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Online or Offline, You Probably Have Legal Problems That You Aren’t Even Aware of.

Are you protected from potential lawsuits that can wipe out your profits?

Build your business on a solid foundation, protect your assets, and guard yourself against liability.

think:

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Getting
sued.

By anyone who visits
your website — a real
possibility.

Paying
tens of
thousands
in taxes.

and more than you
ever should.

Losing all
Liability
Protection.

Because you
accidentally
didn’t keep
the proper records.

Getting
stiffed by a
new client.

Because they only paid the
deposit, right?

Being in a legally
binding partnership.

without even knowing it.
And ending up owing
(a lot) of money,
ruining your
reputation, having
your intellectual
property ripped off,
and being put straight
out of business.

Actually, let’s not think about it.
Let’s do something about it.

Trying to figure out your business’ legal needs on your own is scary. And, hiring an attorney is really expensive. These two facts are the reason why many entrepreneurs ignore their business’ legal needs altogether (Cue: Jaws theme song).

If only there was a way to figure out the information your business needs and how to take care of the legal stuff correctly and quickly, so you can get back to doing the work you love…

enter:

the small business bodyguard

For anyone starting a business.
Selling something online.
Selling something offline.
Running a website.
Pitching services.
Writing eBooks.
Launching products.
Hiring web designers / copywriters / VAs / interns / contractors.
Collaborating with others.
And selling anything to anybody.
(Even if it’s only an innocent little PDF and your mom is the only customer.)

You Need to Get your legal ducks in a row.

(And then stop using that metaphor indefinitely.)

There are far too many liabilities you probably haven’t even thought of yet. (Don’t worry–you aren’t alone.) And we’re tired of seeing small business owners getting their asses kicked. (And if it hasn’t happened to you yet, it will.)

Do you allow readers to comment on your blog? Or sign up for a newsletter?
?

Paying taxes? Of course you are. You wouldn’t not pay your taxes, right? (And if you aren’t paying taxes, then you may need Bodyguard more than you thought.)
?

Have you put all of your blood, sweat and tears into creating a program, e-course, e-Book, manifesto, or something else?
?

Naming your business? Or a new product? Or a new service?
?

Selling coaching or consulting?
?

Teaming up with your online pal to co-run something–even if it’s just a webinar?
?

Have a VA?
?

Make no mistake, we ARE telling you this to scare you. But it’s just because we want you to reach your goals. We want you to make piles and piles of money. We want your business to have a major impact on the world. But we also want you to cover your ass now, so you can moon your competitors later.

sbb_goldlogo

Less waiting, more winning.

Get your instant download on now.


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Here’s a snapshot of what you’ll get

  • Full Access to the entire Small Business Bodyguard resource.
  • 12 Chapters of legal wisdom that reads like an engaging memoir (one that will save – and make – you more money)
  • A tricked-out membership site with videos for each chapter, a fancy PDF viewer, bonus content and fun perks for members like enhanced legal templates and contracts and insider SBB radio episodes.
  • Life, business, ass, and sanity-saving contracts you can start using now.
  • The Small Business Bodyguard Facebook Community where you can ask questions of our lawyers anytime!
  • All 3 bonus templates worth $3,000+

Because in business, there’s no room for naïveté.

But maybe you’re thinking, Eh, I’m not that big yet.

Maybe you think no one’s going to notice or care about your tiny little operation.

Maybe you think all this legal stuff is just for the big dogs. The ones with fancy websites and assistants and logos and impressive profits.

Maybe you’re thinking (and hoping and praying) that you can get by on a friendly, written agreement via email. Or worse, a verbal one.

Maybe the idea of figuring all this stuff out is nauseating and intimidating (and it is when you’re doing it on your own, which is precisely why we created this–because it doesn’t have to be)

Maybe you’re confused about what you really do need… and what you don’t.

Or maybe you think you’re above the law, you outlaw, you.

But all of that (AND MORE) is precisely what we’re here for.

Inside you’ll find:

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What it would cost to have a lawyer do all of this privately:
$10,650

• Easy-to-understand (and implement), step-by-step instructions on exactly what things you need to do to get legal and exactly in which order — from business formations (Sole proprietorship? LLC? S-Corp?), to drafting your own bulletproof contracts (you know, so you always get paid), to all the things you need on your website to make you less vulnerable to the thousands of crazies on the internet (like privacy policies, terms and conditions and disclaimers–including plug ‘n play versions of each), all the way down to protecting your intellectual property the easy way, and, most importantly, getting your records in order so you pay less taxes (thousands less), aren’t held liable for things you shouldn’t be, and, all in all, stay on the right side of the law so everybody goes home happy (and you feel like a mature, responsible business owner who’s doing this the right way).

