In business, setting and managing expectations with our clients is vital to serve our clients well, and build long-term, sustainable, and positive relationships. For you, the business owner, understanding your own legal documents is crucial.

In many cases, people don’t know they’re using a registered trademark until it’s too late. But prevention is better than cure—and never was this more true than when it comes to accidentally using someone else’s trademark.

I talk a lot about legal documents being an important part of your risk mitigation strategy (along with your business structure and insurance). The thing is, when it comes to these things, they’re not set and forget. Each year, you’ll need to check everything to make sure it’s still serving you.

I talk a lot about mindset with my followers and my clients, because good business acumen is half of the story, and our mental health is the other. Entrepreneurs have it particularly tough. So if you’re running a business and wondering why your mental health seems to be lacking, you’re not alone!

Intellectual property is something you need to get your head around if you’re a business owner. When you do, you might find that you’re set and good to go. But you might find that you’re not, and if that’s the case, you’ve got some work to do on this front. Let’s dive into some famous trademark cases and what we can learn from them.

Without failure, there is no learning, no growth, no upleveling. This is ok, but it seems the public perception of failure is often that it’s bad, it’s hard, it’s ugly. I think it can be ugly (ghastly, at times), and it can feel hard (like really, really hard), but it’s not bad. It’s never bad. It’s not wasted. It’s necessary.

It’s no secret that templates can make life a whole lot easier. Whether you’re aiming to cut costs or time, templates have their place in business. But there are some scenarios where templates are an excellent idea, and some scenarios where they’re a terrible idea—the fact is, there’s little in between.

As a business lawyer working with many interior designers, I've noticed a common thread: the excitement of transforming spaces often overshadows important considerations about working on client properties. In this blog, I share some key insights about protecting your interior design business when conducting site visits.

For many small business owners, growth is inevitable. At some point, you’re likely to find yourself with more work than you can handle, or wanting to expand your services, so you might decide to outsource to a contractor or bring on a new employee. I’m going to share what I’ve learned: top tips to grow an all-star team (from an Australian business lawyer).

Think about the parts that comprise your business: the name, your tagline, your logo, the wording on your website, any courses you’ve made… All of these things count as “property”. But do these things really belong to you? Or are you just borrowing them? What if somebody else starts using them? Are they even allowed to do that?!

If protecting your existing wealth is a priority for you, then read on! In this article we’ll explore strategies that can help protect your prized belongings in the worst case scenario, so if the unspeakable happens, you can get right back on that business horse (riding into the sunset optional).

Owners of e-commerce businesses need to be clear on their obligations under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). We’re empowered, future-thinking business owners now, and we don’t rely on templates. What do I have to do if a client wants a refund? This is one of the most common questions I am asked by e-commerce business owners. So let’s get clear on what the ACL says about a business’ obligations when this happens.