We’re going to play a game. Grab a set of dice or a deck of cards.

(Am I the only one who keeps dice in my purse? 👀)

I’ll give you three scenarios. If you roll an even number or pull an even-numbered card, you avoid the problem. If you roll an odd number, pull an odd-numbered card or a face card—the scenario happens to your business.

Ready?

🎲 Scenario 1: Someone copies your website homepage word for word.​
​Roll the dice or pick a card.

🎲 Scenario 2: You have a verbal contract with a client… and they just emailed you asking for revisions. For the fifth time.​
​Roll the dice or pick a card.

🎲 Scenario 3: You’ve been using your business name for five years—when someone sends you a cease and desist saying you can’t use it anymore.​
​Roll the dice or pick a card.

How’d you do? All clear, or did you take a hit?

Great—now do this 12 more times to represent every month in 2025.

Maybe you’re really lucky, but odds are (pun intended) you rolled an odd number at least once.

Now for the real question: Are you prepared for these situations?

That’s what we mean by building a strong legal foundation. It’s not about hoping for the best—it’s about being ready for whatever happens.

Here’s a snapshot of what that looks like at every stage of business:

📌 PHASE 1: Setting Up the Foundation

You’re launching your business (or realizing you skipped some legal steps). The order of what you need might differ, but every business needs these 3 things in phase 1.

✅ Separate (and protect) your personal assets from your business assets and prove your business is legit with an Operating Agreement.
​✅ Define exactly what’s included in your services (and what isn’t) and set expectations for your working relationship with a Client Service Agreement.
✅ Protect your website with Terms and Conditions - this is your best defense against copycats! And make sure you have a Privacy Policy linked in your footer and anywhere you are collecting a user's information (ie. your opt-in and contact forms.)

📌 PHASE 2: Growth & Scaling

Business is picking up. You’re hiring contractors, adding new revenue streams, and protecting your creative work. This might require an Independent Contractor Agreement to keep roles & responsibilities crystal clear. Or a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) to protect your ideas & business strategies as you share with coaches and collaborators. This is also a great time to reach out and create a relationship with an attorney if you haven't already.

📌 PHASE 3: Protecting & Expanding

Your business is thriving, and now it’s time to increase its value and secure its future. Whether you’re licensing your work, bringing on a partner, or thinking about an eventual exit, the right legal protections keep your business scalable and sellable.

At this stage, you’re not just running a business—you’re building a valuable asset. Making sure it’s legally sound is what allows you to grow (or step back) on your terms.

🎯Don't leave your business up to chance.

There’s a predictable path that every creative business follows, and when you understand it, you can stop worrying about what you might be missing and move forward with confidence.

​That’s exactly why we built the Creative Law Foundry™. ​

Instead of scrambling for legal answers every time your business evolves, the Foundry™ is here to walk you through the legal side of doing business. Last week we even held a webinar walking through The Legal Lifecycle of Your Business.

No more guessing. No more hoping you’ve got it right.

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​Let’s make sure your business is legally protected—so you can focus on growing it.

Teresa and Your CLS Team

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