Fair Winds
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Speaker: [00:00:00] Welcome to the Working Moms of San Antonio podcast. We're your host, Erica Reis and Marie Lifschultz, a realtor and lender here in San Antonio. But most importantly, we're working moms just like you.
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We love connecting with local moms and business hearing about their journeys and how they're balancing it all because let's be honest, it's not always easy, but it's so worth it.
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Speaker: now onto today's [00:01:00] episode, grab a cup of coffee, settle in, and let's get started.
Speaker 2: Welcome to this week's episode of the Working Moms of San Antonio podcast. Today I have a couple of guests on, um, Stephanie and Louise of Fairwinds Law, and I'm gonna turn it over to them to share a little bit about their business and what they've got going on.
Speaker 3: Thank you so much for having us. We're really excited to be here.
And yes, we are co-owners of Fairwinds Law and we. Do business law and estate planning. And we are unique in the market in that we provide, um, membership or subscription model. And we have different tiers for personal and for businesses. And depending on your need, you know, we serve, we also do flat fee, um, surface arrangements.
So we do not [00:02:00] like the billable hour and we don't wanna, you know, charge big, large retainers. So, yes.
Speaker 4: Yeah, our goal was to bring. Legal services to people where at a price point where they could afford it.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 4: Knowing what it was gonna cost them upfront. Oh, I love
Speaker 2: that.
Speaker 4: Thank you. And thank you for having us.
Speaker 2: Yes.
Speaker 4: Um, and then that, and by giving them that number upfront, it, the hope is that people will come to us before there's a problem.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 4: To say, Hey, can you please review this contract instead of saying. Oh, I have this contract that I've used 42 times. It may have some problems, but nobody's looked at it in a
Speaker 2: while.
Yeah, yeah. No, that totally makes sense. I mean. You know, I don't know very, very much about law, but I've had to use lawyers for different things. And, and I mean, the, the first thing you think of immediately, to be honest, is like, this is gonna be not so expensive. Like, and, and how, like how much and do you know, you know, it's almost like going to like a mechanic or something and it's like, [00:03:00] okay, I have no idea what this costs, but like, you just tell me and then just do that thing.
And so I love this idea and I love this, this model that you guys have, it, it seems way more accessible.
Speaker 3: Yeah, and it, it's emerging like it's been around for a while, but I would say more lawyers are, um, embracing it because you need that, uh, upfront pricing. And it's, it is kind of scary for us too to like, you know, come to any client, you know, what do you need?
How do you need it? We kind of outline that. Ahead of time. And yeah, sometimes it might veer off track and, you know, create or they might have needs that we didn't anticipate. But if we can kind of have like a menu of items, um, of things that are constantly recurring, like contract review or business succession planning, um, liability contracts, like those type of things are everyday problems that business owners have to [00:04:00] tackle.
So. I like that visibility of it. So not just like the pricing, but also the things they might need in their business
Speaker 4: and the, what we have on our website, because we do try to be very upfront with our pricing. Um, so every, all of our prices are published on our website, but that being said. I know that there's people out there that are like, well, none of that fits what I need.
Speaker 2: Oh, totally.
Speaker 4: And so of course we're willing to work with you and build you a more personalized model. Subscription model.
Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah. And we can't list, you know, everything that could come up. But I do like that transparency and, you know, especially if you're gonna join our membership, this is, look at all these items that you have access to and more, you know, whatever you need, we can work out a flat fee before we charge you, before we even start to work together.
You will know. You know, the price for what you're getting.
Speaker 2: Yeah, no, that's great. [00:05:00] Do you find that people then are able to look at, like, like you said, your main services and that kind of stuff, and then realize that they actually need things that they didn't even know that they needed? Yes. Like I know for me, I mean we do little contracts here and stuff, and actually Stephanie was a person that, that looked at ours.
But, um, you know, for renting this out and that kind of thing, but I know like beyond that, it's like what do, what other legal services should I probably be. Needing or, or getting that I'm, that I'm not even aware of, which can be a concern.
Speaker 3: Well, and that's what's great about the membership services, like you get certain.
Services, but you also have constant contact with us. So you have unlimited meetings.
