Let me use myself as an example.

It was that phase of my life where every single one of my friends was getting married.

I was litigating full-time and started doing calligraphy just for fun. But then my friends started hiring me to do the calligraphy for their weddings.

They were my best friends. I said yes via text. Yeah, I'll do your 250 place cards.

Did you catch that? We made all the plans over text, no contract.

I very literally was the cobbler's children that had no shoes.

I ended up doing calligraphy for six friends' weddings in one summer. I realized I had a side hustle, I was making money. I had accidently started a business.

And as an attorney, I knew, even if it felt like a silly little side hustle, I needed to have a contract in place.

(In fact, that summer wasn't without it's hiccups. I had one mother of the bride insistent that I was used the wrong ink after the cards had been delivered!)

And I had to laugh at myself. Because nothing felt sillier than a lawyer sending another lawyer a contract for creative services. But I had to send my friends an agreement and make sure that we were — no pun intended — on the exact same page regarding my deliverables.

Most creative businesses don't start with a business plan. They start with a skill, a passion, a favor for a friend that turns into a paying gig. And somewhere along the way, you look up and realize you're in business.

That moment—whether it happened last month or three years ago—is exactly where the Legal Lifecycle begins.

If you've found yourself accidentally in business already, the first thing to make sure you have in place is your client agreement.

A clearly written agreement is what keeps both parties on the exact same page from the very beginning. And that's what allows income to start flowing in the right way, in a protected way.

The cobbler's children can have shoes.

— Paige Hulse

P.S. The Legal Lifecycle Webinar + eBook Bundle is where we map this out in full—what you need, why you need it, and when—no matter what stage you're at. If you've been winging it and want a clear starting point, this is it. Grab your copy for just $27.​

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