• Legitimate, lawyer-drafted (and peer reviewed) sample agreements for clients, subcontractors (like VA’s, assistants, web designers, SEO writers and anyone who interacts with your business), and client agreements that you can edit for your specific business

• Instructions on exactly how to edit each contract and use them in your biz, based on your particular situation.(Ordering contracts off of a
canned service like Legal Zoom can cause you more legal trouble than prevent it. In Small Business Bodyguard, we’ll explain why, and we’ll also show you the right way to do things for YOU. Because you aren’t just any old business and not just any old contract will do.)

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• Contract cheat sheets that demystify all the legal jargon so you actually know what you’re agreeing to–and what you’re asking others to agree to (and why it matters for you and your own safety).

• Plug ‘n play disclaimers & policies–both the serious and the cheeky versions so you just paste and go.

• Easy-to-follow checklists: because nobody likes sorting back through information to find that one part that explained that one thing. (That you’ll inevitably never be able to find since no one can ever find those types of things.)

• Compare and contrast worksheets to make your decision-making process even easier (and right for your circumstances)

• Templates and worksheets for everything – from record keeping to intellectual property management.

the best part?

It’s written & outlined in an easy-to-understand style unlike any legal resource in existence. It’s palatable.

And digestible.  And even enjoyable. Because nobody likes to read a bunch of boring legal jargon. Or legal jargon that nobody understands. Or legal jargon at all. So we went ahead and did without it and, instead, just gave you the facts you need to know, and the steps you need to take, in a way that’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Guaranteed to make you feel good about your choice to be a responsible business owner who has it together, and who isn’t going to half-ass things because you know better.

And did we mention it’s designed beautifully?

Because, you know, aesthetics matter, and this isn’t just a simple collection of PDFs; it’s your official small business legal reference guide, for online and offline business, designed to save you big headaches–and a lot of money, time and frustration down the road.


another sneak peek inside...

Did somebody say VIP?

Oh, that was us. We’ve put a velvet rope up and created a tricked-out membership site just for, well, members. This special SBB website has videos for each chapter, a fancy PDF viewer, and bonus content that you can’t get anywhere else. Oh and other fun perks like downloadable legal templates and contracts and insider SBB radio episodes. So get on the list already.

SNEAKPEEK

Introducing SBB+

Here’s what we’ve added to the new, updated Small Business Bodyguard:

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sbb_whatsnew

  • 50+ pages of new content,
  • 2 new chapters on building your team covering things like hiring employees and working with interns and independent contractors,
  • Fresh, ass-covering content throughout the guide,
  • 6 new cheatsheets and checklists,
  • A fancy new index (so you can find everything you need quickly),
  • 5 new insider stories from entrepreneurs, consultants and other hotshots,
  • An updated Modern Lawyer Directory (where you can find a lawyer who ‘gets it’ if you ever need one), and
  • 1 shiny, new membership site with ALL the bells and ALL the whistles including a new user-friendly layout, 12 introductory videos and some other fun surprises that you’ll have to log in to see!

Table of Contents

Intro

Because no small business legal reference is a small business legal reference without an intro telling you exactly what to expect—and how the hell to use this thing.

ToC_Ribbon_FRESHChapter 1: Getting your small business shit together so you can,
as they say, make it rain

What You’ll Learn:

  • Why you should never (ever) use an online service like Legal Zoom (as tempting as it might be. Don’t lie to us—we know you’ve been to their site)
  • The trick to getting taken more seriously by clients, vendors, business partners, banks, and, quite possibly, Oprah.
  • The differences between sole proprietorships, LLCs, S-Corps, and G-Strings (we kid, we kid)—and how to know which one is (actually) right for you. (Hint: The answer may be surprising. It will also save you thousands of dollars.)
  • Why LLCs are the standard “go-to” business formation—and why that could be the biggest mistake you’ll ever make
  • How, exactly, to set up a business with a partner—or multiple partners. And how to make sure you aren’t just legal, but also sane, in the event that things don’t go as planned.
  • The single most important thing you need to do to protect your future personal assets (like your 401K and even future wages) from randoms on the Internet who could decide, at any moment, to sue you
  • How to end up paying substantially less taxes than your competitor with the same yearly revenue (really)
  • Understanding your specific tax situation, what you can expect to owe, and how, exactly, to take care of this ugly chore the easy way
  • What one business owner did (majorly) wrong her first couple of years in business—resulting in a $40,000 tax bill one year. (Note: Do not do this)
  • Everything you need to know to register and set your business up legally the right way—sans lawyer, and sans the ever-popular, ill-advised Legal Zoom (unless you’re setting up a multi-national corporation in which case, Small Business Bodyguard is NOT for you)

