Balancing your business and your life can feel impossible if you’re not focused on the right things, so I’m excited to share with you a recent conversation I had with an expert on this subject, Michelle Ricketts of Cohesion Services, whose proven process integrates people with systems and operations to build a self-sustaining business that can handle everyday challenges.  Overall health and fitness always played a part in Michelle’s life, her 35 year corporate career, and continue to be important in her consulting approach today, differentiating her from others in the industry. Michelle guides business owners, influencers, and SMBs to develop a self-sustaining business, increase revenues, and take back time to do things that excite them! Today you’ll hear about: - What Michelle’s entrepreneurial journey has looked like and what she considers her “secret sauce” to be - The systems she helps people put in place that allows them to create self-sustaining businesses - A look at how wellness systems and legal systems can work together - The key pieces to have in your contracts and the way that templates can help in this process - What to always keep in mind about the importance of taking time off  I want to thank Michelle for taking the time to share her valuable insights on getting the key business foundations and systems in place so that you can truly enjoy life and business, and I encourage you to visit her website and connect with Michelle on social media to see all things that Cohesion Services has to offer.  Mentioned in the episode: Michelle’s https://cohesionservices.com/& https://cohesionservices.com/scorecard/ Connect with Michelle onhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/michellemricketts/ & https://www.facebook.com/CohesionRicketts/ Cohesion Services https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSG0lg7JWZOitamYRbCDJaQ Join the Waitlist for https://www.legalmybiz.ca/canadianlegaltemplatelibrary — Listen to Get It In Writing onhttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/get-it-in-writing-with-corinne-boudreau/id1615820391,https://open.spotify.com/show/7xAG4aAbQdzATxqGsJnUmy?si=c9e94712b25b48ee or wherever you catch your favorite podcasts! For more please visithttps://www.onlinelegalessentials.ca/my website at  https://www.legalmybiz.ca/. You can connect with Corinne on Instagram athttp://www.instagram.com/legalguidecorinne/ or by email, mailto:corinne@legalmybiz.ca. 

For this week’s episode, I decided to try something a little bit different and take you with me, in real time, an actual filing process for a Canadian copyright registration for my online program, The Canadian Online Legal Template Library.  Today you’ll hear about: - The reasons why you would want to register a copyright - What the actual process looks like to file a copyright online and how to find the right form and login for your needs - How to properly file ownership plus some other important things to consider for the future - What the declaration is and the way to choose the best option for your situation - A closer look at the payment and filing process on the website - The difference between a copyright and a trademark  So strap yourself in and come along for the ride, as I take you through the process on the website and click on menus to show you what is involved in this process. The links to the resources I mentioned in this episode are listed below, and for more valuable resources, including my https://www.legalmybiz.ca/ultimate-online-biz-checklist, don’t forget to visit my website at https://www.legalmybiz.ca/.  Mentioned in the episode: https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/canadian-intellectual-property-office/en  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1AxlsGdAo_YazuvU5o8ee0dOmetxS8NM-8H2oLgGD2xw/edit?usp=sharinghttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-does-my-content-get-protected-by-copyright--51855087 — Listen to Get It In Writing onhttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/get-it-in-writing-with-corinne-boudreau/id1615820391,https://open.spotify.com/show/7xAG4aAbQdzATxqGsJnUmy?si=c9e94712b25b48ee or wherever you catch your favorite podcasts! For more please visithttps://www.onlinelegalessentials.ca/my website at  https://www.legalmybiz.ca/. You can connect with Corinne on Instagram athttp://www.instagram.com/legalguidecorinne/ or by email, mailto:corinne@legalmybiz.ca. 