Speaker 2: Oh,
Speaker 3: um, for our honor, Calendly, you can schedule a meeting whenever you need to. So
Speaker 2: yeah,
Speaker 3: that is a huge perk because then people are like, okay, maybe next month I might be like working with a contractor, so I might have a contract that I need to come up with.
They're ready to do that the next month. 'cause you get, you know, one or two or three, [00:06:00] um. Services per month, so
Speaker 2: Oh, great. So it's not like it's constantly working on the same issue, right? Like things change in your business and so they could also change with what they need from you guys.
Speaker 3: Yes. And I've had clients that say like, okay, I'm gonna sign up for a hu a few months because I have all these contracts that I need to be reviewed or created.
And then, you know, we can work with them on all those projects. And, you know, I, we keep in constant contact. We do, you know. Once I do review or create a document, you, we meet about it and talk about it, answer all your questions. I I have heavily comment and explain what I'm doing, and then you let me know, like, oh, I, that's not really how my business works.
I want something different. Yeah. Um, so it's, you're very as much involved as you wanna be. I, you know, let's work together. If you want me to just do it, you know, that's fine.
Yeah.
Speaker 2: That's usually more in the vein that I'm in. Like just you do that thing that you know how to do and you're very good at, and I'll just be like, okay, yes,
Speaker 3: yes, I can do that too.
[00:07:00] Yeah.
Speaker 2: Great.
Speaker 3: Yes, and estate planning and business law go hand in hand. So that's why Louise and I work together and you know, we decided to form our partnership together 'cause. It's, it's all about proactivity and planning and not being caught off guard.
Speaker 4: Yeah. Planning for the emergencies is what I mostly do in estate planning, but part of the membership in our firm is that you have access to both of us,
Speaker 2: right?
Speaker 4: So if you have a business membership that still gives you access to me for estate planning and. But at a significantly decreased price.
Speaker 2: Okay.
Speaker 4: So we, we try to work with each other and work with each other's clients. And we find that many of our clients are the same client. I mean, it's the client of the firm of course, but that we are working with the same people because people need business succession planning and they need planning, estate planning in their own personal lives, um, to make sure that [00:08:00] their children are taken care of if something happens to them.
That their spouses are taken care of. If something happens to them and that their businesses are taken care of,
Speaker 2: something happens to them. Yeah, no, that makes sense actually. Um, when you get somebody that comes in for estate planning. Is it someone that's usually just never, they've never done any of the stuff like, like wills and all, like any of that.
It's like someone that's typically kind of coming in at ground zero.
Speaker 4: I have a good smattering Yeah. Of people at all levels, but generally by the time you come from back to me or to me, we're starting at ground zero anyway. Okay. Um, because the people that are Okay. The rule of thumb really, that I tell my clients is that you should have your estate plan reviewed every three to five years.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 4: And so if you are coming into me after five years of having never having somebody look at your plan, then maybe there's some changes that need to be made. But more commonly what's happening is people are coming into me and saying, [00:09:00] I have a will that I drafted and. 1994.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 4: And a hundred thousand things have changed in their lives since then.
Maybe they've had kids, maybe they're, they've gotten divorced, maybe they've gotten married. Yeah. There's just things that need to be redone and so we have to redraft from that point. Um, but I would say the larger portion of the people that are coming in at that level are the, of the 50 and up. Age range.
Anybody that comes in, which is actually my client, my biggest client base is in the the thirties, forties, age range. They are generally coming to me with nothing and yeah, possibly have never thought about it before.
Speaker 2: Yeah, those people are me, you guys. Those are me. So, yeah, I mean, that's super interesting.
I know I have to get like, get on board and just like be a real adult person now you guys, but
Speaker 3: it's, it's a lot of work and it's very easy to put off, you know? Yeah. And I, you know, [00:10:00] we like to serve all ages too. Like if, you know. If you're a family and you have a young teenager or you know, someone who's off, who's off in college, like you should, you know, the family should do their estate planning, mom and dad, but also like expose your kids to it and say like, okay, let's do a simple will just in case.
Yeah. And just to get that out there.
Speaker 4: Mm-hmm. And what I'm, what I'm finding is people will tell me, oh well. I have a will. I have children who are in high school. I have a will. I'm good.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 4: Cool. So you probably also have a life insurance policy worth a million or more. And so what you're telling me right now is you want your children to inherit that when they, the day they turn 18, you just gonna turn all that money over to them and let them do with what they want with it.
