Get confident about your financial responsibilities as a handmade seller.
A creative's step-by-step guide to building your shop's financial foundation with confidence
Is it time for you to get legit?
You’ve opened a handmade shop! Kudos to you for beginning this amazing adventure. As you dive in, this line of thinking may sound familiar...
- You quickly realize there's a lot more to selling handmade goods than just taking photos & writing product descriptions.
- Tons of questions pop up about the financial & legal side of things.
- You spend six hours spiraling down the blackhole of Facebook forums and Google “research”.
- You feel confused and disgruntled...maybe even angry! How are you supposed to figure all this stuff out on your own?
- You give up OR you try and piecemeal it together on your own, but you're left with a lingering anxiety...
- Why isn’t there just one big checklist out there that tells you what you need to do to get legit so you can do it and then be done with it?!
Questions keep you up at night...
How does sales tax work?
How much money should I save each month for taxes?
I don’t have to worry about reporting this until I make a certain amount in sales, right?
What's an LLC and should I be one?
What the heck is cost of goods sold?
How am I supposed to pay myself?
Which of these tax rules apply to me and which don't?
I feel like there's something important I'm missing, but I'm not sure where to look...
"I am terrified of making the wrong choices and failing as a small business."
Wouldn't it feel good to have it all figured out?
Getting all your financial ducks in a row means moving on and doing more of what you love - creating & making sales. It also means:
- Having easy-to-use financial systems that you actually understand - like your bookkeeping system and your bank account.
- Getting squared away with county, state, and federal requirements.
- Understanding how taxes work, what's expected of you, and when.
- Knowing exactly what to expect at year-end and tax time - no surprises for this numbers-savvy lady!
- Not worrying about missing any details.
- Sleeping easy at night knowing that you ARE legit!
Doesn't it feel GREAT to run your shop like a boss? You got this.
Lucky for you, I've created a resource that will help you feel EXACTLY like that...
Introducing the Get Legit Toolkit
Your comprehensive resource to getting your finances set up right, created especially for handmade sellers.
- As an experienced handmade seller and Certified Public Accountant, I’ve helped hundreds of handmade sellers over the years. I’ve heard your struggles, answered your questions, and discussed the challenges of dealing with the financial responsibilities of running an online shop.
- And one of the biggest hurdles is this: you simply don't know what they all are. No one's giving you the big picture. You're worried about breaking "the rules" without even knowing what all the rules are.
- I’ve taken note every time I hear a creative biz owner say, “I wish I would’ve known THAT when I started out.” or “If only someone had explained that to me when I opened up shop, I would've been doing it right all along!”. I compiled all those topics, answers and issues in one place for you - The Get Legit Toolkit.
- Whether you’re in the research phase of setting up your business, just about to open your Etsy shop, or even if you’ve been around for a while and have some catching up to do, the Get Legit Toolkit offers you a comprehensive guide of all the steps you need to take to get clear on your financial responsibilities as a business owner.
You don't have to feel terrified anymore.
What students are saying...
"This course was worth every penny - a total must-have for creative entrepreneurs! Janet breaks down confusing financial/legal concepts into bite-size pieces of information that are easy to understand. She also goes above in beyond in the course FB group - she answered my *many* questions in a timely/thorough manner. I have so much more confidence that I'm doing things the right way in my business because of the Get Legit Toolkit!!"
"I just wanted to thank you again for creating the Get Legit Toolkit. It was exactly what I was looking for! Before I actually started a handmade business I wanted to make sure I had all my ducks in a row because I didn’t want to get in a sticky situation tax wise or legally down the road."
"I am so grateful for this course. It gave confidence when speaking to other professionals; my accountant, the bank, the IRS, etc. Knowledge is awesome. Thank you so much!!! It also relieved so much stress when tax time comes around. I will be prepared, I am more disciplined and goal-oriented."
"I seriously don’t think my business would have survived as a legitimate business if it weren’t for you and the Get Legit course or Paper + Spark resources. 😊😊"
"I'm so glad I purchased the Toolkit! I had spent so much time on research to answer all the questions I had, but that just led me down the path of more questions and uncertain actions. Janet's program gave me the certainty and clarity I needed to feel confident in the moves I was making. And as a complete newbie, I really needed that from someone."
Stop spinning your wheels and get ready for some major financial clarity.
The Get Legit Toolkit answers your questions before you even ask them. I’m going to replace all those confusing-as-heck internet rumors/myths/contradictions you've read with concrete facts and answers. I’m going to save you hours of endless Googling with straight up reliable resources. I'm going to replace those feelings of anxiety, stress and confusion with confidence and clarity.
