Contracts Market

Have you added affiliate income as a revenue stream? If so, make sure you save this post and swipe these disclaimers!

You are legally required to disclose to your audience that you will receive compensation if they purchase through your link or by using your promo code.

Compensation can mean:
💰Money
%Discounts
🎁 Gifted items
💲anything else of value!

If you are posting on socials, include clear, non-abbreviated hashtags like post in your caption (not buried in the comments or even in your Hashtag sets for that matter).

If you are sending emails out with links or posting blogs, each piece of content should clearly disclose to your audience you may receive compensation. Ideally, these links should be at the top of your posts, so your audience does not need to scroll to the bottom to learn of the affiliate relationship.

If you have links on your website (or intend to in the future) having an affiliate disclosure clause in your Terms of Use is a brilliant idea 💡 This clause is standard in all of our Website Bundles!

Feel free to use these and change them up as needed. These types of disclaimers can absolutely be infused with your own personality- so long as it's clear you will receive compensation if they purchase as a result of your marketing ✌🏽

Other questions about affiliate marketing? Drop em here 👇🏽

This might surprise you 👀

But there can be some sketchy terms buried in the fine print.

AND...

It's your job to read them AND understand what you're agreeing to when you sign a contract.

I have had a few new client intake calls recently where they want to get out of a contract for one reason or another and when they read it- they sure aren't happy with what they have signed.

Not reading a contract is not a valid defence.

When you click "I accept" at check-out to the terms of an agreement or contract, that's your electronic signature and it's likely just as valid and enforceable as if you signed it in ink, ✍🏽

So please, before signing anything, read the dang fine print and have your questions answered (or terms amended!) before signing.

If you have to spend money on legal, why not spend 40% less?
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My spring sale starts Monday May 21 and will run for 1 WEEK ONLY.
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👀 40% Off Contract Bundles
👀 40% Off Website Terms + Privacy Policies
👀 30% Off Contract Templates

My lawyer-drafted, industry specific templates are easy to use - like legit you can be legally protected in under an hour.

Whether you're at:
✔️ coach
✔️ bookkeeper
✔️ OBM
✔️ Copywriter
✔️ Graphic Designer
✔️ Consultant
(I could go on and on...)

I've got you covered 💁‍♀️

So if you've been putting off using lawyer-drafted contracts in your business, what are you waiting for? (I hope it's not a client disaster 🫣)

DM me if you have any questions about contract is the right fit for your business or share this with someone who needs to hear about this 📣 ⁠

If you have US based employees or contractors in your business - you need to be aware of this important legal update ⚖️

The Federal Trade Commission (lovingly known as the FTC 😉) just banned all non-compete's for employees, contractors, volunteers and interns across the US.

This ban, which will come into effect August 2024 makes entering into new non-compete's illegal, and renders existing non-compete's unenforceable.

The intent behind this new law is to encourage free trade and stop the restriction of workers and to continue to encourage innovation, progress and entrepreneurship.

Generally speaking, the enforceability of non-compete's varies from state to state, but have been illegal in states like California for awhile. This ban across the US is expected to be challenged, but generally, I think this is a good move.

If you are in Canada, while non-compete's aren't illegal, they have been becoming harder and harder to enforce. I don't typically recommend them.

If you are worried about how this impacts your business and the next steps you need to take, send me DM or reach out to a local lawyer to you.

I've never been a fan of non-compete's in most instances - what are your thoughts on it?

If you're a bookkeeper, you get access to a lot of key information about the inner-workings of your clients' business.

You might also have had issues with clients:
😬 clients looking to you for advice that should really be given by their accountant
😵‍💫 constantly providing their monthly receipts late resulting in a bottleneck for your workflow
🫣 forgetting you have more clients than just them, and as a result having unrealistic expectations for communication and work turn-around.

If you can relate to any of these, it might be time to re-work your client contract to avoid these issues.

As a bookkeeper, it's important to also be REALLY clear about your scope of work and what you can (and more importantly, can't!) provide advice on.

A great contract can legally protect your business, client relationships AND your peace of mind.

PS thanks for your kind words and using our bookkeeping agreements for your business

Hands up if you *finally* thought of the perfect business name, only to check to see if you could grab the domain or social handle, and it's been taken already 🙋🏽‍🙋🏻‍♀️

Thinking of a name for your business is hard.

Finding one that isn't already owned by someone else... even harder.