Also Included:

  • Worksheet: How to Know Which Type of Business “Entity” You Should Choose—Sole Proprietorship, LLC, S-Corp, G-String, or Something Else, Depending on Your Situation
  • Checklist: Everything You Need to Do to Successfully Register Your Business the Right Way—No Stones Left Unturned

ToC_Ribbon_FRESH

Chapter 2: Record keeping saves
asses and other truths

What You’ll Learn:

  • Why someone earning $50,000 a year has FAR MORE to lose than someone earning $250,000 a year (and what that means for you).
  • Why your personal funds should never be mixed with your business funds—and what to do if you’ve been committing this mortal liability-breeding sin
  • The good, the bad, and the ugly of recordkeeping—why you absolutely cannot skip this part, and which “records” you need to be “keeping” so both the IRS and FBI don’t come banging on your door (ever).
  • How to document things the right way—whether you’re a sole proprietor, LLC, or S-Corp — and the differences you need to look out for with each.
  • How to get your books in order without migraines, temper tantrums, or anxiety attacks—because this is IMPORTANT.
  • Why performing this one simple task each week will cover your ass more than anything else: What it is and how, exactly, to do it.

Also Included:

  • Checklist: A complete list of the things you need to be keeping track of in your business—and have on file at all times
  • Cheat Sheet: Broken down state by state, it’ll tell you what your deadlines are for LLCs and S-Corps filing their annual reports
  • Template: When major changes happen in your business, here are two templates you can use to (legally) document them (A.K.A.: Action by Written Consent)

ToC_Ribbon_FRESH

Chapter 3: Legal agreements that
open doors (how polite!)

What You’ll Learn:

  • Why you absolutely, non-negotiably need to be using contracts in your business—and what can happen if you don’t (and how to avoid this).
  • How to tell if the simple contract you have been using actually violates the law (happens more than you think).
  • What, exactly, you need to be looking out for when you’re signing contracts—to make sure you’re not accidentally signing away your business.
  • The four things that every contract must contain in order to be valid.
  • Oral versus written agreements: do oral agreements hold any water? What about that email request after they signed the contract?
  • The types of contracts you have to have in writing—no matter what (and how this will help you save your ass time and time again).

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Chapter 4: How to create contracts
that work (and work it)

What You’ll Learn:

  • The two non-negotiable contracts every entrepreneur needs—what they are and how to customize them to fit your business (templates included!)
  • Specific language your client contracts should always include in order to:
    • ensure you’ll get paid.
    • make the client stay on your timeline and not drag the project out.
    • handle situations when the client continues to innocently add to the project—the “oh by the way, could we do this too?”’s. Also known as scope creep, this is the number one nightmare of small business owners.
    • what they owe you in the event they cancel before, during, and after the project (hint: You shouldn’t be giving back full refunds under most circumstances).
    • protect you from incurring any liability.  Say, for example, another company sues your client for something you’ve designed/written/worked on, and then your client wants to sue you. Uh uh. Not happening.
    • make sure that if, for any reason, your relationship with your client goes downhill, that client can’t defame you all over the internets and say bad things that will ruin your reputation.
    • . . . and more.
  • Which type of contract you need if you’re selling products, rather than services, to ensure certain things are ironed out ahead of time (and can’t cause a lawsuit) like:
    • Who’s responsible if the goods are damaged in transit?
    • What’s the return policy?
    • What happens if the customer changes their mind after they’ve signed a contract?
    • . . . and more.
  • The type of contract you need when hiring a web designer, copywriter, or other freelancer so you don’t catch the eye of the IRS.
  • Other types of contracts you may need and what goes into each, such as joint venture agreements (when you start a project or business with a friend or colleague!), employee agreements, non-disclosure agreements, licensing agreements, speaking agreements, manufacturing agreements, affiliate agreements, intern agreements, and more.
  • The step-by-step anatomy of a contract—how to read ’em, write ’em, and interpret exactly what you’re reading—so no legal jargon goes over your head (and so you’ll know exactly what you need to include in your own).