Yeah. If we haven't talked about that, if there's nothing in writing about how they should use that money or where it should be allocated. That's what's gonna happen.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 4: And I don't know about you, but my kids [00:11:00] did not get, need any money that's that much at the age of 18.
Speaker 2: Yeah, no, that's totally true. I mean, you're not even like, I feel like fully formed mentally at that point.
Speaker 4: Mm-hmm.
Speaker 2: Um. Yeah, I mean like for example, for me, I have life insurance, right? And my husband does too. But honestly, you're right. Like what hap like if someone needs to use that life insurance, like if they're granted it, what happens? I have no idea. I have not set that in place, so, and I never really thought about that.
Speaker 3: Yes, we help you think about all those things. You know, it's, Louise does great to have those awkward conversations with people. Yeah, she's really good at, you know, making them feel comfortable and it's. I, it's, uh, it's difficult, but she does it. Great.
Speaker 4: Thank
Speaker 3: you. Yeah.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 4: I actually really enjoy having those conversations with people because sometimes we have to be uncomfortable to be comfortable with the uncomfortable decisions.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 4: And until you can, I mean, and it sounds so stupid, but like, until you're comfortable in that uncomfortable space
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 4: You're not going [00:12:00] to make the decisions.
Speaker 2: Right. I feel like, and I don't know this, but I feel like probably a big. Like halting factor and people not doing, um, their wills and that kind of stuff, and even, you know, some business stuff is that they don't know all the, the components they don't know.
For example, like if you don't know where you want your kids to go, should you pass away? You know, when, when, like, or I mean something else in your business. If I don't have all of my ducks specifically in a row, it's like, well, I'll just wait until I figure this out. But then you never figure it out. Do you guys find that that's true?
Speaker 3: Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. And then, you know, the default state plan for you. There's a plan if you don't have a plan, but it's the state and you know, the laws that are very generic and not gonna really care about your family's, you know, dynamic or what's going on with your sister, you know? Yeah. Your, your parents, you know, it's, it's very, you, you want the control, you don't wanna give it to the state.
Yeah.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 4: And I always tell my clients that the. [00:13:00] Don't let if, if you have made 80% of the decisions, because we're gonna have a meeting and we're gonna talk about the decisions that need to be made.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 4: And if you've made 80% of the decisions, don't be afraid to, to come into the next meeting and we'll talk about the remaining 20.
Mm-hmm. And I will help you reach that goal. And maybe we don't walk out of the next meeting with all of the remaining 20% of the decisions made. That's okay. We will just continue to, to, to, you know, pick away at it. But what often I have found has happened is the, you know, they'll come in, we'll make the decisions of 80 per for 80%, but then they won't schedule another meeting because they can't come up with the rest of the 20% of the decisions.
And so I've learned to say upfront, don't make that, don't let that stop you from making the next meeting, the next appointment, because. We'll [00:14:00] just, if we have to do it a little bit at a time, we'll do it a little bit at a time. And in severe cases I will draft some documents and not others because it's better to have most things in place than nothing.
I would rather just do one signing, but
Speaker 2: Sure.
Speaker 4: You know, if we have to break it up, I will.
Speaker 2: Well, that's good. I mean, that sounds, that sounds like sort of a comforting process. I mean, for someone like me that needs things to be perfect. Um. I mean, and oftentimes I know, again, just the way my personality is, sometimes I just need someone to tell, like almost give me permission to like do those things.
You know what I mean? Where it's like if I would be like, Hey, you know X, Y, Z, and you're like, no, that's totally fine. That happens all the time. I'd be like, cool, let's do that then. You know, sometimes it just takes like a professional being like, this is fine. This decision is good. We do this. Mm-hmm. People do this.
Yes. Every day. You know? Yeah. And so that's why these meetings with you gals are so important. I feel like sometimes we as the consumer just need someone with some [00:15:00] authority and knowledge to be like, this is fine. Go ahead.
Speaker 3: Yes. That happens all the time in business law. Yeah. People are like, well, can I do this?
I'm like, yeah, of course. Everyone does it every day. And they're like, oh, I didn't know. Yeah. I should have done this years ago. Or, you know, it's. I will be that, you know, voice of reason and expertise, you know, for you and your business.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 4: We're also very good at telling you when you shouldn't be doing something.