In this episode, we're talking about litigation and how to break the whole process down into small, manageable steps, as this is a process that can often be overwhelming and all-consuming. Today’s expert guest is Matt Canzer, and throughout his journey he has been able to simplify the litigation process by creating resources that help people deal with the process one step at a time. As founder of Butterfly Legal, Matt empowers self-represented clients with on-demand legal coaching. He is a licensed, practicing lawyer with experience in criminal prosecution, personal injury litigation, and mental health law advocacy. He also supervises law graduates serving underserved communities at the Everyone Legal Clinic. He is dedicated to using legal technology to meaningfully address the Access to Justice crisis with innovative, efficient delivery models for legal services. Today you’ll hear about: - Matt’s journey from legal firm life to offering services for litigation coaching - The factors that come into play when people decide to self-represent during litigation - The way in which Matt carefully identified all the places where people get stuck in the litigation process in order to determine how he could help others - What to consider if you are a small business owner entering into litigation while running your company simultaneously  - The common types of claims that arise for small businesses - How to decide whether litigation is worthwhile in your situation or something you should avoid pursuing - What to know about demand letters and the ways they can be helpful  If you’re in need of legal coaching for litigation matters, I encourage you to visit Matt’s https://www.butterflylegal.ca/ to see how Butterfly Legal can help you in this process. I’m grateful Matt joined me on the podcast to share his insights with you today, and stay tuned for more informative interviews with expert guests that I’ll have for you in the coming weeks.   Mentioned in the episode: Butterfly Legal’s https://www.butterflylegal.ca/ Follow Butterfly Legal on https://www.linkedin.com/company/butterfly-legal/ & https://www.instagram.com/butterfly_legal/ — Listen to Get It In Writing onhttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/get-it-in-writing-with-corinne-boudreau/id1615820391,https://open.spotify.com/show/7xAG4aAbQdzATxqGsJnUmy?si=c9e94712b25b48ee or wherever you catch your favorite podcasts! For more please visithttps://www.onlinelegalessentials.ca/my website at  https://www.legalmybiz.ca/. You can connect with Corinne on Instagram athttp://www.instagram.com/legalguidecorinne/ or by email, mailto:corinne@legalmybiz.ca.

Privacy is something myself and past guests have spoken about on the podcast before, and today I want to focus on the most important thing to have nailed down when it comes to privacy in your business. I’m talking about having a privacy officer for your business, because to follow federal and provincial legislation, identifying and appointing this person is mandatory to comply with those legislations. Today you’ll hear about: - Why privacy is such an important thing to consider for your business  - What the responsibilities of your privacy officer will entail - Ways in which privacy impact assessments can assist you - Best practices for handling privacy in contracts - How to approach choosing a privacy officer within your business - Tips for putting privacy management plan and privacy breach plans in place  I hope this episode helps answer any questions that you may have about the role of a privacy officer, who this person is and what they are responsible for, and I encourage you to check out the previous episodes listed below to learn even more about privacy in your business. Mentioned in the episode: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/what-to-do-if-you-have-a-privacy-breach-with-practical-privacy-coach-jean-eaton--52661212 https://www.spreaker.com/episode/employee-snooping-and-other-privacy-breaches-to-guard-against-if-you-re-a-health-care-practitioner--51855123 https://www.spreaker.com/episode/cybersecurity-and-digital-privacy-tips-for-online-businesses-with-braden-newell--56819777 — Listen to Get It In Writing onhttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/get-it-in-writing-with-corinne-boudreau/id1615820391,https://open.spotify.com/show/7xAG4aAbQdzATxqGsJnUmy?si=c9e94712b25b48ee or wherever you catch your favorite podcasts! For more please visithttps://www.onlinelegalessentials.ca/my website at  https://www.legalmybiz.ca/. You can connect with Corinne on Instagram athttp://www.instagram.com/legalguidecorinne/ or by email, mailto:corinne@legalmybiz.ca. 

Are you working a 9 to 5 job and maybe looking for a change in careers, or a way to make extra money? Today you’ll meet Vivian Balkaron, aka “Virtual Vivian”, who is a freelance entrepreneur, virtual assistant, consultant and course developer. As someone who quit her job in 2016 and became a 6-figure virtual assistant, Vivian now teaches others how she did it. Today you’ll hear about: - How the virtual assistant industry has grown since Vivian started in it - Why it’s important to remember that this is not a “job”, it's a business - The legal side of starting an independent contractor business - The specific point in Vivian’s career where she decided to start helping other virtual assistants grow their small business - How creating courses and offering consulting services to others has changed Vivian’s life and business - What businesses should consider when hiring VAs and where to look for one when you’re ready to hire - Some of tech tools that have helped Vivian along the way - How doing this sort of work is great way of dipping your toes into being an entrepreneur [27:06] I’m happy that Vivian joined me to share her insights and expertise, and I hope it gives you a unique look at this exciting and growing profession. Mentioned in the episode: Vivian’s https://virtualvivian.com/ & https://www.instagram.com/virtual.vivian/ Her https://www.tiktok.com/@virtual.vivian& https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIgEgJ2jmgjCxxVeaWY9v5w/videos mailto:vivian@virtualvivian.com https://www.upwork.com/ & https://www.fiverr.com/ https://asana.com/ & https://zapier.com/ https://flodesk.com/ & https://mailchimp.com/— Listen to Get It In Writing onhttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/get-it-in-writing-with-corinne-boudreau/id1615820391,https://open.spotify.com/show/7xAG4aAbQdzATxqGsJnUmy?si=c9e94712b25b48ee or wherever you catch your favorite podcasts! For more please visithttps://www.onlinelegalessentials.ca/ and watch for the brand new website https://www.legalmybiz.ca/ coming soon! You can connect with Corinne on Instagram athttp://www.instagram.com/legalguidecorinne/ or by email, mailto:corinne@legalmybiz.ca.

