episode, we need to dispel some legal myths for the entrepreneur. In this 30 minute episode we will cover: Myth #1: I ll just get started with my business and then talk to a lawyer when I am ready to get serious. Myth #2:  I am just a small business and legal is expensive and won t really affect my business Myth #3: My cousin is a lawyer, I ll just ask him when I need something Myth #4: I could save time and money by just using a template from one of those sites online. Myth #5: I have more important things to do, I don t have time to think about legal. Show Notes and Referenced Content: Episode 49: How Legal Should Influence Your Business System Episode 50: Not Controlling Your Legal Means Someone Else Is Episode 51: 4 Legal Essentials Your Small Business Needs Highlighted Topics: Legal to English Academy Free Membership Legal to English Academy Premium Membership Legal to English on Facebook Josh on Twitter Listen to Legal to English with Josh Andrews Below: The post Episode 55: Dispelling Legal Myths for the Entrepreneur appeared first on Legal to English.

The Limited Liability Company (or LLC) is a hybrid entity. It combines the limited liability of the corporate structure with the benefits of being treated as a partnership. Because of that, the LLC has come to be the most common entity selection among startups, small or large, because of its simplicity and its flexibility. I talk about all the time how it is almost impossible to mess up the formation of your LLC. Especially if it is just you. Just because the LLC is simple and easy to maintain, does not mean that legal compliance will happen without paying attention to your LLC. Once you have your LLC formed, you still need to make sure you are doing everything you are supposed to and that your LLC will actually protect you when you need it. In this episode, we talk about a few of the legal issues you may encounter with your LLC. Some of these are specific to Alabama (where I practice, but will give you some insight into where to look for your own state). In this 30 minute episode we will cover: Getting an FEIN for Your Business Why separating your business assets into a new bank account matters The steps you need to go through when you are starting your business including: FEIN Locating your office space Business Licenses Annual Meetings and Minutes The Alabama BPT-IN which is due after formation of your business What contracts you need before you start offering products or services to sell Show Notes and Referenced Content: Negotiating Commercial Leases Legal to English Dictionary: FEIN Simplicity and Flexibility | The Limited Liability Company Is an LLC Right for Your Startup? Legal Issues with an Alabama LLC Starting Your Business – Choosing an Entity Forming an Entity at the End of the Year Episode 51: 4 Legal Essentials to Get Your Business Started Episode 52: Creative Legal for Your Customer Agreements 5 Reasons Your Contract Won’t Help You Collect Contracts are How We Define Business How to Make Your Legal Terms Enforceable Independent Contractors – The IRS Wants You to Get it Wrong What to Do When It’s Time to Hire Your First Employee Compliance programs for Your Business How Compliance Programs Protect Your Business Progressive Discipline for Employees Highlighted Topics: Legal to English Academy Free Membership Startup 101 Listen to Legal to English with Josh Andrews Below: The post Episode 54: Legal Items for a Startup appeared first on Legal to English.

User comments. Forum Posts. User questions. Uploaded audio files. Fan Art. Guest Posts. We all want them on our site. They are what drive the community. That type of user generated content is a huge leap in validation of your ideas or your product. The question is: who owns them? This episode is pulled from Startup 101, which is a free course available to Members of legal to English Academy.  If you are interested in learning more, or in getting the PDF download that goes with this lesson, you can grab a free membership to Legal to English Academy and download it and check out the rest of the lessons in context. In this 20 minute episode, we will cover: Copyright and how it is owned What it means when others create content on your platform How to get the rights without the liability How to protect yourself from someone else s copyright infringement How to get a license to use content however you see fit Show Notes and Referenced Content: Episode 38: How Legal Fits in Your Business – An Exercise to Find Out Who Owns User Generated Content Highlighted Topics: Legal to English Academy Free Membership Startup 101 Listen to Legal to English with Josh Andrews Below: The post Episode 53 – An Often Overlooked Copyright Issue for Online Business appeared first on Legal to English.

If you are in a business that offers any type of service where an individual could be harmed or hurt, I am sure you are familiar with waivers. In fact, I am sure you have to deal with waivers all the time. You are always looking for a good way to handle your waivers. A good way to store your waivers. And a good way to make them work for you when you need them. There are apps and all kinds of options available for your waivers. But, that isn t the big picture. The waiver is only a small part of the relationship between your business and a customers. The waiver only helps you if something happens to them when they are using your facilities or services. The waiver makes sure they understand the inherent risks and dangers and that they are not doing anything or on anything that could create an issue. It is about informed consent. It protects you if they are harmed because of something they did. This is a moving part. BUT, so often that is where businesses stop in the contractual relationship with the customer. I see a lot of businesses do what their industry does when it comes to legal. And that can be good. At least, it can be a good start. In some instances, the industry standard legal things that you see aren t all that is there, it is just what everyone notices. In this episode, we will discuss how to go deeper and think about creative legal. We will discuss how to plan to go a little further in your legal than the obvious and how, with some creativity, you can make sure your business is protected without overburdening your sales system. In this 16 minute episode, we discuss: How to think deeper about the legal needs of your business How industry standards are an opportunity to take control of your legal How creative legal can help you protect your business What types of issues you may need to consider in your business Why it is important to go deeper in your business planning to protect your business for growth Referenced and Useful Content: Episode 50: Not Controlling Your Legal Means Someone Else Is Highlighted Topics: Legal to English Academy Listen to Legal to English with Josh Andrews below: The post Episode 52: Creative Legal for Your Customer Agreements appeared first on Legal to English.