Yes.
Please
Speaker 2: also do that.
Speaker 3: Yeah. Yes. Yeah. Especially in contracts, reviews, like you shouldn't be leaving certain things out or just being very vague about. You know, who has to deliver what and when. Yeah. Um, you know, put it in writing. It's, it's easier to put it in writing than discuss it face to face sometimes, you know, like, kinda like sending in a difficult email.
Like it's, let's just write it down and review it and, and sign it, and then you won't have so many issues down the line.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: And I think that's what people are just hoping they have this, you know. [00:16:00] Very vague contract and hope that nothing happens. And you know, maybe sometimes, most of the time it won't, but that time it does.
You're out thousands of dollars. Yeah. When you could have been more sure in your contract.
Speaker 2: Yeah. And so like, is that what a lot of the contract law it, like you're reviewing and then like little red flags go up where it's like, oh my gosh, what if this would happen? Like that's not listed here and then you have to like rewrite and kind of
Speaker 3: Yes.
Yeah, definitely. Like vague terms or. Um, like missing a lot of timelines or trying to think of a good example. I mean, liability contracts are huge too. Yeah. You know, you can't cover everything under the sun, but you definitely want to cover, you know, if you ha are having going to someone's house or, or you know, having people come into your business, you wanna have the, the baseline of awareness of like.
How people act, how it might hurt you or [00:17:00] your business or, um, like if they don't act right and you're working with them, what happens? You know? Yeah. You, you can outline all that in a contract depending on, you know, whether it's an independent contractor or your employee. Um, I would say that, you know, if you have an employee, you definitely want to have some policies in place, and I think that's where.
As you grow, as business owners grow, like you're solo and then you, maybe you take on an employee or you get a, um, a physical location, then you wanna have those policies in place. Um, because even though a lot of people might not look at them like you want them in case. You have an an IRS audit or in case the, you know, health inspector comes, or you know, there, who knows what could happen to you.
Sure. Um, but I think having those policies in place, like I love policies, like I love creating guidance. Like everywhere I've worked, I'm like, oh, let's make a policy for that. And like, you know. Just [00:18:00] 'cause you created that day doesn't mean it won't change. I think that's what a lot of people don't like about policies is, is like, oh, well I might do them something different.
Or what if I change it? Well then you to just change the policy. And I think like I also talk to, um, my clients like that. Like you can change it on your own. Like I'm gonna give you this contract and this is gonna have, you know, everything. I think it should, but if some little part of it changes. You can add to it, you can change to it.
Or if you're still a member, like you could come back and we could talk about like, Hey, I wanna change this or add this. Can you do it for me? Or, you know? Yeah. However, so I, I think that that to me, even though you write the policies down, um, or contract, sounds like it's still like a living document that like can change at some point.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: To suit your business needs.
Speaker 2: I love that. I mean. Me as a person would be terrified to do that. Maybe it's the real estate agent in me too, where like it, it's written all of our stuff. Like you can't practice law. And it's like we're not, we're just filling [00:19:00] in blanks, you know? But maybe it's that. But I do like, I like that there's the option to sort of be like, okay, well if I need to add like one more sentence that like, makes us a little bit more clear, then that's okay.
You know? Yes.
Speaker 4: And, and possibly a little bit more user friendly for you. You've made this policy and now it's, it's not working the way you wanted it to. Yeah. So you can tweak it. To be more user friendly for you. The other thing that Stephanie does really well is business formations. Um, so not just bringing her your contracts once you're, you know, yeah.
An established business, but just helping you get, get your businesses in place. Um, I know we've been approached by a lot of people who are working as sole proprietors and maybe have physical locations as well. Yeah. And you know, we advise them that they should probably have a. An actual entity in place to protect them from liability.
Speaker 3: Yes.
Speaker 2: So like an LLC and things of that nature? Yes. Yeah.
Speaker 3: Well, and that's just a part of growing, you know, you start as a [00:20:00] solo or a DBA and that's good enough because it's expensive to file an LLC if you're just starting out, you know? Sure. Um, but then you grow a couple years past and then it's like, oh yeah, I'll get to the LLC, I'll get to the LLC.
