This article in Forbes has good advice for any small business: Take stock of your IP assets now, and prepare for the future.
Few small businesses start with a strategy and a long-term view. We are all too busy making each day pay for itself. At some point, in the middle, you stop and ask yourself: “Am I covered? Am I exposed? Can someone else lay claim to what I have created?”
As the author, Mary Juetten, points out, if you only have a company name, you have intellectual property. Make a list of all the IP you can think of. Act quickly to protect your brands. Spend the time and energy needed to create good contracts, so that you don’t inadvertently lose your rights to your creations. And get lined up with a good IP attorney!
If you think you have no intellectual property to protect or develop, you may be in for some nasty surprises. Taking action today is the key to facing future risks without fear.