Before you go all in on your chosen business name, here are three things you should consider:

✔️ Uniqueness & Memorability: Your business name should stand out from competitors and be easy to remember (and spell!) for potential customers or clients. Avoid generic or overly complex names that could be easily forgotten. Aim for something distinct and memorable that captures the essence of your brand. This will also help you with...

✔️Availability & Trademark: Before committing to a name, conduct comprehensive research to ensure it's legally available. Check for existing trademarks, domain availability, and similar business names. Securing the rights to your chosen name early on can prevent legal headaches later. In Canada this is called a NUANS search, and in the US, the search is done in the US Trademark database.

✔️Scalability & Flexibility: Consider the future growth of your business. Is the chosen name adaptable enough to work for future expansions or changes in your offerings? If you're thinking about developing a personal brand, using your name can be a great option, but if you want to sell it or bring on other key personnel down road, using your personal name might not be the best idea. Opt for a name that's versatile and scalable to support your brand's evolution over time.

There are a LOT of things to consider when choosing your business name, both legally, and also from a marketing perspective.

Don't make the mistake of investing in branding before you know you can actually own your brand, and stand apart from your competitors.

Let's talk about this 👆🏼

Overwhelm + Confusion = Paralysis.

But inaction will only continue to fuel your worry, and it's a vicious cycle.

There can also be real and expensive consequences by operating your business without legit contracts.

The feedback I get from service providers who start using my contract templates is an overwhelming feeling of relief mixed with "this was so easy, why didn't I do this sooner?"

So if you've been stuck in a cycle of paralysis, DM me. I can point you in the right direction, and all contract templates are able to be customized in less than an hour.

Easy, peasy.

If you're about to launch a business - or somehow started one without these contracts in place - I'm happy you found me 💁‍♀️

These are the 3 non-negotiable contracts you need in your business:

✔️ An excellent client services contract - this is your money maker, and also often the first written impression you give to your clients. Make sure your contract is well drafted, specific to your business and easy to understand. Oh, and make sure it protects your business 😉

✔️ Privacy Policy - If you have a website, you're legally required to have a privacy policy that tells people how and why you collect their data, and more. You might not know this, but its the laws where your user is based (not you!) that govern, so I recommend not DIY'ing this one.

✔️ Website Terms of Use - your terms of use set out the rules for how the general public interacts with your website. If you offer free content or digital products, it's really important you set out how people can and can't use your copyrighted works.

Want to dive a little deeper? Comment LEARN and I'll send you the link 🔗

Since it's the official working start of 2024, I thought I'd take a moment to reintroduce myself and welcome you to my corner of the internet.

My name is Jaime, and I'm the founder of and my law firm, .

I'm so happy you're here!

Some things you should know about me:

I currently live in British Columbia and while I absolutely love living amongst our coastal rain forest here, I secretly think I belong in the desert (peep my art!)

I practiced in traditional law firms and in-house for 7 years before starting Contracts Market and going the solo route. I almost left law altogether. I took some time to evaluate (I got a coaching certificate and seriously considered starting a career coaching business) and am ultimately grateful I was able to find a space in the law where I feel I can be creative and also connect and support like-minded entrepreneurs (like you!).

I love being active (trail running, x-country skiing and 💛 my ) and walking my dogs in our backyard focus in between client calls.

Although I have a love/hate relationship with social media, I genuinely love connecting with the community here! I also love speaking and educating on the legal side of business and breaking it down so it's less intimidating as well as my business journey - so if you have speaking opportunity or a podcast - let's connect!

As I ease into 2024 Q1, I'm really leaning into this things that served me well along the way: consistency, intention and routines and to-do-lists. Are you shocked I'm a Capricorn? 🐐♑️

OK enough about me - I'd love to know about you! What's your business and what's your intention for Q1? Let me know 👇🏽

Repeat after me:

"Just because I didn't read it, doesn't mean it doesn't apply to me."

In other words - you can't plead ignorance! 🫣

This applies to:

✔️ Contracts you're sent as a client
✔️ Contracts you send to your client
✔️ Terms of Use for websites you visit
✔️ Terms of Use (and licensing terms!) for products you buy, including digital products and courses
✔️ Refund and store-credit policies (a personal sword in my side right now as I try to replace my 7 year old favourite jacket to no avail (at time of posting!)

It's on you to make sure you understand what you're agreeing to before you sign. If you're not quite sure, it's a great time to reach out to a lawyer to help you navigate it. I can almost guarantee that will be more cost-effective then hiring a lawyer at the time you need to because you want to get out of the contract, or because you breached it.

Our Black Friday Sale starts Monday!

40% off all Bundles
25% off all contracts

Dm me with any questions about which contract is best for your business!