I’ve been drafting and reviewing shareholder agreements for more than 20 years now, and I recently revisited this topic when teaching a class of female tech founders. This group had a lot of specific questions about shareholder agreements, and I thought listeners of the podcast might as well, which is why I’m bringing you an episode dedicated to this subject. Today, I share what a shareholder agreement is, when you need one, some of the different sections you’ll find in this document, as well as other considerations and what you need to be aware of. Today you’ll hear about: - Why I sometimes describe a shareholder agreement as a “prenup for shareholders” - When a shareholder agreement is needed and when one isn’t required - What it covers and the main topics that should be addressed in it - Additional considerations around investor requirements - Customizing your shareholders agreement for the province or federal legislation where your corporation was formed Having all of this in writing and negotiating the terms of the shareholder agreement upfront will go a long way in protecting the interests of all parties involved. I hope this episode gets you thinking about reviewing your current shareholder agreement and making sure the provisions are still relevant, or will get you thinking about getting one in place if needed now, or at any time in the future. — Listen to Get It In Writing onhttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/get-it-in-writing-with-corinne-boudreau/id1615820391,https://open.spotify.com/show/7xAG4aAbQdzATxqGsJnUmy?si=c9e94712b25b48ee or wherever you catch your favorite podcasts! For more please visithttps://www.onlinelegalessentials.ca/ and watch for the brand new website https://www.legalmybiz.ca/ coming soon! You can connect with Corinne on Instagram athttp://www.instagram.com/legalguidecorinne/ or by email, mailto:corinne@legalmybiz.ca.

Today we are looking at the things that business owners should know about tax and when to work with a tax lawyer and a tax accountant, and to help go deeper on this topic I’ve invited Primrose Watson to share her expertise. Primrose founded Primrose Tax Law and designed the law firm to be a place where she can be the tax enthusiast she is and build an inclusive workspace so that every firm member can be their authentic selves and thrive. As she says, tax enthusiasm is not mandatory, but it will be contagious! Today you’ll hear about: - The difference between a tax lawyer and a tax accountant and when is the time to hire the - A closer look the important role that a tax lawyer will play in your business - What a Section 85 rollover is and what it allows a small business owner to do - Some of the things that will change for you operationally when you incorporate - Annual maintenance of an incorporation - When to think about a holding company or investment company - What sets Primrose and her firm apart from others in her industry For a small business owner, this episode is packed with valuable information and resources to be thinking about in terms of tax planning, and I encourage anyone listening to visit Primrose’s https://www.primrosetax.ca/, review her https://www.primrosetax.ca/publications/ and reach out to her with any questions. As always, please let us know what resonated most with you from my conversation with Primrose, and we’d love for you to share the ways in which this conversation has helped you. Mentioned in the episode: Primrose Tax Law’s https://www.primrosetax.ca/ & https://www.primrosetax.ca/publications/ Connect with Primrose on https://www.linkedin.com/in/primrosewatson/ — Listen to Get It In Writing onhttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/get-it-in-writing-with-corinne-boudreau/id1615820391,https://open.spotify.com/show/7xAG4aAbQdzATxqGsJnUmy?si=c9e94712b25b48ee or wherever you catch your favorite podcasts! For more please visithttps://www.onlinelegalessentials.ca/ and watch for the brand new website https://www.legalmybiz.ca/ coming soon! \ You can connect with Corinne on Instagram athttp://www.instagram.com/legalguidecorinne/ or by email, mailto:corinne@legalmybiz.ca.