When you’ve completed the Get Legit Toolkit, you’ll finally figure out:
- Exactly what you need to do to from a financial perspective to set your business up right
- How to organize your business funds, bookkeeping system, and financial documentation sensibly
- What you're required to do on a state & local level and exactly how sales tax works
- What to expect at tax time and how to prepare throughout the year to avoid any stressful surprises
- The accounting concepts you need to truly comprehend as a successful business owner (and nothing extra!)
- How to feel confident about the money side of your biz and breathe easy in the knowledge that you aren't missing something important
What's included in the Get Legit Toolkit?
Well, in addition to major peace of mind...
The Toolkit includes 7 modules covering the foundations of setting up the financial side of your creative biz - from banking and bookkeeping to income and sales taxes. I include not just the basics of getting a legitimate business set up (action tasks), but also the must-know concepts that are essential to running your business smoothly.
My goal is for you to finish the course with a correctly set up business AND a feeling of confidence going forward.
Banking
- Separating business from personal funds
- Opening a bank account and must-know terms
- How to find the best bank for your biz
Bookkeeping
- Comparing bookkeeping options for makers
- What you should record each month
- How to get your paperwork organized
- How to pay yourself
State Sales Tax
- How sales tax works in YOUR location
- Registering for your sales tax permit
- What to expect when filing your sales tax forms
- How to set your shop to correctly charge sales tax
- Tthe latest changes to sales tax and what affects you
State/Local Licenses
- Other business licenses & permits that might apply to you
- Business entities
- Whether an LLC is right for you right now
Federal Income Tax
- Registering for your EIN
- How income tax works for your business (and affects your personal situation)
- Guide to the Schedule C and common business deductions
- How self-employment tax works
Saving for Taxes
- How long you need to keep receipts
- How much to save for taxes throughout the year
- Whether you should be paying estimated quarterly taxes
- What to expect at the end of the year
- Saving for your retirement
Inventory
- What is inventory and cost of goods sold, and why it matters
- How to keep track of inventory in your books
- What to do at year end with your inventory
Bonus Lessons
- Interpreting your Etsy reports and 1099-K
- Depreciation for makers workshop with a pro tax preparer
- Vetted tools & resources guide for makers
- Top 5 legal checkpoints guide
The Toolkit is designed to make these sometimes difficult concepts as engaging and understandable as possible.
We often learn better with visuals - seeing the work in action, hearing real life examples, and putting pen to paper. This isn’t just a course where you read a bunch of dry, boring material. You will be literally checking items of the list as you go. When you’re done, you’ll be left with a totally legit business with all your financial ducks in a row.
What will your biz look like after you finish the Get Legit Toolkit?
Your bank account and bookkeeping system will be set up with confidence.
Your biz will be squared away with all its local, state, and federal requirements.
You'll feel confident about dealing with tax time and understand your financial forms & responsibilities.
You'll be ready to have a profitable business without worrying about missing a detail!
You'll be able to sleep easy knowing your money AND your business are safe.
Let's Do This!
Basic Toolkit
- Lifetime access to the Get Legit Toolkit course
- Private Facebook group access
- All bonus modules (depreciaton workshop, resource list, legal checkpoint guide)
VIP Toolkit
- Everything in the Basic Toolkit, plus...
- US Safety Compliance 1 hour recorded workshop
- Money Mindset recorded workshop
- Launch Your Etsy Shop in 5 Days e-Course
- Double Your Conversion Rate Mini Bootcamp
- Handmade Website Jumpstart email course
- Crafting a Business 101: The Creative Business Plan e-workbook
- Profit First for Online Sellers video class
- Paper + Spark bookkeeping spreadsheet of your choice
- 30-minute one-on-one call with Janet (never before offered and NOT available anywhere ese!)
Your chance to enroll ends in...
Wise words from now LEGIT students...
"The Get Legit course was just what I needed to figure out how to become "legit"! The course was broken into sections that made each part manageable. Janet was also available for answering questions along the way. I am glad that part of my business is done and now I am not fearing doing my taxes!"
"I'm the person who HATES paying for lessons. However, this Get Legit Toolkit is worth every penny. Seriously Janet, you know what you are doing and explain everything so simply and to the point. This is the best $$ I've ever spent."
"I felt like I was getting the understanding and support I needed to make sure my business was getting the attention (from me) that it needed. I just got back from my accountant and he said I was in the top 1% of the small business owners he sees in terms of having my numbers in order, readable, and ready to go! Thanks to Paper + Spark."
