While we are not quite in a post-COVID world yet, this webinar recap is designed to help fitness businesses get through the transition of closing and reopening, and all the legality that comes with growing your studio in today\u2019s uncertain world. Cory covers four factors that all wellness professionals need to know to operate with the best legal essentials in a post COVID world:<\/p>\n \u201cIt is impossible to grow a business without coming into contact with the law,\u201d says Cory.<\/p>\n That is why he practices proactive law, where he focuses on growing relationships between law and fitness. It can be intimidating, but Cory starts by emphasizing the importance of a legal relationship based on honest, open communication. Think of your relationship with the law in the way you think of your other relationships. You want a positive, healthy experience so you can move forward. Also, keep it simple, with a clear idea and a focused intention.<\/p>\n The fitness industry has changed. Your sources of revenues, team management, and client relationships have shifted, and your business needs to reflect everything that\u2019s different too.<\/p>\n Cory gives the example of a membership agreement in a traditional brick-and-mortar studio:<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s been such a dramatic shift from in-person memberships to online in our industry, and most of our pre-COVID agreements didn\u2019t even mention an online component. So, many studios were facing a situation where chargebacks were being granted or refunds were being issued because studios were unable to provide the in-person services covered in those agreements.\u201d<\/p>\n To keep your community happy, protect your business, and keep those revenues rolling in, you need to \u201cclarify the scope of services\u201d by amending those forms to incorporate online elements. Keep those in-studio services too, so no matter what happens, your clients are agreeing to receive your services however you offer them.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve adapted your business in so many ways just to survive, but you\u2019re increasing your risks by not including the legal component in that evolution. Protect your business from chargebacks, avoid theft of your intellectual property (like class content), and enforce non-compete clauses for staff, all with up-to-date agreements.<\/p>\n As you adjust these agreements, how do you ensure that people sign up? Cory stresses that storytelling and connection is the key. Communicate openly and honestly with your clients about the changes your business has gone through, and you might be surprised at how eager they are to remain with you\u2014even when that looks a little different.<\/p>\n WellnessLiving can help communicate with your clients through our automated tools<\/a> to let them know when there\u2019s a new agreement to sign.<\/p>\n Cory is a true expert when it comes to liability waivers. He\u2019s done a lot of research on them for his book and has defended many liability claims for his clients. Here\u2019s what you need to know about getting a liability waiver right to minimize your exposure for risk, and keep your business protected:<\/p>\n \u201cThe court takes this document more seriously than most because clients are explicitly forfeiting their legal rights. So, something like insurance is going to be critical here, to make sure that your business is covered.\u201d<\/p>\n Cory recommends contacting your insurance company to review the \u201cwhat\u201d, \u201cwhy,\u201d and \u201chow\u201d your business is operating, so that you\u2019re prepared during these COVID times. \u201cYour insurance is your safety net,\u201d he stresses, and things like outdoor classes, and at-home visits may not already be covered by your insurance.<\/p>\n Cory lets us in on the 5 necessary elements to avoid having your waiver of liability challenged:<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to put this through \u201cthe COVID lens.\u201d Not only have businesses shifted to an online model, but the risks are different when people are following your class in an unsupervised setting. Are you hosting in-person classes? In that case, you have an added risk involved with the pandemic, where clients have exposure potential each time they enter your business.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a matter of taking everything into consideration to safeguard your business and mitigate the risks. Can you prepare yourself and your clients for a future change? Cory\u2019s short answer is yes. By including caveats like a pandemic and by stating what will happen in that circumstance, you can ensure that your business will stay safe, even if there are more changes coming.<\/p>\n One of the biggest trends that Cory\u2019s seen is businesses transitioning their staff to a smaller size, with fewer contractors. With the rise of video on demand, are you asking your teams to film content? This can become an issue because instructors have not agreed to have their content broadcast, and they are entitled to intellectual property ownership.<\/p>\n Clear, transparent communication is necessary with your team for this to work. Do you need to retain the revenues for the content? Cory advises you to be honest about your situation by explaining your challenges and the fact that you may need to retain the revenue from your online content to keep your business afloat. \u201cEnroll your team in the vision of your studio, so they buy in to your practices and the reasoning behind the decisions you\u2019re making,\u201d says Cory.<\/p>\n An important question came from asking Cory to address an issue that many studio owners are facing in today\u2019s climate:<\/p>\n Because of the decrease in revenues, many studio owners are looking to put leases on hold, as this is likely your greatest expense. Is there anything that can be done in this arena? <\/em><\/p>\n Cory suggests looking into governmental assistance as a first step in addressing this issue. Pro tip? If you can, Cory advises entering into a landlord agreement where you pay your lease based on a percentage of revenue, so you aren\u2019t locked into paying money you\u2019re not making.<\/p>\n What can you do today? While there is no legislative reform at the moment, Cory assures us that it will likely exist going forward. Remember that it is a negotiation. You did sign an agreement, but when you have a good relationship with your landlord, you need to try and come to an agreement that\u2019s fair and reasonable. Use this situation as \u201ca wake-up call for all of us\u201d to recognize that the ways we\u2019ve done business in the past don\u2019t necessarily apply anymore. Look to find long-term solutions that work with the new way the fitness business looks.<\/p>\n Cory concludes the webinar by reiterating that law is a series of relationships. Whether it\u2019s with your team or your clients, protection is the name of the game. Knowing the right legal essentials will protect your business and help you live your dream by continuing to grow your studio.<\/p>\n As a successful business owner, you know how important is to find and use tools you need to grow. From Cory\u2019s expert legal essentials to the pro management tools from WellnessLiving, make sure your business is protected and performing at its best, no matter how the fitness industry looks going forward. Find out more about WellnessLiving\u2019s features, mobile apps, and advantages by booking a free, no-commitment demo<\/a> today.<\/p>\n For more visit Conscious Counsel visit, https:\/\/consciouscounsel.ca\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"legal](\"https:\/\/www.wellnessliving.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/MicrosoftTeams-image-46.png\")
1. Law is a series of relationships<\/h2>\n
2. Your services have changed, your agreements must change<\/h2>\n
3. Waivers of liability are more important now than ever<\/h2>\n
\n
Consider \u201cthe COVID lens\u201d<\/h3>\n
4. Tell a story with your documents<\/h2>\n
![\"legal](\"https:\/\/www.wellnessliving.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/MicrosoftTeams-image-37.png\")
Let\u2019s talk about leases for your business<\/h2>\n
Keep your business protected with the right legal essentials<\/h2>\n
![\"legal](\"https:\/\/www.wellnessliving.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/MicrosoftTeams-image-34.png\")
<\/p>\n