Do you need to protect your Intellectual Property for a start up?

blog 2019
Written By Andrew Ford

When you start a business it's so very exciting! The potential opportunities in the market are huge, exits for millions only a few years away, being on the front cover of a magazine for your amazing disruptive technology is forthcoming. 

So you must register your intellectual property in all areas and countries. Forget the expense, we will be worth millions soon!

Or will you. 

The advantage of being old is that you have experienced the ups and downs of reality. Some startups do are unicorns and grow massively and have huge exits. Most don't. They either fail or turn into regular businesses. Nothing wrong with the latter! The world needs quality regular businesses to help people do what they need to do.

One of the key questions in relations to IP protection is, when and how much do you spend on it? 

My first business idea, just out from the Masters of Entrepreneurship degree from Swinburne University, was heavily protected. Unfortunately, we didn't even get a product to market so the time, money and effort were wasted.

The second idea was far more civilised and we actually launched the brand, Social Star, but the core digital platform that was the million-dollar idea didn't materialise. But the regular business did really well and has been fruitful and fulfilling since the start. So a good investment in the brand IP protection. 

I have had many other ideas and businesses along the way which had various levels of protection and success. So I guess you could say that I have learned when to protect and when to wait until you know better! 

That's why I wanted to run a workshop with my personal IP lawyer of the last 7 years, Mr Gareth Benson, who is such a great bloke he agreed to give his time to help my community learn more about IP. He does this day in, day out and has worked on all my recent ventures.

So if you are running a business and have some of these questions, come along:

  • Does registering my business name protect me from competitors?

  • If I have my social media and URLs can someone else get them too?

  • What does that TM and R symbol on logos really mean?

  • Can someone copy my business name in the same industry?

  • How can I object if someone is saying they are my business?

  • My idea is worth a billion dollars, how can I protect it!!

These are common issues in a startup and we will answer all of them. 

Book a ticket here. 

Cheers Andrew

PS If you do sell your business for billions don't forget the little people!

Andrew Ford
Marketing expert Andrew Ford, the founder of Social Star, has discovered the secret of ‘Powerful Branding’. With a fire for unleashing people’s inner brand and developing business models to generate profit from an individual’s passions, Andrew leverages ground-breaking digital and social media marketing techniques to create digital strategies for clients to attract maximum opportunities. Having established a strong name for himself in the field, Andrew blends traditional business techniques with now-necessary tools for entrepreneurs to achieve scale, quality, and influence in their niche. Andrew’s comprehensive business background and qualifications consist of a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) (RMIT 2003), a Graduate Certificate in Management (MBA Executive Program, University of Sydney 2005), and a Masters of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (Swinburne University 2011). Continually on the cutting edge of his own education, Andrew has tested his marketing theories in forums such as the BCG Business Strategy Competition, which he won in 2005 against all Victorian MBA schools, and the Venture Cup Business Plan Competition (Swinburne University 2003), which he won in the Masters category. With experience working at Hewlett-Packard, Sensis (Telstra) and IBM, Andrew also has mentored dozens of junior staffs to help them achieve their professional goals. Meeting and influencing high-profile public figures helped Andrew to realise just how many professionals require more understanding and control of their public brands or appearance, and need help with the skills to use the many amazing free tools at their disposal to generate success. At Social Star, Andrew consults with clients to uncover their personal brand – both where it is today and where it can be tomorrow – and refine and define how that should be displayed in social media in order to attract their perfect target audience. Andrew mentors his clients to rapidly grow their business’ audiences, resulting in larger potential client bases and higher revenue. Applying formulas that integrate over twenty years of Andrew’s business experience and fifteen years of formal business education, Social Star specialises in building clarity and velocity for clients’ brands using the ‘Understand, Build and Leverage’ methodology. ‘Having a Personal Business enables people to have an authentic, congruent connection with their valued clients and partners, using their brand as the bridge,’ says Andrew. ‘I’m highly driven to work with the new breed of entrepreneurs and small business owners – people who have a passion for making the world a better place. Traditional business models are stepping aside as people follow their innermost dreams and my role is to see them operate within their values while creating wealth. Some people think you have to sacrifice what you love to be successful in your business, yet it is actually the opposite. Follow your passion and success will come.’ Lecturing at Swinburne University from 2009 to 2011 on brand dynamics and digital marketing, presenting at numerous conferences, and consulting to hundreds of clients, Andrew has seen his philosophy work that if you follow your unique path, based on your skills, experience, values and goals, you will automatically attract the opportunities you desire and achieve the success you deserve. Living his mantra, Andrew has created a successful business and attracts high-profile clients including musicians, athletes, authors, models, entrepreneurs, professionals and small business owners, helping them find their ‘why’ in their business and fulfilment in their lives. Business for Andrew is more than work, it’s personal. Running a personal business means that he is able to fulfil all of his values rather than separating his life from work. It supports his two boys while providing social opportunities, educational development, fitness opportunities, spiritual fulfilment and many valuable friendships. Social Star has now become the vehicle for Andrew to crystallise his mission in the world, to help people love what they do, supporting his ‘why’, that if more people loved what they did, the world would be a better place.
http://www.andrewford.com.au/
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