Get the support & accountability you need.
Your Toolkit includes access to our private Facebook group. Ask questions as you work through the course content. Stay motivated with community and peer support.
Need some one-on-one handholding? VIP students get a private call with me. Use this time to set up a bookkeeping system especially for your needs or ask questions about your situation.
Work on your own schedule.
You can complete this course from your couch or your home office - anywhere you have access to WiFi.
The Get Legit Toolkit consists of a healthy mix of videos, text, and PDF worksheets. You can access the content from anywhere and work at your own pace.
I recommend you set aside about 3-6 hours a week for 3-4 weeks to work through the course. Plus, you get liftetime access - so you can always refresh yourself on a particular topic when needed.
VIP students get extra one-on-one help.
With the VIP tier, you'll also receive a 30-minute one-on-one call. Through this session, we can share screens and walk through any specific topics you're confused about - using your bookkeeping system, developing a monthly checklist specific to your needs, setting up sales tax in your shop, etc.
I don't typically offer one-on-one calls to the public - so this is a great value!
NOW is always the best time to get legit.
If you’re on a shoestring budget, I get that it can be scary making an investment in your fledgling biz.
But the plan of “oh, I’ll just start listing things for sale and worry about the tax thing later on once I make some money” is a terrible (and in many cases, not legal) plan!
Not laying the proper financial foundation for your business can result in fines, penalties, stress, and anxiety.
Do it right. You can’t afford to NOT set your business up correctly.
The Toolkit is going to save you hours of time and energy. Trying to piecemeal together your business’ financial requirements on your own is hard. You'll be better off (financially and emotionally!) investing those hours working on other aspects of your business, like creating new products to sell!
Treat your business like a business, not a hobby. Starting now and investing in this course means getting these items taken care of, and then moving on to the work that actually makes you money!
I also offer budget-friendly payment plans if it works better for you to spread the payments out over four months.
Is the Get Legit Toolkit a good fit for you?
The Get Legit Toolkit is designed for:
- Online shop owners (I do emphasize Etsy shop owners in this course, but the Toolkit applies to those who sell elsewhere, like Shopify, Amazon, craft shows, etc.).
- New business owners who want to get legit from the beginning.
- Experienced sellers who are ready to get their business set up "right".
The Get Legit Toolkit is not for you if:
- You’re not ready to put in the work required to build a legitimate, profitable business.
- You don't want to do ANY legwork.
- You want to cut corners or fly under the radar.
- You aren't interested in having a legal business operation.
You've got two choices here...
Keep trying to figure out all this tax and money stuff out on your own. Hodge-podge together answers from Facebook & Google that may or may not even apply to you. Sift through confusing info that could be out of date and slowly DIY your own financial foundation.
- OR -
Feel GOOD relying on this one-stop resource crafted by a CPA especially for handmade sellers with all the answers you need (in plain English!), and get your financial foundation set up correctly, without the stress, in less than a month.
What's the best use of YOUR time, money, and energy?
If you're ready to go from confused & overwhelmed to confident and DONE, the answer is clear. The Get Legit Toolkit is the resource you need to get you there.
Wanna take a peek?
Got questions?
Is this course only for Etsy sellers?
No. I have a few Etsy-centric tutorials, but the concepts in the Toolkit are universally applicable no matter where you sell. Any sort of handmade shop owner is welcome!
How do I access the course material?
ALL course content will be accessible immediately after purchase. If you purchase the VIP tier, you will be get access your bonus content within 48 hours of purchase.
Do I get to ask you questions about the content?
All Toolkit tiers include access to the private Get Legit Community on Facebook. This is the place where you can ask questions about the course material as you work!
If you need some one-on-one help, the VIP Toolkit includes an exclusive one-on-one call with me to discuss your personal situation and address your specific needs.
Do you update the course with new stuff and changes to tax laws?
Yes - I keep the course updated as rules related to small business taxes evolve. In mid-2018 for example, I added an entire new lesson devoted to the changes with online sales tax. In early 2019, I added a new lesson on how tax reform affects your taxes, including a discussion of the new Qualified Business Income deduction. The Toolkit is and will continue to be your one-stop resource to learn about all financial aspects of running your shop.
Do you have captions on your videos?
Yes! All of my videos include closed captions.
What's included in the VIP tier?
Whle the Basic Toolkit is enough for you to get the financial side of your business set up with confidence, the VIP Toolkit includes some extra special bonuses plus more one-on-one tailored assistance. I've partnered with the top experts in the handmade industry to offer resources especially for handmade sellers looking to build a profitable shop. I also include a few of Paper + Spark bestselling products in the VIP Toolkit.
