The first question I get from my one-person business owner clients is usually about business entity. Can they keep running their business as a sole proprietorship, or do they need to form an LLC or S-Corporation? So here’s an infographic I just created (using Piktochart), if you’re thinking about staying a sole proprietor, to give [...]
No Opt-In Required: 5 Reasons to Give Away Your Best Stuff
Over the years, I’ve created tons of free stuff (53+ different classes, videos, audio interviews, and pdf’s) where you get them only after you sign up for my email newsletter. It’s a classic internet marketing strategy to build a list, and I’ve used it to get thousands of people. And yep, I’m still using it [...]
Is it more “spiritual” to shake hands, than to sign a contract?
Recently I read a blog post about someone who doesn’t sign any contracts – with business partners, joint venture partners, employees, or contractors. They just “shake hands” – as if that is somehow more spiritual or honorable than drafting a (scary? icky? overly-formal? long? non-soulful?) contract. This is a *huge* pet peeve for me. But [...]
Can You Get Sued for Sharing that Viral Photo on Facebook?
On the EPW Small Business Law PC Facebook Page, Liz asked: “What about posting/using all those snazzy quotes with images that you see shared by friend on Facebook? Some will have an originating website (and I wonder if they own the images, many use quotes and attribute the quote author but not the image creator) [...]
On Trolls, Unsolicited Criticism, and Being “Unprofessional”
On LinkedIn today I received a message about my profile picture. Someone I didn’t know stated that since I was going back to practicing law, I should get a more formal, professional profile picture. Just sayin’ After considering the source (aka checking out his “web 2.0 expert” profile), snarking to my BFF, and asking Facebook [...]
Do You Sell Products or Services in Another Country? Welcome to the Legal Morass of International Business
Now that we all have email, websites, Paypal, Skype and e-books, it’s easy to find yourself selling your products and services outside not only your local state/province, but also outside your country. Not only does this make it logistically more complicated (merchant accounts tend to freak out) – but there are major legal complexities you [...]
Who Owns Your Content? What You Give Away When You Post Your Stuff Online.
It’s going around again. Those chain-mail Facebook posts about how you lose rights to your content unless you post some alleged disclosure warning to the government, citing a random UCC section (btw, those crappy Facebook privacy notices are a total myth). But it raises an important point. Who owns your content when you post it [...]
EveryDay41: A good week, and "passive" revenue is a bunch of crap.
This week was a turning point – letting stuff go, and focusing more on what is my work, moving forward. Also, I go on a rant about the b.s. of “passive” revenue and the benefits of leaving money on the table.
Is Your Virtual Assistant an Independent Contractor, or an Employee? Status: It’s Complicated.
Yes, I know, you and your virtual assistant (V.A.) have a contract stating that they are an independent contractor. They gave you an EIN number. They have a website and a business card. They even showed you a document saying that they have a d/b/a (“doing business as”) registration. Sorry, dude, but that V.A. could [...]
This broken heart and knowing what is not my job.
Tonight I left a facebook group that I had founded, administrated, and nurtured for most of this year. Broken hearted and crushed by the circumstances that forced me to throw an impermeable boundary for protection from people that I cared about. Protection from further energy depletion and nauseating wounds, so I could continue to be [...]
I'm Elizabeth Potts Weinstein, an attorney, mom, writer, and explorer.