Are You Making These 3 Legal Mistakes In Your Online Business?

$49 per month

19 iron-clad legal templates to protect your business from legal disputes and drama
 
Software that makes it easy to customize the templates and get up and running in under an hour
 
Online business legal crash course on the biggest legal mistakes and secrets from my 15 years of experience as a lawyer

Q&A calls to help you use and modify the templates with certainty ($5,940 value)

Private Facebook group with other Online Business Owners for networking and advice

Monthly access to all materials and coaching help

$497 per year

SPECIAL BONUS: The Coach's Legal lifeline ($995 value)

19 iron-clad legal templates to protect your business from legal disputes and drama
 
Software that makes it easy to customize the templates and get up and running in under an hour

Online business legal crash course on the biggest legal mistakes and secrets from my 15 years of experience as a lawyer

Q&A calls to help you use and modify the templates with certainty ($5,940 value)

Private Facebook group with other Online Business Owners for networking and advice 

Yearly access to all materials and coaching help

SPECIAL BONUS: The Coach's Legal lifeline ($995 value)

19 iron-clad legal templates to protect your business from legal disputes and drama

Software that makes it easy to customize the templates and get up and running in under an hour

Online business legal crash course on the biggest legal mistakes and secrets from my 15 years of experience as a lawyer

Q&A calls to help you use and modify the templates with certainty ($5,940 value)

Private Facebook group with other Online Business Owners for networking and advice 

Lifetime access to all materials and coaching help

$997 for lifetime access

The program I sold with the support of your documents was a huge success – over $22k in total sales and $15k+ in cash! I’m already gearing up for the next round and the waitlist is bursting…

Your templates couldn’t have been easier to use and navigate! It took all the guesswork and stress out of that part of selling, and really gave me the peace of mind I needed to let myself go BIG during my launch – because I felt so protected!

And it really, really paid off. Protection and payoff - a winning combo in my book 💰

- Tiffani Purdy

Dear Valerie,

Wowee. Even though YOU said, our business "is very well organized,"

I LOVE what you have added to our systems. Your work, like mine, takes one to a higher level of professionalism! Bravo, I'm delighted to be your client.

- Maureen St. Germain

I had Valerie speak on my stage at my Plan, Build & Sell event last November and she was truly incredible...

The reason I love her so much is because:

(1) She speaks "human" so I can understand, instead of crazy "legal-ese" that I definitely do not understand.

(2) She has thought through virtually every legal headache so you don't have to AND so you can protect yourself before something bad happens.

(3) Her templates are simple to use and work really well.

I know for me, the legal stuff was stuff I put off because I was busy doing all the other stuff...

It wasn't until I had an issue with intellectual property theft (it was SO SO SO stressful) that I realized I needed to get my legal ducks in a row.

- Kathryn Calhoun

Also included are agreements for niche specific services:

Consulting

Web design

Healers

Influencers

Social media marketing agency

Mentors

Experts

Speakers

Privacy Policy
 
Terms and Conditions
 
Disclaimer

As well as mandatory policies for your website including:

Most templates are poorly written agreements that are meant to “check a box” rather than provide legal protection.

In other words, it’s just something to show a client to sign.

This means in the event of a dispute with a client or customer you won’t have much say in the matter without a robust contract, even if you did everything right and the other party is totally in the wrong. And that’s because the law sees businesses as the “sophisticated” party (since you drafted the contract). And it sees your customers as the “victims”.

But here’s the kicker: Even if your copy-pasted contract was written by a lawyer, it doesn’t guarantee it’s a solid contract that will actually protect your business in case something goes wrong.

That’s because most lawyers do not create industry-specific contracts tailored for online coaches, consultants, course creators, service providers, and agencies. I only realized this after 5 years of working directly with coaches and spending upwards of 5-figures on coaching myself.

And here’s why:

If your contract doesn’t cover these things, then your business is a sitting duck for pain-in-the-butt customers.

For instance, here are just a few of the many reasons why even lawyer-drafted contracts aren’t totally reliable for payment related disputes with a customer… 

Your contract fails to specify the common reasons why a client wants a refund
 
Your contract is difficult or expensive to enforce
 
Your arbitration clause is wrong

Your dispute venue is missing
 
Your agreement does not require the client to come to the coach’s state to resolve the dispute

Your refund policy is not black and white

Your refund policy isn’t clear whether requirements have been met
 
Your contract doesn’t specify how written materials can be used (empowering sneaky competitors to steal your content if they go through it as a “student”)

And that’s not to mention all the other areas things could go south in your business.