Here's a brief explanation of the exclusive bonuses offered in the VIP Toolkit:
- US Safety Compliance workshop with compliance expert Misty Henry - This one-hour recorded interview addresses what makers need to know about safety compliance, and includes worksheets, a resource list, and flow chart PDFs.
- Money Mindset workshop - a 30-minute recorded workshop focusing on building a positive attitude when it comes to your finances on both a personal and business level. I also discuss actionable strategies to help you deal with icky money situations - like how to deal with potential customers complaining that your prices are too high, offering discounts to family & friends, and more.
- Launch Your Etsy Shop in 5 Days e-course by Steph with Zero to Biz - a paid step-by-step course walking you through launching your Etsy shop. With video and PDF lessons, the course covers the administrative side of setting up shop, pricing products, photography, branding, and how to deal with shipping. You'll also learn the in's and out's of Etsy tags, titles, and listings, along with how to drive traffic to your shop.
- Double Your Coversion Rate Mini Bootcamp by Morgan Nield - Before you start trying to drive more traffic to your shop, make sure it's actually optimized to CONVERT with this mini Bootcamp by handmade expert Morgan Nield. Learn & implement four days worth of 15 minute conversion rate hacks.
- Handmade Website Jumpstart email course by BexMarie - If you're ready to set up your handmade business with its OWN website, this email course will help you get started step by step!
- Crafting a Business 101: The Creative Business Plan - my 50+ page e-book all about crafting a business plan for your shop. Through specific prompts and printable worksheets, I guide you through defining your why, figuring out your target audience, honing in on your marketing strategy, and lots more.
- Profit First for Online Shop Owners - a 30-minute recorded video training about how to utilize the popular Profit First concepts as an online seller. In this training, I explain how to use PF for your own business to pay yourself, save for taxes, and manage your shop's cash flow. I walk through a real life example of how I use PF in my own business.
- A Paper + Spark seller spreadsheet of your choice to help you get a bookkeeping system set up!
- 30-minute one-on-one call - Get tailored help and specific guidance during this exclusive one-on-one call with me.
How long will it take me to complete the Toolkit?
The Toolkit is meant to be worked through at your own pace. You will complete some really important foundational steps for your business - like getting your sales tax permit, setting up sales tax in your online shop, and opening a business bank account. Some of these action steps will take time, and others can be done quickly & painlessly online. For most people, the course should take 3-4 weeks to complete, spending about 3-6 hours a week working on it.
What's your refund policy?
I believe that the content of the Toolkit is going to be a game-changer for your business and that the content here is invaluable. I also believe in the integrity of my customers. If you purchase the Toolkit, get started, and feel like it's not a good fit for you, then I'm happy to offer a 100% refund within 14 days of enrollment.
Got more questions? Just hit the chat button in the lower right-hand corner and ask me directly!
Meet your instructor, Janet LeBlanc.
Hi! I’m Janet. Maker, Certified Public Accountant and mama extraordinaire. I’m also the founder of Paper + Spark, the go-to resource for makers and creative business owners who are ready to take control of their biz finances and bring their entrepreneurial dreams to life with more confidence and clarity.
Since I started selling jewelry on Etsy way back in 2011, my own entrepreneurial journey has connected me with hundreds of other creatives struggling to get their shops off the ground. As an accountant, I started sharing my knowledge about small biz taxes and finances with other shop owners. I quickly became passionate about educating my fellow sellers. Confusion about money should NEVER be something that holds your business back!
There’s a lot of frustration out there about the challenges of getting your shop set up the “right” way and becoming a legitimate business. I sought to create a comprehensive resource especially for makers to help answer those questions once and for all!
Fear is really just a lack of confidence. Knowledge creates confidence.
Let's Get Legit.
Basic Toolkit
- Lifetime access to the Get Legit Toolkit course
- Private Facebook group access
- All bonus modules (depreciaton workshop, resource list, legal checkpoint guide)
VIP Toolkit
- Everything in the Basic Toolkit, plus...
- US Safety Compliance 1 hour workshop
- Money Mindset workshop
- Launch Your Etsy Shop in 5 Days e-Course
- Double Your Conversion Rate Mini Bootcamp
- Handmade Website Jumpstart email course
- Crafting a Business 101: The Creative Business Plan e-workbook
- Paper + Spark seller spreadsheet of your choice
- Profit First for online sellers video workshop
- 30-minute one-on-one call with Janet (never before offered and NOT available anywhere ese!)
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