Seven Deadly Legal Mistakes in Business Contracts

Shield Your Contracts Without Going to Law School

Seven Deadly Legal Mistakes in Business Contracts
Most business owners don’t think of contracts as dangerous.
They think of them as routine.
That’s the problem.
Contracts are signed every day—with customers, vendors, landlords, service providers, and partners—often under time pressure and with the assumption that the document is “standard,” “boilerplate,” or non-negotiable. When problems arise later, the damage is rarely caused by bad intentions. It’s caused by decisions that were never fully understood at the moment the contract was signed.
Seven Deadly Legal Mistakes in Business Contracts is part of the Seven Deadly Legal Mistakes series and is written for business owners who sign contracts as part of everyday operations—but do not have the time, desire, or need to become lawyers.
This book focuses on the contract mistakes that most often expose small businesses to unnecessary risk, disputes, and financial loss—not because the law is complicated, but because critical terms are easy to overlook when everything appears to be working.
Inside, you’ll learn how to avoid common contract mistakes such as:

• Assuming a contract is “standard” or harmless
• Signing agreements without fully understanding the underlying business deal
• Overlooking term, termination, and exit traps
• Underestimating liability and worst-case scenarios
• Using the wrong contract for the actual relationship
• Treating payment terms as a secondary issue
• Waiting too long to ask for help—or asking the wrong way

Each chapter breaks down one deadly mistake, explains why it’s risky, shows how it typically plays out in real business relationships, and highlights the judgment calls that matter most—before problems escalate into disputes or litigation.
This book is not a law school textbook.
It’s not a collection of contract templates.
And it’s not written to sell legal services.
It’s a practical, fast-reading guide designed to help business owners recognize contract risks early, ask better questions, and make more informed decisions before they sign.
About the Series
The Seven Deadly Legal Mistakes Series provides a practical legal framework for business owners. Each book can be read on its own, but together they help clarify how legal risk actually arises in day-to-day business—and how to manage it before it becomes expensive or irreversible.
If you sign contracts as part of running your business, this book will change how you look at them—before they cost you more than you expect.