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In this episode of Weird Finance, host Paco speaks with attorney Chris Valdheims about the essential role of legal matters in empowering creative businesses. They discuss creative industry legal battles, the importance of addressing legal issues proactively, and the increasing accessibility of legal services. Chris shares advice for business owners on trademarks, setting up an LLC or corporation, and having solid customer contracts. They also delve into personal experiences with financial management, the significance of saving and investing early, and the emerging trend of relocating internationally for better living conditions and work opportunities. 

Chris Valdheims is a designer/software developer turned lawyer and writer who founded Counsel for Creators (@counselforcreators) as a way to connect creative people with accessible legal help. Chris grew up in Los Angeles around many people in creative industries and he knew that conventional law firms weren’t cutting it, so he built what he would have wanted to see.

Chris is also a creative in his own right; he’s in the process of getting his first book published. It’s a memoir about finding his birth family as an adult and how that changed him.

Chris is married and has two boys and he and his family will move to Croatia this year.

If you’re interested in learning more about working with Chris and the Counsel for Creators, please check out the Creator’s Legal Program.

The theme music was written and performed by Andrew Parker, Jenna Parker, and Paco de Leon.

If you’d like to contact us about the show or ask Paco a question about finances, call our hotline at 1-833-ASK-PACO, email us at weirdfinancepod (at) gmail.com or submit your questions here. We’d also love your listener feedback about the show; here’s a short survey.