It’s not my intention to spook you. But the reality is, when you enter a dispute without these clear details in your agreement, you can hire the best lawyer in your state and unfortunately, their hands will be tied.

I know this because as a lawyer, I’ve been in this situation myself in the past, yet was powerless to help because their agreement lacked the proper terms in the first place.

This puts you, the business owner, in a stressful situation where thousands of dollars or more are on the line. You lose sleep and emanate stress around your family, friends, colleagues and clients.

It’s a position no one wants to be in, and it’s completely avoidable. All you have to do is just invest a little energy into your legal infrastructure, which you’ll learn how to do in just a bit. 

For Instance when… 

A client doesn’t pay on time
 
Your content or IP was stolen by a freelancer or competitor
 
A client tries to get you to do additional work not covered by the scope

A client locks you out of software you need to deliver your work

A customer complains about repeat billing clearly in the terms

You have to terminate an employee

You have disputes with a partner

Legal Blunder #2

You might think it’s still too early for you to level up your agreements and contracts because you’re still a small fish. Maybe you’re new to this online business thing and haven’t reached the level of scale you desire yet.

You figure if a client ever demands a refund, you’ll just concede because you don't want them to badmouth you. You’ll give them a refund even if you did everything right by the books, and they’re the ones who are taking advantage of you.

But pause and think for a moment who YOU would rather do business with...  

Someone who freely gives refunds to toxic customers because they don’t want any drama

A professional who respects their own time, understands their value, and has the proper contracts in place to reflect that

And what I hear time and time again from my clients who hit 6 and 7 figures is, once they finally got the legal stuff handled, they started showing up differently in their business.

They gained this new energy of confidence and self-assurance. Because now they felt like a “real business” and were mentally and emotionally ready for growth. It’s because you attract more success when you start playing the part of a legitimate business owner, and not just some hobbyist trying to make some money online.

Waiting Until You’re More Successful To “Legalize” Your Business 

And I can’t prove this but I believe your prospective clients can smell your confidence or doubt from a mile away. If you’re in the high-ticket space, you can bet your clients are silently observing your degree of professionalism. I know I sure as heck won’t swipe my card for $10,000 unless I see what I expect to see.

When you get this down, clients will start choosing to do business with YOU instead of your competitors who may not look as legitimate yet.

A client of mine told me she lost her dream client at the very last moment because she didn’t have the proper agreements in place. Agreements she could have set up in 60 minutes had she just known what to do.

And another one of my clients dodged a bullet by having the right legal agreement.

She used a contract which included a clause that said she could kick them out of her program and return their money if they weren't a good fit.

But her client refused to sign for that reason. Her client didn't want her to be able to exit the coaching relationship. Who would want that but someone with a history of bad behavior?

This isn’t just true for clients but also for contractors, employees, and partners you do business with.

So having proper legal agreements in place allows you to attract quality people while AVOIDING those who could cause drama and stress for you down the line.

Case in point

Thinking A Lawyer Can Help You When Doo-Doo Hits The Fan 

When a brand new business owner calls me on the phone, desperately asking for help, it’s almost always too late.

I ask to look at their agreements, and if they don’t have one, or it’s too generic, then I’ll turn them down as a client. Because I know there’s not much I can do to help.

(However, other lawyers don’t tell you this right off the bat, and will take advantage of you by requesting you retain them first!)

In my 15 years of being a lawyer (working specifically with online business owners), I’ve seen dozens upon dozens of cases go all the way to trial. Through my experience, I’ve gained a deep understanding of exactly what information I need at every step to win. Then I make sure those things are in every legal agreement I put in the world.

And you know what I’ve found is the best way to win a legal dispute? It’s the same advice the world's best martial artists say about winning street fights:

Legal Blunder #3

Having rock-solid legal agreements minimize your chances of having to suffer a costly legal battle down the line.

Unfortunately, not all lawyers will admit this. Recently, there’s been an influx of lawyers entering the online business space and irresponsibly dishing out generic legal advice that’s not specific to our industry. While their advice may be legally sound, their strategies are not designed for entrepreneurs.