So that's why I, that I think is the best. Part of the membership is like, it's a, a good level, a good entry level way to be like, oh, I need to take care of that thing that I've been putting off, and that is essential to protecting my business.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: You know, and if you want to, oh, you know, get a bank loan and they're probably gonna ask for your operating agreement for your LLC, so you wanna have that too.
And so when we do the LLC formation, you get your operating agreement as well. You know, right out the gate you're going to be, you know, ready to start and grow. And grow and grow.
Speaker 2: Yeah. And doing it the right way from the beginning, that's always easier. Yes,
Speaker 3: yes.
Speaker 2: Do you feel like there's a misconception that you [00:21:00] need a CPA to do your LLC?
I see that like in the groups and all that, like online, where people are like, I need A-C-C-P-A to help me, you know, do my LLC. And I'm like, but do you like, I don't, I don't know. Like those two things have and do sometimes go together. It feels more legal to me, so I don't know.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I would say it, it's 50 50.
Yeah. On lawyer and CPA, it really depends on your operations. Like are you, uh, you know, heavily like service, like service charges based? Yeah. And you have a lot of. I would say a bookkeeper is the bare minimum that you need when you come to me. Um, and a lot of people don't have that either, so I do encourage them to like get a bookkeeper.
Um, but yeah, the, the tax part of it is like its own beast. Yeah. So I would say like, you don't need a CPA to, to file an LLC and become [00:22:00] and protect yourself and your, you know, your personal assets from anything that could happen, but. That the next level is like the IRS is going to come after you. Yeah. If you don't file your taxes correctly, um, you know, the bigger you get, the more complicated it is with like s corp and, and all that fun stuff.
Yeah. Which like, I don't know about like where like we, we have our bookkeeper who is very Yeah, that's their deal. Very helpful. And our accountant who is very, very helpful and I ask her questions too, like when people ask me like. Oh, can I do this or can I do? So I'm like, that sounds like a tax question.
Um, let me confirm that. And I'll be like, yes, you need to ask your accountant that. Like I won't even answer yet. Sure. I'll just be like, let me ask my accountant. Yeah. And then you should ask your accountant. So I feel like that has. I've helped people with pushing them to get an accountant. Yeah. So you know, the entry level, at least get me to [00:23:00] help you protect your assets and then your CPA will help protect you from the IRS.
Speaker 2: Yeah, maybe it kind of gets rolled together sometimes because while putting together the actual LLC does feel more legal. Like it gets lumped in because the reason that they're doing these different entities is to help with tax reasons.
Speaker 3: Yes.
Speaker 2: I see.
Speaker 3: Okay.
Speaker 2: It's always been a little confusing to me. It's like, okay, well who do we go to about all of these things?
Speaker 3: Well, and it is, I would say, very based on your, you know, annual revenue. Sure. You know, then you'll, you should definitely have a CPA if you are large enough to like save money on the way you file things. Yeah. So. I would like, we, taxes are, are something that come up often.
Speaker 2: I bet.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 4: Yeah. And I would say that it's more, it's more common for people to go and hire a CPA or an accountant just because that they have to.
Yes. Like they, [00:24:00] they are going to go hire them to help them file their taxes. So they've already know somebody. They've already got a relationship with that person and so that's where they go. I would. Highly advise that they also talk to an attorney. Yeah. When, when filing for their entity.
Speaker 2: Yeah. No, that makes sense.
It sounds like. You guys work hand in hand, you know? Yeah, absolutely. You need all of that.
Speaker 3: Absolutely. Yeah, definitely. That is a better way to put it.
Speaker 2: I've been doing this a little while.
Well, I wanna talk about how you guys kind of got into sort of like helping the small business sector. Let's talk a little bit about what you were seeing maybe in your own lives and that kind of stuff, and, um, what you really love about kind of servicing and helping to service this particular, uh, community here in San Antonio.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I, well, working moms it, you know, I'm a member and I love it. Yeah. Yes. And um, I think I feel really comfortable [00:25:00] working with other women and working with mom, business owners and, you know, I love to be a part of the community, so I thought, you know, how can I help the community with my, my, what I like to do within the law?
