Decide structure & jurisdiction — choose federal incorporation or a provincial/territorial incorporation (each has different benefits). Choose a name & check availability — run a NUANS (or provincial name) search to confirm your name isn’t taken. Reserve the name if required. Prepare incorporation documents — draft and file Articles of Incorporation (include share structure, number of directors, registered office). Follow the federal or provincial form. File & get certificate of incorporation — submit online (or by paper where allowed). You’ll receive your certificate when approved. Keep this document safe. Register for a Business Number (BN) with CRA — register for your BN and any needed CRA program accounts (GST/HST, payroll, import/export). You can register online. Extra-provincial registration (if operating across provinces) — if you’ll do business outside the jurisdiction of incorporation, register extra-provincially in those provinces. Set up basic corporate housekeeping — create the minute book, issue share certificates, record director resolutions, and set a banking resolution to open a corporate bank account. Check licences & permits — identify industry-specific licences, municipal permits, or provincial registrations you may need and apply. Meet tax & payroll obligations — register for payroll accounts before hiring, understand GST/HST thresholds, and set up bookkeeping. Ongoing compliance — file annual returns, keep corporate records current, and renew any provincial registrations or licences on time

Most people think you need money, investors, or credit to buy a business. You don’t. You need positioning. And this is exactly where StoryBrand 2.0 becomes a weapon. One of the biggest lessons from Donald Miller is this: The person who communicates the clearest value becomes the obvious choice. When you’re acquiring a business with $0 out of pocket, the seller isn’t choosing your bank account. They’re choosing the story you represent in their life. And here’s the shift that turns conversations into deals: --- 1. The Seller is the Hero — You’re Not. Most buyers show up like heroes: “I want to buy your business.” “I can fix this.” “I did X, Y, Z before.” StoryBrand flips this. The seller is the hero of the story, not you. Your role? The Guide. A guide with competence, calmness, and a clear plan. When the seller feels like you understand their fears, frustrations, and hopes, they naturally follow you. Money becomes secondary. --- 2. Unique Problem-Solving Is Your Currency In $0-down deals, you’re not buying the business… You’re solving the problems the seller can’t or doesn’t want to solve anymore. Examples: • Removing their stress • Protecting their employees • Maintaining their legacy • Handling transitions they’re tired of • Bringing systems they never had time to build • Helping them retire without chaos Your unique problem-solving abilities are the down payment. The clearer you communicate them, the more the seller sees you as the guide who can safely get them to the outcome they want. That’s StoryBrand 2.0 in its purest form. --- 3. Control the Narrative, Control the Deal StoryBrand teaches that people don’t buy the best product… They buy the message they understand the fastest. Sellers are the same. If they understand your positioning clearly, they trust you. If they trust you, they collaborate. If they collaborate, you can structure creative terms: ✓ Seller financing ✓ Earnouts ✓ Deferred payments ✓ Management transitions ✓ Cash-flow-first structures

This update pushes AI video from “generate and hope” to “generate, edit, and refine.” Veo 3.1 now: Creates higher-quality, smoother, and longer videos with synced ambient audio. Lets you edit directly in Google’s Flow editor — add objects, fix lighting, extend shots, or change camera angles. Includes new tools like Ingredients to Video (turn photos into clips) and Frames to Video (bridge start and end frames). The real shift: AI becomes a full post-production partner. For creators and agencies, that means you can now offer AI-assisted post-production or concept-to-cinema packages without re-generating footage 10 times. Veo 3.1 isn’t just a generator — it’s a hybrid AI director + editor.

Most people think the negotiation starts with the Letter of Intent (LOI). It doesn’t. It starts with how you show up before the seller even decides you’re credible. Here’s what experience keeps proving true: 1. Preparation equals power. The buyer who maps the seller’s motivation (retirement, burnout, growth plateau, fear of tech disruption) controls the frame. 2. Financials don’t lie—but they don’t tell the truth either. The story behind the numbers is where the opportunity hides. Ask what the owner stopped doing once revenue stabilized. 3. Trust converts faster than terms. Sellers don’t hand over their legacy to spreadsheets. They hand it to someone who “gets it.” 4. Speed creates confidence. The faster you respond with clarity, the more a seller believes you can execute post-close. If you’re hunting deals, spend less time scrolling listings and more time sharpening your first impression. The right presence often buys you 20% off before you even talk numbers.