Hands up if you're like me and have a hard time asking for help? 🙋‍♀️⁠
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I often feel like I need to do it all myself and wait until I'm spiralling before I outsource.⁠
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❌10/10 don't recommend❌⁠
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BUT I've recently been a lot better in outsourcing things I just don't have the capacity or TBH, interest, in learning.⁠
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*cough*cough* bookkeeping and ads...⁠
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If you resonate with this, it might be time to audit your business to see what you're spending way too much time on (or avoiding altogether) and start looking for support. ⁠
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Let me know in the comments what you need to outsource (I might have a recommendation!) or the difference outsourcing something in your life has made to you - it might just inspire someone else to do it too ✨ 👇🏽

This is a sensitive topic, but one that is so important and often overlooked. ⁠
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My Dad recently passed away. It was unexpected and he was in a different province than me making this difficult time even more complicated to manage. ⁠
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As those who have had a loved one pass know, there is a seemingly endless list of things that have to happen and often quite quickly. ⁠
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If you don't have a Will in place naming someone as executor, then all the administrative things you need to handle become really hard to do. ⁠
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Luckily, my Dad's estate planning is something my brother and I had ensured he took care of years ago. ⁠
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For most things, I was required to show his Will naming me as executor to handle the administrative things I needed to take care of. Without this, it's likely I would have needed to get a court order to be appointed. This is not something you want to navigate when you are grieving. ⁠
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Will and corresponding powers of attorneys are not something I offer as a template. There are a few good online options for this (like ) and also excellent lawyers who can help you navigate this in advance and ensure your wishes are carried out after you pass. ⁠
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It's also important that you know where these documents are stored by your loved ones. ⁠
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A few things that helped me:⁠
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✔️ Dad's will was done and safely stored⁠
✔️ We had an idea of his wishes which had been noted and discussed in a lighthearted and fun way years ago (thanks Mum!)⁠
✔️ We had discussed where accounts were and he had kept important contacts⁠
✔️He had told us who should be contacted etc.⁠
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I am happy to chat about these things and point you in the right direction for support. My DM's and comments are open for this. It's a really important topic that gets overlooked, and I wanted to share in real time, how this has helped me and my family during this really difficult time. ⁠
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💛

This is a sensitive topic, but one that is so important and often overlooked. ⁠
⁠
My Dad recently passed away. It was unexpected and he was in a different province than me making this difficult time even more complicated to manage. ⁠
⁠
As those who have had a loved one pass know, there is a seemingly endless list of things that have to happen and often quite quickly. ⁠
⁠
If you don't have a Will in place naming someone as executor, then all the administrative things you need to handle become really hard to do. ⁠
⁠
Luckily, my Dad's estate planning is something my brother and I had ensured he took care of years ago. ⁠
⁠
For most things, I was required to show his Will naming me as executor to handle the administrative things I needed to take care of. Without this, it's likely I would have needed to get a court order to be appointed. This is not something you want to navigate when you are grieving. ⁠
⁠
Will and corresponding powers of attorneys are not something I offer as a template. There are a few good online options for this (like ) and also excellent lawyers who can help you navigate this in advance and ensure your wishes are carried out after you pass. ⁠
⁠
It's also important that you know where these documents are stored by your loved ones. ⁠
⁠
A few things that helped me:⁠
⁠
✔️ Dad's will was done and safely stored⁠
✔️ We had an idea of his wishes which had been noted and discussed in a lighthearted and fun way years ago (thanks Mum!)⁠
✔️ We had discussed where accounts were and he had kept important contacts⁠
✔️He had told us who should be contacted etc.⁠
⁠
I am happy to chat about these things and point you in the right direction for support. My DM's and comments are open for this. It's a really important topic that gets overlooked, and I wanted to share in real time, how this has helped me and my family during this really difficult time. ⁠
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💛

Happy Friday!

I secretly hope you don't see this post until Tuesday because you've looked off early for the weekend and take Monday off too, just because you can!