Also Included:

  • Template: Client Service Agreement
  • Template: Independent Contractor Agreement

(Note: You can plug in your information and use these right away!)

ToC_Ribbon_FRESH

Chapter 5: Leveraging your intellectual property
‘cuz you’re sharp like that

What You’ll Learn:

  • What intellectual property is and why it’s so important for us to protect it.
  • Detailed explanation of what trade secrets and copyright are and how to (inexpensively) protect them in your business.
  • What it means to register the copyright for your blog—and are you someone who needs to?
  • An explanation of what Fair Use is (this is a notoriously confusing legal doctrine that you NEED to know when creating content online!).
  • The step-by-step process for protecting your creative work and making sure no one rips you off (and what recourse you have if they do)—whether it’s your name, your logo, your content, your photos, your designs, your e-book, your program, or something else
  • How to be prepared to pounce when someone blatantly steals your creations and uses them to benefit (i.e., they’re selling your book. And yes, there is something you can do. Phew.)

Also Included:

  • Chart: What Can & Cannot Be Protected by Copyright
  • Cheat Sheet: Step-by-step Process for DIY Copyright Registration
  • Worksheet: Remove Your Stolen Content from the Web
  • Sample: DMCA Takedown Notice (This is the thing you’ll have to submit to the internets if someone’s stolen your work)

ToC_Ribbon_FRESH

Chapter 6: Leveraging your intellectual property
‘cuz you’re sharp like that (part deux)

What You’ll Learn:

  • What to do if you didn’t register your trademark for your blog, business name, product, or service—and how to know if and when “common law trademark rights” kick in to save the day (or not).
  • The ins and outs of registering the trademark for your stuff—the details, small print, and how to know which parts you should handle (and which you shouldn’t).
  • How to name your product or service in a way that ensures they’re actually protectable under trademark law in the first place (because did you know that some aren’t?).
  • How to perform a trademark search yourself (forget expensive paid databases) to make sure you aren’t stepping on someone else’s toes (because you don’t want to get a cease and desist letter yourself, and have to start all over from scratch).
  • Making sure your trademark doesn’t go into “abandoned” state—opening up the trademark for other people to steal from you (without you even realizing it).
  • Patents: a primer on protecting your inventions—things like products or software—and how the patent process works.
  • Ultimately, how to police your brand and make sure the beauty you’re creating is YOURS—and no one can step on your turf.

Also Included:

  • Cheat Sheet: Intellectual Property

ToC_Ribbon_FRESHChapter 7: How to be big, bad & bountiful on the internet and
beyond! (Okay, maybe just online)

ToC_Ribbon_FRESH

What You’ll Learn:

  • What liability you now have as someone with a website—and how you can limit your liability as much as possible (read: this will keep you from getting crushed by lawsuits, penalties, and other legal issues and villains).
  • The laws every website owner must know—because even if you aren’t aware of a given law, you’re still responsible for complying with it.
  • Why most people who are asking for subscribers’ email addresses are doing so illegally—and how to make sure you don’t get burned.
  • The legal language you must have on your website (including a copy/paste, lawyer-drafted template for you to use) if you’re collecting names and/or emails for your mailing list.
  • Privacy policies and what they need to say (let’s not get fined today, okay?)
  • The number one thing you need to do to make sure visitors to your website can’t hold you liable for the advice you’re giving on your blog, or in your book, or somewhere else.
  • Terms & Conditions: You’ve seen them on other people’s websites, but did you know you need your own? We talk about each element and even provide you with (another) template you can use to upload to your site.
  • The best (and easiest) way to ensure you don’t get sued when working with clients.
  • Disclaimers: How to use ’em and what they should say (Ps: We’ve given you a comprehensive list of copy/paste disclaimers—both the serious and the cheeky versions—with this chapter!)

Also Included:

  • Template: Privacy Policy for Your Website
  • Template: Terms + Conditions For Your Website
  • Disclaimers: Copy/Paste Serious & Cheeky Versions

ToC_Ribbon_FRESHChapter 8: Staying safe in all of
your digital getdowns

What You’ll Learn:

  • All the other ways liability could come back to bite you in the behind, from social media to email marketing to posting advertisements and more.
  • What, exactly, you need to know to shield yourself from that nasty liability.
  • What a social media policy is and why you probably need one.
  • How to make sure your email marketing strategy doesn’t land you in the slammer.
  • The funny things you probably had no clue about when it comes to advertising yourself on Facebook and other places—what’s legal, what’s not, and how to know the difference.

