Click to Cancel is Here! The FTC’s New Rule That Could Make Your Subscription Illegal
Your “cancel anytime” could get you canceled. The FTC’s new Click-to-Cancel rule changes everything for subscription marketers.Emma Rainville and Ryan Poteet break down the FTC’s new Click-to-Cancel mandate and what it means for businesses running continuity, membership, or auto-ship models. This rule doesn’t just tweak existing guidance—it forces businesses to make cancellation as easy as sign-up. If your funnel isn’t compliant, you're opening yourself up to lawsuits, fines, and consumer backlash.Whether you’re a DTC brand, SaaS company, or marketer running continuity offers—this is your compliance wake-up call.Policy update (July 16): The DOJ moved the implementation date once again. Stick around until the very end to get updated and how to stay compliant.We cover:What the FTC now considers a deceptive cancellation processWhere and how your “Cancel Subscription” button needs to appearThe new standard for clear and conspicuous disclosureHow Apple and other brands are setting the compliance barReal examples of what not to do (like mail-in cancellation gimmicks)Timestamps:(00:52) Why Click-to-Cancel is a legal minefield(03:28) What qualifies as “unavoidable” disclosure(06:44) Where your cancel link must live on your site(09:10) Why marketing “fairy dust” won’t save you from the FTC(12:33) The end of shady cancellation gimmicks (like snail-mail guarantees)(15:21) What your cancellation flow needs to look like now(18:19) Real risks: class actions, fines, and lost trustSign up to our Visionary Vault and download our free Click-to-Cancel Compliance Checklist at specialopspodcast.com. Stay ready. Stay Compliant!Explore Free Resources at the Visionary Vault:https://specialopspodcast.com/visionary-vault Get in Touch with Ryan Poteet:Website: https://www.grsm.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-poteet-43098ba Get in Touch with Emma Rainville: Website: https://specialopspodcast.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@specialopspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emma_rainville512/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmarainvilleoperationsguru
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How to Respond to FTC Civil Investigative Demand (You Only Have 14 Days!)
Receiving a Civil Investigative Demand from the FTC isn’t a lawsuit… but it might be worse if you don’t act fast.In this episode of Marketing on Trial, Emma Rainville and compliance attorney Ryan Poteet break down the moment that sends shivers down any marketer’s spine: getting served a CID. From understanding what it actually means, to responding strategically within the tight 14-day timeline, this is a tactical walk-through of what happens, what not to do, and how to avoid turning an investigation into a full-blown lawsuit.You’ll learn why panicking is the worst move, why legal hold procedures need to be immediate, and why old playbooks like “shut down the LLC” won’t save you anymore. Ryan also outlines the importance of meet-and-confer deadlines, rolling productions, and what the FTC is really looking for when they knock.We cover:What an FTC CID really is — and how it differs from a lawsuitWhy 14 days is your most critical countdownWhat “legal hold” means operationally (Google Drive, Slack, deleted calls)Why direct response playbooks won’t protect you anymoreThe dangers of ignoring preservation duties — even for contractorsWhat it means if your CID moves into a full investigationHow to work with the FTC without escalating the issueTimestamps: (0:00) What is a Civil Investigative Demand? (1:34) “Don’t panic” is legal advice (3:10) Who gets a CID — targets vs third-party providers (5:22) The 14-day clock and why you must respond with counsel (8:04) Meet-and-confer and motion to quash tactics (10:47) Legal hold: what to preserve and how (14:20) Contractor drives, Slack messages, and customer service calls (16:50) Confidentiality vs operational notification (19:15) You can’t hide behind LLCs anymore (22:00) What happens after you submit the documents (25:03) CID vs litigation: which is the better outcome? (27:11) Best case timeline: 2 years (28:45) The real reason to take CIDs seriouslyCTA:Get our free CID Emergency Kit — designed with legal checklists and data preservation workflows to protect your business from day one. It’s in the Visionary Vault. Compliance isn’t optional, and silence isn’t a strategy.Explore Free Resources at the Visionary Vault:https://specialopspodcast.com/visionary-vault Get in Touch with Ryan Poteet:Website: https://www.grsm.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-poteet-43098ba Get in Touch with Emma Rainville: Website: https://specialopspodcast.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@specialopspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emma_rainville512/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmarainvilleoperationsguru
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‘Click to Cancel’ is Here! The FTC’s New Rule That Could Make Your Subscription Illegal
Your “cancel anytime” could get you canceled. The FTC’s new Click-to-Cancel rule changes everything for subscription marketers.In this hard-hitting episode, Emma Rainville and Ryan Poteet break down the FTC’s new Click-to-Cancel mandate and what it means for businesses running continuity, membership, or auto-ship models. This rule doesn’t just tweak existing guidance—it forces businesses to make cancellation as easy as sign-up. If your funnel isn’t compliant, you're opening yourself up to lawsuits, fines, and consumer backlash.Whether you’re a DTC brand, SaaS company, or marketer running continuity offers—this is your compliance wake-up call.We cover:What the FTC now considers a deceptive cancellation processWhere and how your “Cancel Subscription” button needs to appearThe new standard for clear and conspicuous disclosureHow Apple and other brands are setting the compliance barReal examples of what not to do (like mail-in cancellation gimmicks)Timestamps:(00:52) Why Click-to-Cancel is a legal minefield(03:28) What qualifies as “unavoidable” disclosure(06:44) Where your cancel link must live on your site(09:10) Why marketing “fairy dust” won’t save you from the FTC(12:33) The end of shady cancellation gimmicks (like snail-mail guarantees)(15:21) What your cancellation flow needs to look like now(18:19) Real risks: class actions, fines, and lost trustSign up to our Visionary Vault and download our free Click-to-Cancel Compliance Checklist at specialopspodcast.com. Stay ready. Stay Compliant!Explore Free Resources at the Visionary Vault:https://specialopspodcast.com/visionary-vault Get in Touch with Ryan Poteet:Website: https://www.grsm.