For instance, these lawyers will include an arbitration clause in your contract which seems like a good idea. But if you actually try to enforce your arbitration clause, you realize it costs you a minimum of $5k.

This is because you used generic legal agreements designed for big corporations with millions of dollars in the bank. They simply won't work for the average online entrepreneur.

The bottom line is, Your local law firm doesn’t know anything about online business, and if they do, they will over-lawyer it. They’ll charge you an arm and a leg for contracts that are just as expensive to enforce.

Don't get into one in the first place!

So now you might be wondering what you should do to legally protect yourself as an online coach, consultant or service provider, expert, or course creator.

The answer is to prepare yourself NOW so you can sleep peacefully without all the legal uncertainties and “what ifs” pestering you in the back of your mind.

Sun Tzu, one of history’s greatest military generals, said it best: “In war, prepare for peace; in peace, prepare for war.”

Look, I know this legal stuff isn’t sexy and you would much rather spend time doing what you love in your business.

And that’s exactly why I’ve created a new product that makes it as simple as possible for you to implement the necessary agreements in your business to protect you from payment drama, contractor disputes, intellectual property issues, and other legal headaches business owners often face.

How To Legally Protect Yourself Today And Have Peace of Mind For A Lifetime

If a bad client ever initiates a chargeback with despite you having a clear refund policy, DO NOT start sending any proof or documents to your payment processor, instead just mention these 2 specific words and the payment processor will almost always rule in your favor (20:16)

Ways to stack the deck in your favor ahead of time, in case of a dispute with a client, vendor or team member

The 3 principles you must follow to vet any contract (After grabbing these templates, you won’t need to “borrow” contracts from a friend or coach ever again – but just in case you ever do, you’ll learn exactly what to look for)

How to avoid clients wiggling out of payment obligations after you deliver exactly what you promise, but the
client “doesn’t like your work” (this is a must know if you’re a designer, writer or service provider)

The 6 word question you must ask yourself when assessing any contract (if you you don’t have a good answer, it
means you’re leaving your paycheck to chance and should get a new contract) (23:10)

Why it’s a good idea to Google yourself every month

Everyone knows using guarantees can skyrocket your conversion rates, but your contract should never include this type of guarantee if you want to avoid chargeback issues (I’m shocked how many coaches still do this!) (24:50) 

Several states (like New York) are going after businesses that neglect to do this one thing before charging customers on a recurring basis

How to make sure you always get paid no matter what if you take on “open-ended” jobs that include multiple revisions even if clients don’t like the end result, finish the contract or locked you out of the software to do your job 

Client ghosted you in the middle of your contract? Here’s 2 little-known ways to get them to finish paying you – without resorting to any type of force or lawsuit (34:50) 

The 7-letter word to create happier clients by creating more transparency in your business (37:37)

The most problematic type of engagement contract that will create more headaches and less money for you – if you’re
 using these right now, I’ll show you what to switch to instead (40:36)

Why “speaking the language of a CEO” will help you win rulings with payment processors (including what
specifically you should say)

How to avoid clients asking for refunds if you deliver work late due to an unexpected personal issue on your end, or
if the client delays (46:30)

An email you should always send your client to have payment processors rule in your favor in the event
of a dispute (56:35)

The “F” word you should never use when offering payment plans for high ticket products and services

Why you should never charge more for payment plans, and what to do instead to incentivize customers
to pay you in full

Why making your testimonials more modest can actually help increase your brand trust and position you as
an industry leader

What you can and cannot have in a refund policy (especially if you sell to consumers instead of businesses)

If you live in the US, the law legally requires you to offer a 3-day no questions asked refund policy if you sell from these
2 specific places (cost business owners have no clue about this law and the fact they MUST notify customers about this)

Worried about having your content ripped off by a competitor? Considering adding this type of offer to have
people PAY you to reteach your materials

A sneaky 1 minute script to add to the intro of your digital products to protect yourself from copycats. (Now this can’t
prevent someone from re-teaching your materials - because nothing can - but it sets a “trap” that makes it easy to
enforce your legal rights in the event they do steal your content).