ToC_Ribbon_ALLNEWChapter 9: Recruiting Your Bad-Ass Team

  • How to build your intern programs (and if interns are even worth it, those hooligans).
  • How to avoid getting sued over your unpaid interns.
  • What exactly defines an independent contractor (vs. an employee).
  • How the good ‘ol IRS classifies independent contractors.
  • How to be sure your independent contractors don’t cost you loads of cash in taxes and penalties down the line (woof).

Also included:

  • CHECKLIST: Independent Contractor Cheat Sheet

ToC_Ribbon_ALLNEWChapter 10: Protecting Your Bad-Ass Team (and Yourself)

  • Why hiring employees could be vital to your biz (yes, you’ve arrived!)
  • How workers’ compensation, disability, the Affordable Care Act (and some other sticky things) affect you.
  • Everything you never knew you always needed to know about unemployment
  • What diversity and discrimination (the double D’s of employment lawsuits) mean for your business.
  • Termination dos & don’ts and seriously no, no don’ts.
  • Other employee benefits to ponder over coffee.

Also included:

  • CHECKLIST: The Official Checklist For Hiring Your First Employee, You Bigwig, You
  • CHEAT SHEET: State New Hire Reporting
  • CHECKLIST: Tips To Trouble-Free Termination

ToC_Ribbon_FRESHChapter 11: Templates & Worksheets

Here’s where you’ll find the full collection of legal templates, contracts, agreements, samples, disclaimers–and everything you need to arm you & your business. It’s like your own mini legal arsenal – just pull any document when you need it, and reference back to this time and time again.

ToC_Ribbon_FRESHChapter 12: Small Business Bodyguard Radio

Surprise! Rachel sits down to talk to you about some of the most pressing legal topics–from why intellectual property is so important, to working with lawyers on a budget, and more. We’ve called it Small Business Bodyguard radio, and you can download the audios to your iPod, listen to ’em in the car, or save ’em for a rainy day.

ToC_Ribbon_FRESHOutro

Because it would be rude if we didn’t say a proper goodbye.

ToC_Ribbon_FRESHAppendix

Relevant Resources
Modern Lawyer Directory

testimonials3If you’re in business to win, you have to play many games successfully, one of which is the legal game of business. If you’re in business, you’re already playing the legal game – the question, then, is how well you’re playing it. Small Business Bodyguard is THE essential resource for entrepreneurs and small business owners. I know of no other resource that so thoroughly tells you what you need to know, why you need to know it, and what to do about it (and I’ve read lots of legal books written for small business owners and entrepreneurs.) These templates, checklists, and worksheets by themselves are worth the cost. Had I used just two of them I would’ve saved between $11,000 and $13,000 in the past three years. It’s not a matter of if you’ll need them, it’s a matter of when.

— Charlie Gilkey, Writer, Speaker, Business Advisor & CEO of Productive Flourishing

testimonials4If you think that Small Business Bodyguard is expensive, then you have not clearly explored the cost of being ignorant. I have been searching for legal help for the last few months and as a fully-digital young entrepreneur, I was so glad when I saw a friend’s post about Small Business Bodyguard on Facebook. Honestly, if you’ve done your homework and compared your legal options, then you know that SBB is really affordable (the step-by-step copyrighting checklist alone in chapter 5 is saving me thousands). And educational, motivating and accessible (using the templates, I drafted a contract and sent it off to a lawyer for review but I never could have done that a week ago). And funny (Do not listen to the SBB radio episodes under headphones in crowded quiet public places because people will think it’s strange that you’re laughing so much).

I almost hesitate to rave too much in case Rachel decides to up the cost of SBB because there is seriously valuable stuff in here.

I only wish that I had found SBB six months ago so I’d be done with it already.

You should buy this. Now.

— JAIME MILLER-RAPP, ENGLISH SUCCESS ACADEMY

testimonials1There’s a lot we do in business that we do on faith, and most of the time, that works out just fine. But sometimes, there are challenges and legal issues that we don’t even know exist and that can bite us pretty badly.

It turns out our lawyer, Rachel Rodgers, created this project as a way to help with the challenges you know you have as well as the ones you don’t.