Let s be honest, if you want to know about the legal issues in your business, it can feel like drinking from a firehose. And, there is a reason for that. Everything that happens in your business is impacted by legal. It can be complicated. But, so is running a business. And, all of your legal issues don t happen all at once. You can build a legal foundation, just like you build everything else in your business. You can t ignore it, but you can take it slowly. Build a foundation that is sustainable and continue to improve your legal protections over time. In this episode, we will talk about four legal essentials to help you get your business started. In this 30 minute episode, we discuss: You Need a Legal Entity Why You Should Separate Your Business and Personal Money Documenting Your Business Relationships How to Know What Relationships You Have in Your Business Why You Need to know where to get your legal Answers Referenced and Useful Content: Episode 50: Not Controlling Your Legal Means Someone Else Is Episode 1: Limited Liability – How the Wealthy Stay That Way Episode 38: How Legal Fits in Your Business – An Exercise to Find Out Three Pillars of Your Firm Foundation – Handout Episode 49: How Legal Should Influence Your Business Systems Highlighted Topics: Legal to English Academy Startup 101 Form Your Alabama LLC Listen to Legal to English with Josh Andrews below: The post Episode 51: 4 Legal Essentials Your Small Business Needs appeared first on Legal to English.

Everything that happens in your business is impacted by legal. It can be complicated. But, it doesn t have to happen all at once. If you want to protect your business, you must take control of your legal. Otherwise, someone else will be in control. If you take the time to understand and implement legal strategies and protections, you will be one step further to building a business that is sustainable and won t crumble at the first sign of trouble. You will have a business built on a firm foundation. In this episode, we discuss what happens when you don t take control of your legal. Legal matters in your business. You can either control it s impact or see what happens. Entrepreneurs may be risk takers, but they are not gamblers. Understanding how legal impacts your business relationships is essential to developing a business with a firm foundation. In this 17 minute episode, we discuss: How not making legal decisions in your business is making legal decisions How not choosing an entity before you start is How not putting your contractual relationships in writing is making a choice to rely on what the law says about your relationship Some of the legal issues you may want to consider with your legal relationships How not taking control of your legal can cost you your business Referenced and Useful Content: LTE Dictionary: Sole Proprietorship LTE Dictionary: Partnership Limited Liability: How the Wealthy Stay that Way Highlighted Topics: Legal to English Academy Listen to Legal to English with Josh Andrews below: The post Episode 50: Not Controlling Your Legal Means Someone Else Is appeared first on Legal to English.

Business systems and legal should work together.  Legal impacts every aspect of your business. Every decision you make in business is impacted in some way by legal. Your relationships are impacted by legal, your transactions are impacted by legal. So, it isn t a stretch to think that your systems should be impacted by legal. Are you building your business processes to work with your legal? Is the development of your sales contract an integral part of the development of your sales system? If the two are not working together, neither of them may work at all. If your sales system doesn t speak to the contract your clients will sign, your contract may be completely worthless because of something you or your sales staff say during the sales process. If your contract isn t influenced by your sales system, then the legal may kill the deal. Legal isn t something that fits on top of the business systems that work in your business. Legal is an integral part of your business. In this 24 minute episode, we discuss: How legal should be integrated into your systems early How your contract should influence your contract How to think about legal issues in your system development Why systems influenced by legal can help your business weather the storms How legal is like vitamins in your business How business systems isn t only for businesses that plan to scale and grow Referenced and Useful Content: John Burdett on Practical Business Processes Your Systems and Your Legal Should Work Together Building Systems to Develop Your Mission Use Your Strengths in Your Business Systems $100 MBA Show – A Business Podcast I Recommend Highlighted Topics: Legal to English Academy Listen to Legal to English with Josh Andrews below: The post Episode 49: How Legal Should Influence Your Business Systems appeared first on Legal to English.