A short line of text you can add below your buy buttons to attract people to reach out and (legally) license your content

If you’re working with clients, make sure they frontload payment instead of you front loading your work. Then use this
simple clause in your contracts to make sure you get paid at least in partial, if they do decide to bail early (51:00)

The very first thing you should do after coming up with a great product or brand name. Besides helping you stand out in a potentially crowded market, doing this will protect your business from legal headaches starting day one. 

6 Legal gotchas most online business owners have no idea exists, and how to proactively handle them so you’re
not panicking later

How to take payments legally over the phone (most high ticket coaches and their sales staff miss one vital step before asking for customer credit cards which technically makes what they’re doing illegal) 

Common marketing advice is to “sell the transformation, not your product/service”?” But this is dangerous advice if applied to your contracts, so be sure to apply use this simple-but-counterintuitive solution (26:09) 

Promoting affiliate products? It’s not enough to have an affiliate disclosure link in the footer of your website. You must display it where a person will read it and take action on it 

Run a community? I recommend adding zero-tolerance policies for these 3 specific type of activities (They’re common in
mastermind or coaching programs and the 3rd one can get you in trouble with the FTC)

A fulfillment framework you can use to train your clients to be good clients and take your work seriously (this also
allows them to get the best results and discourage them from spamming you with messages) (27:55) And much more practical legal tips most business owners always tell me they knew sooner! 

You’ll also get these bonuses when you order to ensure you have everything you need to get up and running quickly…

And here’s why:

BONUS 1: 
Monthly Q&A Calls ($5,940 value)

You’ll also get access to monthly live
calls to get your most important

Legal questions answered. Even if everything is going smoothly in your business, these calls are valuable to learn about mistakes other business owners are making so you can avoid them. 

My standard consulting rate is $450/hour but you’ll get access to these calls included with your order of the Online Business Owner: Legal Package. 

I’ve had clients tell me they’ve learned stuff through these calls not only saved their butts but also helped them MAKE more money. How? Because as a lawyer, I hear about all sorts of wacky ways people make money online illegally, and believe it or not, many of these ideas can be implemented legally with some simple tweaks. 

BONUS #2: 
Private Members-Only Facebook Group

Anytime you need a quick question answered

that’s specific to YOUR) business, you don’t need to wait for the monthly group Q&A calls. 

You’ll get near-instant answers from the community for any business related question you have regarding marketing, operating and scaling your business. I also jump in myself all the time to help with legal questions, so you’ll never have to worry about feeling lost or confused.

If you choose a yearly or lifetime plan, you’ll also get a special bonus that includes dozens of ready-to-send responses for common legal issues coaches face every day, including disputes with clients, team members, your own coaches, competitors, vendors, and more. 

Just about every coach I’ve worked within the last 10 years has had one or more of these problems, which these response templates will help you quickly resolve…

In the past, these templates have sold for as much as $995. You’ll get them for free when you order the Online Business Owner: Legal package with a lifetime or yearly plan.

I’ve already helped thousands of online business owners protect and “legalize” their business without frustration and stress. I know you’ll be thrilled as well. 

But just to take away any risk on your end, there’s also a… 

Special Bonus For Yearly and Lifetime Plans: ($995 Value)

A client is demanding a refund even though you’ve shown them they’re not entitled to one - you’ll find a template to squelch the problem fast without infuriating the client

A team member isn’t performing as promised you want to remind them the consequences  of not stepping up without impacting their morale 

You join a coaching program that doesn’t deliver you’ll get the perfect template for getting a quick refund AND a personal apology for misleading 

You join a coaching program that doesn’t deliver A competitor steals your content - you’ll find a template to make them remove the content immediately… and never think about copying you ever again

A client initiated a chargeback You’ll have the perfect response for winning chargeback disputes every single time

Plus more response templates for quickly (and painlessly) handling the most common legal situations so you can get back to building your business.

Get Instant Access To The Online Business Legal Templates

[X] Yes! Valerie, I’m in! Please give me access (at once) your 19 legal templates for…

Purchase agreements

Independent contractors

1-1 Coaching

Virtual assistant

NDAs

Much, much, more…

Billing policies

Team member termination

Refund policies

Consulting

Credit card authorizations

I’m ready to fully protect my business legally, have full peace of mind, and feel totally prepared for explosive growth while attracting quality clients, partners and teammates.