I’ve gotta tell you: legal stuff puts me to sleep, bores me, and scares me in equal parts. But what I like about the Small Business Bodyguard project is that it’s written in a fun and engaging way. Oh, and it’s absolutely for Owners!

— CHRIS BROGAN, NY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF 6 BOOKS, INCLUDING THE IMPACT EQUATION & TRUST AGENTS

I have Small Business Bodyguard and Legal Nunchucks: For Coaches. I bought them separately when Rachel was running specials so they were very affordable (especially in comparison to an attorney’s hourly rate.)

The packages are fantastic and huge. It’s way more than a few measly templates (I’ve totally wasted money on crap like that too…). Rachel is the real deal. And I swear she is a coach doing attorney work, so she totally gets the healing arts and loves coaches. She has a ton of resources about business law (from starting out all the way to firing employees and intellectual property).

I wish I had started with these systems in place, but I’m glad I took her advice. I feel so much more peaceful now which allows me to put my energy into my clients instead of freaking out.

The other great thing is that Rachel and her team are a wonderful resource. They’ve pointed me to all sorts of helpful people and services. Plus you can swear around them and no one looks down their nose.

— SHANNON POST, FOUNDER OF SPOTSOLUTIONS>.COM

testimonials5The Small Business Bodyguard is an absolute masterpiece for new entrepreneurs that is jam-packed full of actionable advice and resources. Its a graduate-level course on how to build a strong foundation for your business in a fun and accessible manner. If you want to set your business up for success, this guide is mandatory reading.

— KYLE DURAND, CEO OF OURDEAL.COM

If you’re starting a business,
running a business, or selling
anything online—or off—Small
Business Bodyguard won’t just
cover your ass. It’ll save it.

Bonuses:
Because what’s a cake
Without icing?

Consider these three go-to contracts as your wingmen to help you close more deals, grow your business, and profit even more from what you’ve built. Because having killer contracts is just something that badass business owners do. Here’s what’s included:

 

sbb_affiliateaggrement

Use often to cover your tush when you have affiliate partners or an affiliate program
(valued at $1200+).

sbb_nondisclosure

Whip this out when you’re sharing proprietary info with someone-think: investor, potential partner, or manufacturer-and you want to make sure they can’t share your shit with anyone (valued at $600+).

sbb_jointventure

Great for: when you’re teaming up with someone and you both have your own separate entities. See also: saving your friendship and your investment (valued at $2000+).

Introducing SBB+

Here’s what we’ve added to the new, updated Small Business Bodyguard:

sbb_redline
sbb_whatsnew

  • 50+ pages of new content,
  • 2 new chapters on building your team covering things like hiring employees and working with interns and independent contractors,
  • Fresh, ass-covering content throughout the guide,
  • 6 new cheatsheets and checklists,
  • A fancy new index (so you can find everything you need quickly),
  • 5 new insider stories from entrepreneurs, consultants and other hotshots,
  • An updated Modern Lawyer Directory (where you can find a lawyer who ‘gets it’ if you ever need one), and .
  • 1 shiny, new membership site with ALL the bells and ALL the whistles including a new user-friendly layout, 12 introductory videos and some other fun surprises that you’ll have to log in to see!

sbb_goldlogo

Less waiting, more winning.

Get your instant download on now.


preview

Here’s a snapshot of what you’ll get

  • Full Access to the entire Small Business Bodyguard resource.
  • 12 Chapters of legal wisdom that reads like an engaging memoir (one that will save – and make – you more money)
  • A tricked-out membership site with videos for each chapter, a fancy PDF viewer, bonus content and fun perks for members like enhanced legal templates and contracts and insider SBB radio episodes.
  • Life, business, ass, and sanity-saving contracts you can start using now.
  • The Small Business Bodyguard Facebook Community where you can ask questions of our lawyers anytime!
  • All 3 bonus templates worth $3,000+

Total Value if you had a lawyer
do all of this privately: $10,650

who are we?

sbb_rachelrodgersabout

Rachel Rodgers is a business lawyer and intellectual property strategist for innovative companies, and the creator of Small Business Bodyguard. Rachel has been profiled in Fast Company, Entrepreneur Magazine, and on MSNBC, and her practice has been featured in Forbes, The Washington Post, and various other fancy publications. Her non-traditional law firm, Rachel Rodgers Law Office, has disrupted the legal industry and made it easier than it’s ever been for startups and leading-edge businesses to work with experienced attorneys.