And I think. I first started solo, you know, before Louise and I met, and yeah, and helping people do LLC formations and contract reviews. And I, I really liked that and I really like when working with small business owners because it's, it's so nice to see people's businesses grow and see them, like their families are part of their business and like it's something that they are passionate about.
It's so nice to see people's passion for what they do. So I. I don't like, even if we grew in some, you know, I would still wanna work with small business owners. Yeah. Because it's just, it's inspiring and Yeah. I, I know how [00:26:00] scary it can be, and so I like to be that, you know, voice of reason and helpfulness.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 4: I think that's one of the great things just about law, the, the field of law in general is that there are so many different areas to be in and, and you do kind of find the thing that makes you. Wanna get up in the morning? Yeah. And, and go help the people that you want to help. Stephanie loves to work with small businesses.
I also like to work with small businesses, but my, my love is the family.
Speaker 2: Sure.
Speaker 4: You know, so I, I wanna make sure your family is taken care of. I love sitting down with people and making sure that they have that peace of mind, that if something happens to them, their children are taken care of, the way that they want them to be taken care of, not just taken care of.
But I love the, that moment and it happens almost every time when everything's done, everything's signed, and they walk outta your office and they're like, thank you. That just brought me such peace of mind.
Speaker 2: Yes.
Speaker 4: And so [00:27:00] that's, that's the thing that gets me up in the morning and she's, Stephanie said, I don't wanna do that.
I wanna do small businesses. Yeah. And so that, that was kind of how we got together was 'cause we were talking about estate planning and. We thought if we brought our, these two loves that we have together, we could do it. We could make a great firm.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Yes. Oh, I love that. That's great. You know, I mean, well, I believe things happen for a reason, and so I think that that's probably, it was just maybe meant to be, but, um, but both of you provide, whether it be for small businesses or family, uh, law is that, I can only imagine that it's just a sense of relief, right?
Like as moms, as working, moms as you know, and, and women, uh. There's so much like mental load of all the things that we're supposed to do and have to do and that kind of thing. And even though I have not done all the things that I'm supposed to do somewhere up here, I know that I need to do that stuff.
You know, and it, it little by little kind of puts a little. Pressure on the shoulders. And so when you, when you sign those documents and you're done, it's like, oh [00:28:00] goodness, I'm so glad you know that I did that thing. So I imagine you're providing a lot of relief, both of you in your, in your separate sex.
Speaker 3: Yes. Yeah. And working with an expert, you know, to do that. And I think that's what I also like about working moms is that you can find other professionals to help you with the things that you kept putting off and that you weren't doing. Yeah. Like, oh my gosh, I need, you know, a, a cleaning service for my building, you know, a, a.
Graphic designer, you know, there's so many, uh, people. Market, market. The group market. Yes. We, you know, we hired, you know, another working mom for our website, so Yeah.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: It's, I love that. It's great to find those resources. Yeah. In a tight-knit community.
Speaker 2: We've got a bunch of good gals in here. I mean, everybody's just super nice, very, uh, good at their, good at their job and and driven, and I just love seeing that in women.
It's so, it's great. So, um, well good. I'm glad you're getting you out of the other members and I know they're gonna get used outta you gals too. Yes. Cool. Well, um, is there anything [00:29:00] else that you wanna share that you can think of?
Speaker 3: I mean, I think that we, where we overlap heavily too is business succession planning.
Okay. And that is something that we wanna make sure that business owners, you know, maybe you don't have time to do your whole estate plan, even though you should. You should at least plan for a transition in your business if you were to become incapacitated or, you know, maybe you need to sell it, maybe you need to go outta state and it's not something that can be mobile.
You want to be prepared for that in your operating agreement. You know, have those terms that say you know how to buy and sell or you know, how, uh, you would, you know, sell off your business or. You also want to keep, and that's what we bring up to business owners, is like, keep, um, or make accessible to whoever would take over or who, whoever you're gonna sell it to, like your financial documents and [00:30:00] yo.
Other, like your operating agreement, things that, that you need to have like in your file cabinet, whether that's digital or physical, you want them, you know, filed easily so that if something were to happen your, say your husband could help facilitate that, like have access to the bank accounts or you know.
Sure. Different things like that. So business session plannings
Speaker 4: really. Yeah. And the one that I always tell clients is if something happens to you today and you have employees who's paying them. Who has the authority to pay them? Are they gonna go without a paycheck and is that what you want?