I understand I’ll also get the Online Business Legal Crash Course, where I’ll learn how to use these templates and how to explain what they mean (in plain English) if clients or anyone else ever asks. Plus, I’ll learn loads of additional tips and how to avoid the common pitfalls for operating an online business.

[ X] Not only that, I will also receive the following special bonuses:

Bonus #1 (With your yearly or lifetime plan): The Coach's Legal Lifeline with dozens of response templates when you have difficult clients, team members, coaches, vendors and competitors. No need to waste time racking your brain on what to say. Just copy, customize and send to quickly resolve problems without hassles.

Bonus #1: Monthly Q&A Calls to have any specific questions answered directly by Valerie and her team, and stay up to date with the latest legal policies in the online business space

Bonus #3: Private Members-Only Facebook Group to get my most pressing questions answered by members of the community as well as Valerie and her team.

[ X] I understand I have 7 days to check out the template and course material and if I’m not satisfied for any reason, I can get a 100% money-back refund.

Thank you for reading, and hope to see you on the “inside”.

Your lawyer friend,

Perhaps you already have some legal agreements in place, but they’ve scraped together contracts from your friends, people in your mastermind, your business coach, or (the worst) a free template service.

You change a few words here and there and Voila, you’re a “legit” business owner now.

But not so fast…

You see, this “Frankenstein” approach to your legal agreements can not only cause massive payment issues down the line but also attracts the WRONG type of customers, clients and team members.  

All of which hurt your bottom line.

Using Legal Agreements From Your Friends Or Stock Templates You Found Online

Coaching agreement

This allows you to specify exactly how and when clients get access to you, along with any written or video materials that accompany your services. With this agreement in hand, you can protect any proprietary information clients get access to and set the length and terms of the agreement. 

Virtual Assistant agreement 

A catch-all template for any virtual assistant duties your business performs for others, where you can determine your or your team’s hourly rate, package fees, rollover of charges, scope of work, and ongoing access to you and your business. This allows you to specify your hours, duties, and means of communication to eliminate confusion. 

Company Policies

Cancellation policies, when and how you accept communications from clients, and how you prefer to work all wrapped up in a single document. This is essential for service-based businesses, especially with ongoing client relationships so you can deliver your best work and set the terms for what you do. 

Billing policies 

A clear statement of how you bill and collect payments, and how to handle delinquent payments; some states even have policies around this which could invalidate your agreement without you knowing, and this will help you avoid chasing down clients, getting chargebacks, and the other countless issues that arise with billing.. 

Credit Card Authorization 

For when you need to provide clients with a secure way to update their payment details and your payment processor doesn't and give clients a way to do it themselves. It’s critical to do this correctly to stay compliant and avoid any breaches of confidential information you could be liable for. 

Refund Policy 

 An extra level of protection against chargebacks that allows you to specify when refunds are appropriate and how to determine and calculate limited refunds; if a client ever initiates a wrongful dispute, simply point them back to this agreement and you'll be on secure footing legally. 

Ads management 

Purchasing ad space on behalf of a client carries plenty of risks since you're directly handling their money. This agreement is essential for protecting your business and setting your clients’ minds at ease by specifying your delivery process, scope of work, minimum commitment, client responsibilities and more. 

Confidentiality agreement (NDA) 

The majority of NDAs don’t actually protect businesses because they simply can’t be enforced — inside, you’ll get a template that’s legally binding and easily customizable so you can maintain your competitive advantage and rest easy when onboarding new team members. 

Termination agreement  

Everything you need to send a clear, compliant notification to a team member who you need to let go because of a repeated failure to perform. This spells out the exact next steps for when the unfortunate occasion arises, including steps to transition the work back to other members of your team. 

Terms of purchase agreement

Most customers are good, ethical people, but it still helps to set expectations and protect your business whenever disputes arise. If you sell digital products (especially courses), this will help ensure fewer refunds, unhappy customers, and overall headaches in your business.

Independent contractor agreement  

Independent contractor agreement - These contracts provide clear, legally binding expectations between you and your contractors, not just making your business safer, but also directly helping with commitment and productivity by filtering for the best possible candidates for the job. Online Business Owners are often legally responsible for the actions of their contractors, so setting clear expectations for conduct and recourse is critical.