Small Business Bodyguard is built by a crew of brilliant, hilarious people who have spent countless hours toiling away at this content.  The team includes a tax attorney, an employment attorney, two intellectual property attorneys , an editing team, an operations team and some pretty dazzling customer service peeps.

Stop playing amateur and go PRO.
Plan for the business you want, not the one you have.

FAQ

 

Who needs this?

Anyone running a business (or getting ready to run a business) – from e-commerce to retail and everything in between. As a business owner/freelancer/blogger/kick-asser you’re opening yourself up to a world full of liability (literally)–most of which you might not even be aware of. SBB will give you the exact tools, templates and language you need to get on the right side of the law, and even help you get your accounting and taxes in order, too (because we know you’ve been procrastinating). Plus, things like client agreements and contractor agreements never go out of style. (And, in fact, will save your ass.)

Does this apply to my state?

You bet your bum it does. Most laws in the US are quite similar from state to state, and are often based on model statutes that are adopted by almost every state. (Thank goodness, or things would get pretty complex!) We are very specific in Small Business Bodyguard about which statutes apply to which states, so in the event that there’s something state specific we’re discussing, we’ll let you know about it. We do discuss state specific laws from California to Connecticut that affect online business–and you should know about them. We even have cheat sheets related to business formation and employment law that lists the rules for all 50 states and our directory of modern lawyers at the end include lawyers from practically every state. Swanky, eh? Regardless of your state, Small Business Bodyguard will position you to succeed.

Does this apply to any of us here in Canada, the UK, Australia–or somewhere else?

We created this guide to help you determine exactly what steps you should be taking to protect yourself and your business no matter where you’re located. That said, much of business law originally derived from English common law and was spread to the U.S., Canada, India, Australia, Nigeria and various other countries that were once colonized by England. So, though the law evolves, there are still significant similarities in the business law of common law countries. That said, we don’t make any guarantees about the applicability of this resource to countries outside the U.S. but we have many customers from various countries like Canada and Australia, who have told us how helpful this resource was for them. Here’s one example:

“I’m actually based in the UK where, although a lot of the statute and case references don’t directly apply, the legal principles are very similar … So I’m really grateful for this guide for pinpointing what I need to do. I felt quite naked until I read SBB.” – Catherine Haymes

Additionally, if you’re doing business with people in the U.S., or want your intellectual property (like your blog or website name) protected in the U.S., then SBB is certainly applicable to you. If you’re selling to U.S. audiences, you’re required to comply with certain laws, like having a privacy policy included on your site–and SBB will help you with that. SBB also covers certain international laws, particularly as it pertains to conducting business over the internet.

How much does it cost?

You can own the entire resource including all of the downloadable contracts, agreements and documents for one payment of $1,095. (Resource valued at over $10,000 if you were to have a lawyer do everything in here for you privately. Crazy, huh?)

Which contract and agreement templates come with Small Business Bodyguard?

LOTS–and by lots, we mean over $5,000 worth. (If you hired a lawyer to draft them privately, that is.)

Small Business Bodyguard will, for example, include a fully downloadable and customizable client contract, as well as a fully downloadable and customizable contractor agreement (for your assistants, VA’s, web designers, copywriters and anyone else helping you with your business or blog), privacy policy (the thing you legally *must* have on your website), terms & conditions (another essential for your site), as well as step-by-step information on things like forming your business ($1,300 to have a lawyer do IT for you), and registering your copyright (a $600 value.) This is the point where you laugh maniacally about your newfound legal power.

What is the SBB Community?

As a community member, you’ll receive even more legal support so you can save bucks and grow your business without losing sleep. You will have access to a dynamic, thriving Facebook community of fellow entrepreneurs and small business owners whom you can depend on for insight, advice, support, and virtual high-fives (for all of your winning moments). This Facebook Community is managed by our legal team and you will have the opportunity to have your legal questions answered by our attorneys whenever they come up.

What’s the format? Is this a course?

No, this is decidedly not a course. Consider this your modern-day legal reference library–we’ve got twelve different modules that you can download one at a time, or all at once, and refer to time and time again–now and forevermore. There’s also a section if you just want to download the clean, customizable versions of the contracts and agreements for you to use in your business & website…stat. Then, of course, there’s a section with audio which we’ve named Small Business Bodyguard Radio where we have a few light ‘n loose conversations about things like intellectual property and how getting your legal stuff ready can help you make more money. (True story.) They’re MP3’s, so you can download ‘em to your computer or your iPod and listen away–no law books required. Plus, there are other surprises in the SBB Membership Site to make it easy for you to get what you need, when you need it, to keep your ass fully covered.