✌🏻☀️🕶️

📸

If you're offering a premium coaching program, make sure your contract gives a great first impression, and outlines the important legal terms of working with you. ⁠
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Our Coaching Bundle includes:⁠
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✅ Coaching Services Agreement - this is to use with your client whether you are offering 1-to-1 or Group Coaching programs⁠
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✅ Website Terms of use, Privacy Policy and Privacy Policy Checklist - set out the important details visitors to your website need to know, including how you collect, use, store and process their data. Our checklist makes it easy to ensure you've properly customized your privacy policy to your processes, and have the right tools in place for collecting consent⁠
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✅ Independent Contractor Agreement - for hiring contractors to help you in your business⁠
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✅ Non-Disclosure Agreement - to use when you want to protect important and confidential information to your business⁠
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✅ Our Template Use Guide - which guides you through customizing and implementing your new contracts into your business so you can get back to focusing on what you do best. Growing and scaling your coaching business!⁠
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Wondering if this bundle is right for you? Send me a DM and I'm happy to answer all your questions!⁠
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Love to share the love 💛⁠
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If you have a podcast, check out our podcast guest agreement. ⁠
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A lot of time, energy and resources goes into your podcast! Make sure you protect your content and set expectations for your guests!

Osa understood the assignment. ⁠
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Out there working, creating content to pay off her doggie daycare dues. ⁠
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Photo taken by 📸 Poochies Comox Valley Dog Daycare, Boarding and Training.

Fact: Spending time on your client onboarding process will increase your ROI 📈⁠
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Spending time mapping out your client onboarding process is important to ensure you are landing aligned clients (and weeding out the bad ones!), setting expectations, communicating boundaries, getting your contract signed and payment made, and streamlining the process for beginning services together. ⁠
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A good contract (obvi!) is just one of the steps!⁠
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I just posted a new blog that will help you determine whether your client onboarding process might need an upgrade. I think it will be really helpful for you, especially if you seem to be dealing with bad clients more frequently than you hoped. ⁠
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Drop a 🙌 if you love a good onboarding system too!

I think *most* business owners have dipped their toe into the AI waters.⁠
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Whether it's ChatGPT or using the features offered within the various software already integrated into your business, AI can be an effective tool to help you do some of the heavy lifting in your business!⁠
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And while I am ALL for using new technology - I also want to know how we can use it legally. ⁠
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And while this is still a murky legal area, there are a few things we do know about using AI Legally: ⁠
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✅ copyrights may be granted to a creator if the creator selected or arranged the AI- generated material in a "sufficiently creative way" (the formal guidance we received from the US Copyright office in March 2023, and Canada may follow suit!)⁠
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✅ You are ultimately responsible for fact checking the output to ensure it is accurate (AI is not a fact checker). Saying "AI did it for me" will not be a good argument, likely with your client or the courts⁠
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✅ The output may infringe on someone else's intellectual property rights and you are responsible to ensure it doesn't!⁠
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✅ The law is not going to catch up in time, so these guidelines are subject to change as legal brains and courts figure out how AI fits (or doesn't!) into the copyright legal framework⁠
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What other questions do you have about using AI in your business?

I'm really leaning into slowing down and thoughtfully moving in an intentional direction in my business rather than the reactive flurry that has somehow become my norm. ⁠
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One way I'm working on this, is carving out some time to reflect on Q1 and plan for Q2; knowing that nothing needs to be set in stone but also that with the better weather ahead (fingers crossed!) I want to make sure my systems are set up and major projects are focused on so I can enjoy more time outside!⁠
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Here are a few of the questions I'm going to be reflecting on.:⁠
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？Did the changes I made in Q1 make me feel more aligned with where I want my business to grow?⁠
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？Where was my money best invested in Q1?⁠
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？Did I carve out enough focused time to work on projects that will move my business forward? ⁠
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？What do I want to focus on and complete in Q2?⁠
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？How can I improve my systems to plan for and enjoy the better weather days ahead?⁠
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Is this kind of quarterly reflection something you practice? What specifically are your reflecting on before moving into Q2?⁠
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We've all had them, but that doesn't mean it has to become the norm! ⁠
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I'm talking about bad clients. ⁠
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Here are a few ways to avoid them:⁠
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✅ Screen potential clients before taking them on⁠
✅ Set clear expectations from the start⁠
✅ Avoid clients who constantly negotiate on pricing⁠
✅ Steer clear of clients who make unreasonable demands and who have unrealistic goals or expectations for the results you're going to provide. ⁠
✅ Say no to clients who disrespect your time or expertise⁠
✅ As always, trust your gut – if something feels off, it probably is.⁠
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Remember, as a business owner, you have the power to choose who you work with. Consider your last bad experience with a client, and consider how you can adjust your intake processes (including your contract!) to help set your client relationships up for success.

Love to end the week on a high note!⁠
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"Purchasing the Website Terms and Privacy Bundle from Contracts Market elevates my business to a whole new level. I feel so much more comfortable knowing my work is protected"⁠
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If you've been on the fence about whether you need to be using better contracts in this business, take this as your sign from the universe ✨