We have talked before about how you should protect your business name or whatever trademark you will be using in your business. We have also talked about protecting your trademark and understanding infringement. But, a question that comes up that often confuses business owners (especially in the early stages) is how do you protect your trademark before you have launched? Of course, as we have talked about before, using proper symbols are a good start in protecting your trademark prior to filing an application. But, if you haven t launched yet, how do you protect your trademark? You see, you can only protect a trademark that is used in commerce . So, that means, it is more cumbersome to secure a trademark before you launch. In an application (that is a FEDERAL application), you are required to show “use in commerce”. That means, you must show how you use your mark in commerce in your application. The same is true even if you aren t filing a registration for your trademark. It must be used in commerce or it ISN T a TRADEMARK. If you aren t offering anything, you aren t using it in commerce. So, how do you protect your idea in the early stages. In this 27 minute episode, we discuss: When it makes sense to use Nondisclosure Agreements How to put your trademark in commerce before you launch How to start the trademark registration process before you have used your trademark in commerce A tip for how to avoid extra expense in filing your trademark application early Referenced and Useful Content: Guide to Intellectual Property Trademark Registration Episode 41: Is Your Trademark Merely Descriptive Episode 37: Glad to Be Back – Let’s Protect Your trademark Should I Trademark My Business Name Trademark Symbols | What They Mean and When to Use Them Company Name as Trademark What is Trademark Infringement? Levels of Trademark Protection Trademark versus Service Mark Highlighted Topics: Legal to English Academy Free Membership Listen to Legal to English with Josh Andrews below: The post Episode 48: How to Protect Your Trademark Before You Launch appeared first on Legal to English.

A trademark is a word, phrase, or other graphic symbol used to show the source of goods or products. We have talked before about the difference between a service mark and a trademark. It is common to use the term trademark to cover both because the legal concept of using intellectual property to show the […] The post Trademark Symbols | What They Mean and When to Use Them appeared first on Legal to English.

In this episode, Cord Sachs of Fireseeds sits down with me (in person!). Cord Sachs is a leader of leaders. He is someone who understands his calling in life and uses it to impact people and businesses everywhere. He took the time to sit down with me and share some very important information that will […] The post Developing Your Leaders to Multiply Your Leaders appeared first on Legal to English.

In this episode, we learn about John Burdett’s story. John is the founder of Fast Slow Motion. John has quite a resume and he understands how to build business processes for bootstrapped startups all the way to venture backed ventures. John understands what it takes to make a business to run in all circumstances. John […] The post John Burdett on Practical Business Processes appeared first on Legal to English.

In this episode we learn more about Jim Cavale’s journey as an entrepreneur. Jim is the Chief Operating Officer of Iron Tribe Fitness. We talk about building teams and building businesses. Jim tells us how, as an entrepreneur, you need to put systems in place. Your first goal should not be to do everything yourself […] The post Jim Cavale on Aligning Your Business Purpose With Your Success appeared first on Legal to English.

In our discussion this week, we focus on the buy-sell agreement and how to fund the buy-sell agreement. We also go deeper into why you want a buy-sell agreement and why you need to cover certain issues in your buy-sell agreement. Today’s conversation is on how you can protect your business from the personal lives […] The post Protecting Your Business Legacy with a Buy-Sell Agreement appeared first on Legal to English.

The amazing thing about any kind of TED event is that each person attending views it through a different lens. TEDx Birmingham was no different. I am not a native of Birmingham, but I am a native of Alabama. I love the Magic City. I met my wife here. I studied here. Twice. I started […] The post Transforming Your Business with Intent | Thoughts from TEDx Birmingham appeared first on Legal to English.

Tony Summerville joins us to talk about when it is time to convert your bootstrapped LLC to a corporation. Tony is the founder and CEO of Fleetio. Tony has been working in technology for quite some time before taking the plunge to start his own company. Tony has really thought through why he made the […] The post The Why of Conversion of an LLC to a Corporation with Tony Summerville appeared first on Legal to English.

We talk about business a lot. We talk about the legal that affects your business everyday. As I am sure you know, there are a number of reasons to start a business. Many decisions, legal included, are affected by the purpose of having the business. When you are dealing with a startup, you have to […] The post Equal Equity, Unequal Investment – Solving the Funding Problem appeared first on Legal to English.

I don’t know if you heard about it, but last week a store opened in LA called “Dumb Starbucks”. Turns out, it was a stunt by Nathan Fielder, a comedian with a show on Comedy Central. Nathan Fielder’s show is all about giving terrible advice to small businesses. Starbucks did not make much of a […] The post Dumb Starbucks – What You Can Do About Trademark Copycats appeared first on Legal to English.

This is a special newsletter edition. This content is from the newsletter that goes out every Friday morning. Like what you read? Join the conversation for free! So, I have been watching the AMC show Breaking Bad  for the past couple of weeks. Watching isn’t the best way to describe it. I have never moved […] The post Better Call Saul…But Don’t Forget to Pay Him appeared first on Legal to English.