Will I get access to everything at once?

You bet – she’s all yours. Now and forever. Just log in to the membership site to access any and all parts of SBB whenever you want. It’s practically magic.

What happens once I purchase?

You’ll be taken to our very special, behind-the-scenes website, where you’ll be able to download everything at once, or just one section at a time. Maybe you just want to download the editable contracts, stat because you needed those yesterday, and you want to dig into the rest later. No problem: there’s a section for that. Maybe you wanted to just download the audios and work your way into it while jogging in a park somewhere. No problem: there’s a section for that. Or maybe you just wanted to learn about protecting your intellectual property, and you’ll worry about the rest later–no problem, there’s a section for that, and you can hop to it directly. We’ve got your back, and we want this to be as user-friendly (and easy) as possible.

Reading about law & taxes & accounting makes me want to vomit.

This is not your average legal resource. In fact, one of the neatest features of Small Business Bodyguard is that it’s specifically created to be user-friendly, readable, and even enjoyable; designed for the average business owner who doesn’t want a law degree–but just needs to know the facts so they can get their legal needs in order (without going to Google and getting one million varying—and inaccurate—responses). This was developed by a lawyer, peer-reviewed by more lawyers, and then edited by you guessed it, lawyers, plus one sweet-ass copywriter to make things FUN, readable and something you’ll refer to time and time again for years to come (and quite possibly even laugh out loud while reading).

Will I still need a lawyer–or will this cover all of my needs?

This is everything you need to give yourself a strong foundation, and get the majority of your legal affairs in order. (Read: You won’t get sued, you’ll get your accounting in order, you’ll learn how to pay less taxes, the FBI won’t come banging down your door, and your clients will pay you on time because…CONTRACTS.) However, there are a few places we recommend hiring a lawyer to review your work: If you’re forming a company with multiple owners, for example.

If you’re not sure about your specific situation, send us an email over to help@smallbusinessbodyguard.com. We’ll be happy to help you make the right call!

I’m BUSY. I barely have time to read the newspaper, let alone something like this.

Let’s make the time. Really. You can’t mess around with this stuff. Being legal while doing business isn’t optional, it’s mandatory. And this must be a priority–because lawsuits will take up a lot more of your time, later on. So will the night you spend crying into your soup when you get your $20,000 tax bill because you didn’t have things in order. That said, there is no time limit on this – you can download it now, and reference it whenever you need to. That simple. We made this to protect the people of our community and we’ve all got to make the time.

I’m still a small fry (great phrase) and probably don’t need this yet…right?

I know. You’ve just gotten started and you feel like no one’s even noticing you so you probably don’t need all of these contracts and terms & conditions and copyrights and trademarks…right?

In fact, you do.

Those just getting started have the most to lose. If something happens and you have to give up half of your earnings, it’ll hit you a lot harder than someone making 6 figures+. Let’s get you some protection, so you can stop playing amateur and go PRO. As we say: plan for the business you want to have, not the one you have.

100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

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We have absolutely no doubt that Small Business Bodyguard will cover your entire ass (no matter how big) and crack you up while doing it (see what we did there?). Still, we know some of you need a cold hard guarantee that you can get your money back in the highly unlikely event that Small Business Bodyguard does not completely and utterly rock your world (it will!). So here goes it: If you do the work to set up your legal foundation using Small Business Bodyguard, show your work (show us the contract templates you’ve customized and/or the business, copyright or other registration cheat sheets you’ve used) and you’re still not satisfied, we will give you 100% of your money back. Just let us know within 30 days of purchase, show us the efforts you put in and we’ll get your refund processed post-haste.

 

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Here’s a snapshot of what you’ll get

  • Full Access to the entire Small Business Bodyguard resource.
  • 12 Chapters of legal wisdom that reads like an engaging memoir (one that will save – and make – you more money)
  • A tricked-out membership site with videos for each chapter, a fancy PDF viewer, bonus content and fun perks for members like enhanced legal templates and contracts and insider SBB radio episodes.
  • Life, business, ass, and sanity-saving contracts you can start using now.
  • The Small Business Bodyguard Facebook Community where you can ask questions of our lawyers anytime!
  • All 3 bonus templates worth $3,000+
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