Welcome to TrueNorth Business Consulting’s presentation of a Business Makeover. Each month will feature an idea that can help your business. True North focuses on helping businesses, especially health and wellness practitioners, maintain and grow their business using the areas of business law, marketing, insurance and project management.

Could you afford contacting an attorney every time you need to make a legal decision? The answer is probably no. Most small businesses cannot afford to keep a lawyer on retainer. But, there are so many times that you wish you had more information or something to go on. This is where legal coaching can help you.

Recently, a client needed a licensing agreement. They had a form from another country. I evaluated it and determined it would take me hours of work to create something from that contract. Instead, I sent over a few forms and we had a discussion of what they needed to be protected from. This took only two hours of time, and the client understood what they needed to look for in the future for these types of agreements.

I have also talked clients through negotiations, having them practice what they will say and giving them some other options. Again, they are gaining knowledge so they are able to make these types of decisions on a daily basis. Legal decisions come up every day for most business owners.

This is legal coaching, a revolutionary idea where clients are empowered. Legal assistance is in their framework, utilizing their expertise and building upon it, keeping in mind that there are other considerations like insurance and marketing. Attorneys do not have expertise in every industry- they are not painters, web designers or massage therapists; they are lawyers with legal knowledge. You bring the expertise of your businesses and what you want out of the contract or negotiation.

If you are interested in legal coaching or mediation services, please contact TrueNorth Business Consulting.

The Truth about Multi Level Marketing

Too good to be true?
My friend wanted a passive income stream, which means making money without actively selling a product or service. A business associate suggested a product line, explained that customers would order online and she would make money. She went to an information session, was sold on the products and signed up without having a lawyer look at the documents.

She sold the products, and then wanted to known when she would be collecting her payments. It was then she was told she would not be paid, but instead received points towards products. It was not a passive income stream she was looking for, but instead a multi level marketing company or MLM.

MLM
Multi level marketing is a system where one business person, the top of the pyramid, receives commissions of their sales and the sales of others they get to sign up under them. It is sometimes referred to a pyramid scheme. This is not to say that they are all illegitimate, they are money makers for some.

What you should look for?
If you want to sell product, you have been approached and are interested, then there are some things you should keep in mind.
• Recognize that you are signing a contract. You may want to have a lawyer review it.
• Is there a penalty if you decide to terminate it?
• Can you easily terminate the contract?
• Next, look at how much money you have to give up front.
• Is the only way for you to make money to find someone else to sell with you so that you gain their commissions?
• Can you just sell the products in your office and do a markup. In this way you are treating the company more as a distributor.

There are opportunities in multi level marketing, but there are also risks. You need to have a good understanding of what it expected for you to make money before signing the contract.

Contact TrueNorth Business Consulting for your legal coaching needs to review your MLM contract.