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-poteet-43098ba Get in Touch with Emma Rainville: Website: https://specialopspodcast.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@specialopspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emma_rainville512/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmarainvilleoperationsguru
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Fake Stars, Real Lawsuits: How Review Hijacking Can Kill Your Brand
In this episode of Marketing on Trial, Emma Rainville and Ryan Poteet of Gordon Reese break down a legal time bomb hiding on your product pages: fake reviews. Whether it’s gifted products, “helpful” testimonial swaps, or syndicating five-star feedback across SKUs, the FTC’s new rule under 16 CFR Part 465 draws a hard line. And enforcement is heating up.We dissect the difference between a review and a testimonial, expose review hijacking tactics that are now legally risky, and give you a review sourcing process you can actually defend. If your product relies on stars to convert — don’t miss this.We cover:What counts as deceptive under the FTC’s new fake review ruleWhy incentivized reviews = legal testimonials (and what that means)The difference between curating vs. suppressing UGC (yes, it matters)Disclosure placement: what “clear and conspicuous” really looks likeA 4-part compliant review sourcing framework you can implement todayTimestamps:(0:00) Fake stars can earn you a real lawsuit(2:20) Why incentivized = testimonial, not review(5:45) What’s legal vs. illegal on Amazon, Shopify, and your own site(10:10) How to safely disclose material connections (FTC-style)(14:05) Review hijacking examples that will get you flagged(20:00) Building a compliant review sourcing process(25:45) How long do you need to keep review records?Download the Get Compliant Review Guide free in the Visionary Vault — everything you need to audit your reviews and stay lawsuit-proof.Explore Free Resources at the Visionary Vault:https://specialopspodcast.com/visionary-vault Get in Touch with Ryan Poteet:Website: https://www.grsm.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-poteet-43098ba Get in Touch with Emma Rainville: Website: https://specialopspodcast.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@specialopspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emma_rainville512/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmarainvilleoperationsguru
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What’s keeping you from your 10-year vision? It might be your execution plan
In this tactical episode, Emma Rainville breaks down the WAVE Framework, a four-part strategic system built to help visionary entrepreneurs realign their personal life goals with high-growth business objectives.With the year’s halfway point in full view, this session delivers a no-fluff reset on how to plan intentionally, stay focused, uphold your values, and actually execute what you said you would.Emma walks you through the real-world application of WAVE (Written Vision, Absolute Focus, Values-Driven Future, Execution Plan), offering examples from her companies like Shockwave, Aftershock, and Seismic Wave. This isn’t just theory. It’s how her businesses run. Get inside her “breaker” methodology, learn why gratitude is a KPI, and why growth without a team development strategy is a recipe for burnout and regret.We cover:How to create a 10-year written vision you’ll actually commit toWhat to check at the 6-month mark to stay operationally alignedThe difference between goals and commitments—and why that mattersWeekly team rituals that move the needleHow to develop your team without losing focus on executionTimestamps:(0:00) Why entrepreneurs build businesses that block personal goals(2:15) The WAVE framework overview(4:10) Written Vision: What does your life look like in 2035?(9:30) One-year commitments vs annual goals(12:05) Absolute Focus: Staying true to your 2025 strategy(17:45) Values-Driven Future: Hiring for alignment, not duplication(23:15) Execution: How to break commitments into quarterly and weekly goals(30:20) What a “breaker” meeting looks like and why it matters(36:55) Growing your team while growing your businessSign up now for the Visionary Vault at specialopspodcast.com to grab your free WAVE playbook and unlock more frameworks used by 7-figure operators.Explore Free Resources inside the Visionary Vault:https://specialopspodcast.com/visionary-vault Get in Touch with Emma Rainville: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@specialopspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emma_rainville512/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmarainvilleoperationsguru
Welcome to Special Ops, the tactical business podcast designed to help you grow your company through action, not words.
Hosted by seasoned entrepreneur Emma Rainville.
In each episode, Emma share strategies she used in her businesses to overcome revenue growth challenges, increase profit margins, and build leadership teams that run day-to-day business operations without you, as the CEO/founder, getting involved.
Each episode is designed around a free downloadable playbook to help you execute, which you can download for free at https://specialopspodcast.com.
Hit play on the most recent episode, and subscribe now on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube, and take your business to new heights.
Listen to Special Ops with Emma Rainville, The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
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