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Or your contractors. Or your contractors. Like who, how is someone gonna pay your contractors if they, they don't know your logins? You know? Like, it could be as simple as that. So even if, you know, we just help you think about like, oh, I have to, I should write that down somewhere, or put that in a document and make it, you know, shareable with my employee or my, you know.
Family so that they know where to go when something [00:31:00] happens or if something happens.
Speaker 2: That's such good advice. I feel like that's good advice. Even like with your own personal st like
Speaker 3: yes,
Speaker 2: in my house, I'm the one that pays all the bills and I do the grocery shopping and I know where the kids' doctor's forms are.
You know, I mean, all that stuff. Um, and God bless him. I'm sure Frank could figure it out. Yes, yes. But
Speaker 3: you wanna make
Speaker 2: it easy, but you wanna make it easy on him. Yeah,
Speaker 4: he can figure it out. Anybody can figure it out. But the question is. Do you want them to have to figure it out while they're dealing with a very emotional
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 4: Time of their lives and they're probably not the ones that are going to be figuring it out, right? Yeah. Like if something were to happen to you. Probably while your husband's morning, somebody else is gonna step in
Speaker 2: and help.
Speaker 4: To help. Yeah. And that's where those processes being written down is very helpful.
Speaker 2: Totally. No, that's really good advice. I'm gonna get on that for real.
Speaker 4: But the other thing I would like to say just about our firm in general is that we work very hard to come to the [00:32:00] client.
Speaker 3: Oh.
Speaker 4: So almost everything we do is virtual. I meet with a lot of my clients in their homes.
Speaker 3: Mm-hmm.
Speaker 4: And I do almost every signing in their home.
Um, I also do it in other business, you know, in places as well. Sure. But it seems to be more comfort, comforting, and comfortable for many of my clients to just to be in, at their own kitchen table. And so we work really hard to come to meet our clients at their level of comfort and not make it just such a cold.
Kind of corporate transaction, if you will.
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah. We're very flexible about our accessibility too. Like we do weekend meetings, we do evening meetings. You know, it's, we can meet you where, where, when, and where you can meet us.
Speaker 2: Yes. Yeah. I love that. You know, that's great. It's all about convenience, right?
And, and some of this tougher talk, like you say, I'm sure feels a lot better when you're just at home, you know, rather than going to some corporate. Environment. [00:33:00] So that's really great. Well, this conversation has opened my eyes to a lot of things for me personally, and hope, I'm sure for our listeners as well, you know, some things that need to be done and, and the importance of them.
And, uh, you know, luckily there are gals like you that have, uh, subscription models and different things that make it a little bit more accessible for everybody to get good, um, advice and, and care when it comes to law. So that's great. Thank you. Of course. Thank you. And thank you so much for being on.
Speaker 3: Thank you so
Speaker 2: much
Speaker 3: for having us.
Speaker 2: Absolutely. Oh, really quickly though, I don't wanna forget, will you share with our listeners, um, how they can get ahold of you?
Speaker 3: Yes. So Fairwinds Law, uh, F-A-I-R-W-I-N-D-S, do la w is our website and you can find out more about the membership tiers. Um, you can also contact us on that, on that website.
You can message us on Facebook. Um, yeah, I'm at Stephanie at Fairwinds Law
Speaker 4: and I'm at Louise at Fairwinds Law, but my name is [00:34:00] L-O-U-Y-S-E at Fairwinds Law.
Speaker 2: You've got a name like me where we gotta tell everybody all the time
Speaker 4: Fields character, right?
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right. I keep, you know, you just keep saying it and you hope someone remembers, so.
Mm-hmm. But, um, okay, great. Well, we will put all of that in the show notes so that people can just click and get ahold of you gals. And again, thanks for being on. Thank you so for having much for having us. Yeah. And then really quickly, I'll just thank our listeners for tuning into this week's episode and we'll catch you guys next time.
Thanks so much for tuning into this episode of the Working Moms of San Antonio podcast. We hope you love today's chat and found a little inspiration to take with you into your week. If you have a podcast topic suggestion or a question you'd love for us to cover, definitely send us an email at hello at working moms of san antonio.com.
We'd love to hear from you. And until next time, see you in the [00:35:00] community.