Privacy legislation and privacy practices are moving more and more all the time towards more transparency, and I get a lot of questions about cookies and what we need to do about them as business owners with websites. In this episode, I highlight what cookies are for, why we need them, plus the policies and processes you need to ensure are in place as a business owner. Today you’ll hear about: - What cookies are and why are they needed on websites - The reasons why we need to have a policy around cookies stated on our website - The four most important things to have on your website right now - A look at cookie preferences and “Cookiebot” - When and where cookies are required, plus the times when they are not - The different types of cookies on a website and what responsibilities the privacy officer in a business will have in this process This episode is a must-listen for business owners navigating the intricacies of privacy legislation and online transparency, and my hope is it provides you with a guide and framework for understanding cookies and implementing the appropriate policies around them. Mentioned in the episode: https://www.cookiebot.com/ — Listen to Get It In Writing onhttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/get-it-in-writing-with-corinne-boudreau/id1615820391,https://open.spotify.com/show/7xAG4aAbQdzATxqGsJnUmy?si=c9e94712b25b48ee or wherever you catch your favorite podcasts! For more please visithttps://www.onlinelegalessentials.ca/ and watch for the brand new website https://www.legalmybiz.ca/ coming soon! You can connect with Corinne on Instagram athttp://www.instagram.com/legalguidecorinne/ or by email, mailto:corinne@legalmybiz.ca.

A couple of weeks ago, I did a webinar series on the “Five Legal Issues You Haven't Thought About as a Canadian Content Creator”and today I wanted to pick one of the topics from that webinar and go into it in a bit more in-depth here on the podcast. Defamation is something that as a business owner you need to be aware of and knowledgeable about, and in this episode I share what exactly defamation is, recent cases that have occurred and some tools you can use to prevent defamation and protect yourself from it. Today you’ll hear about: - What defamation is and new aspect to it now that so much of our lives are spent online - The three points of a legal test and the three points of a legal defence when it comes to defamation - A few recent cases that demonstrate examples of defamation - Some of the tools you can use and things you can do to prevent defamation from happening Mentioned in the episode: https://www.ckom.com/2020/03/04/saskatoon-dentist-wins-large-defamation-settlement-against-two-former-employees/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/are-we-dating-the-same-guy-facebook-group-london-ontario-1.6937007 https://9now.nine.com.au/60-minutes/tamborine-mountain-principal-parents-defamation-case/b97de9e0-7521-4fa2-840b-06e8b6e3a47a#:~:text=Tamborine%20Mountain%20High%20School%20Principal,derogatory%20comments%20on%20social%20media&text=A%20Tamborine%20Mountain%20High%20School,%246000%20in%20damages%20for%20defamation. — Listen to Get It In Writing onhttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/get-it-in-writing-with-corinne-boudreau/id1615820391,https://open.spotify.com/show/7xAG4aAbQdzATxqGsJnUmy?si=c9e94712b25b48ee or wherever you catch your favorite podcasts! For more please visithttps://www.onlinelegalessentials.ca/ and watch for the brand new website https://www.legalmybiz.ca/ coming soon! You can connect with Corinne on Instagram athttp://www.instagram.com/legalguidecorinne/ or by email, .

Today I have another “From the Vault” episode, and this is a timely one. If your business is incorporated with a December 31st year-end, you are likely getting things together for your accountant to prepare for tax preparation and filing. In this episode, I reveal what you need to be thinking about in regards to your corporate minute book, and I hope it serves as a good reminder of the annual “maintenance” you need to do for your business that’s incorporated. Specifically, I dive into: - What is a corporate minute book? It can be physical (often a binder) or digital (usually a PDF). - What should be included in a corporate minute book? - There are five key sections of the corporate minute book - Constating Documents, Certificates, Minutes, Registers, and Share Certificates. - When should a corporate minute book be updated? - Update and maintain certain sections of your minute book when your corporation has changes or on an annual basis. As mentioned in last week’s episode, If you are looking to create a solid legal foundation for your Canadian online business with guided legal templates designed by an experienced business lawyer, my https://www.onlinelegalessentials.ca/canadianlegaltemplatelibrary is open for enrollment for a very limited time, until February 9th, and you can join now at https://www.onlinelegalessentials.ca/canadianlegaltemplatelibrary! Mentioned in the episode: Check out our Annual Corporate Dividends Resolutions Package -https://onlinelegalessentials.thrivecart.com/annual-corporation-dividend-resolutions/ https://www.onlinelegalessentials.ca/canadianlegaltemplatelibrary — Listen to Get It In Writing onhttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/get-it-in-writing-with-corinne-boudreau/id1615820391,https://open.spotify.com/show/7xAG4aAbQdzATxqGsJnUmy?si=c9e94712b25b48ee or wherever you catch your favorite podcasts! For more please visithttps://www.onlinelegalessentials.ca/ and watch for the brand new website https://www.legalmybiz.ca/ coming soon! You can connect with Corinne on Instagram athttp://www.instagram.com/legalguidecorinne/ or by email, mailto:corinne@legalmybiz.ca.