Should I get a trademark…or a copyright…or a patent?
If you have asked yourself that question recently then it is probably time to sit with an attorney who specializes in intellectual property. Today I had the good fortune of sitting with Catherine Cavella of IP Works located in Doylestown, PA. Catherine is an Intellectual Property attorney who helps business owners protect their logos, ideas, color schemes, website layouts and trade secrets.
You see, I have established and continue to build a business which helps small business owners position on Google+, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. As Your Social Media Expert my work sends clients to the first page of Google search, has their office phones ringing off the hook, and causes them to hire more staff to handle a boom in business.
My business is scalable and I have lots of ideas in the hopper…with that growth comes many questions and concerns regarding protecting my look, my logos, message, and processes I use to achieve success for my clients. What can I trademark and how do I protect what I build is all very important.
As part of my push to turn my passions into a profit, I have learned that it is always wise to sit with experts when you have questions. From accounting and paying estimated quarterly income taxes to incorporating your busines without piercing the corporate veil, paying for consultations is always a good idea.
So now onto the presonal note – we all have those huge moments in our professional lives – your first large speaking gig or that moment when biz coach lets you buy him breakfast because you have met a specific goal (not a joke, that actually happened). And I can add my meeting today with Catherine to that list. As a seasoned professional who herself is a small business owner (and has seen the inner workings of many small businesses) she told me I really do have something substantial to build and that I have a growth mindset. I was honored to hear that from someone so successful.
As I go through these next stages of growth I am glad Catherine will be on my team reminding me of imporant legal tasks that need to be handled.
