You can’t own your ideas. Sorry, but it’s true. You can patent an invention, copyright a work of art, trademark a name or phrase, but you can’t own an idea. Once you put it out there, it’s out there. Remember this when you start a business. Sure, you can use a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to protect yourself when talking about an idea with a vendor or adviser, but once you get your business up and going, you open yourself up to competition that will copy your idea. If it is a good idea, you can count on this. 100%.
I was reminded about this on my vacation, when I had a bad experience trying to buy some clothes for my daughters. I was in a store that sold cute tye-died clothes for kids. I was without my wife and since I would not be able to return them later, I didn’t dare make a purchase without approval. A factor of success is knowing what you do and don’t do well, and for me, clothes and fashion are definitely an outsource to wife thing. What I usually do in this situation, is take pictures with my phone, send them to her, and she gives the thumbs up or down. This is a very efficient process for us.
So when I started taking pictures, I was approached by one of the owners of the store who confronted me rudely and told me I couldn’t take pictures in her store. I explained what I was doing, and that I was trying to make some purchases. I wanted to spend some money there! She replied that people were taking pictures of their designs and copying them, and selling them on the internet. So they don’t let people take pictures anymore. She became more rude, and I smiled, and said that I have worked as hard as I was willing, to spend money in her store. I thanked her for her time, and left. The funny thing is that she probably felt a sense of accomplishment for having stopped a usurper, instead of regret for losing money.
Talk about doesn’t get it. You can’t stop people from stealing your ideas. You need to implement them better. You need to be online, if that is where people are looking for what you have (and they are!) If you establish an online presence and have strong brand awareness, when people rip off your ideas they will be seen as rip-offs. If someone can improve on your product, offer easier delivery or distribution, or even just market better than you, then they will steal your market share. Deal with it.
You can’t stop it anymore than you can stop the rain, but you can prepare for it, just the same. Learn about marketing. Stay up on the new trends in communication and networking like facebook and twitter. The only way to maintain market dominance is to earn it. Having the idea is never enough. You have to implement it better than your competitors. If someone is ripping you off don’t stand for it, tell the world about! But don’t just say you’re being ripped off, tell everyone why you are better. Always look for ways to improve.
Sometimes a little competition can expand your market and if you are truly better, and you market well, those newcomers to your market will find you. Don’t waste too much energy trying to protect your great idea. Spend it trying it improve it.
I want to know what you think. What part of your product or service is so unique it can’t be duplicated? How do you stand apart from the competition?
I have come to realize that there is a huge difference between a father and a daddy. I had a father, I’m trying to be a daddy. So just for fun, here are a few differences between a father and a daddy:
A father changes a diaper by yelling, “Hon, the baby needs to be changed!”
A daddy can change a diaper while talking on the phone, and go right back to eating a sandwich.
A father still watches 2-3 football games every Sunday, in their entirety, LIVE!
A daddy thinks whoever invented TIVO should win the Nobel Prize.
A father looks like a deer in headlights when he hears, “I need to run out, you watch the kids for a while.”
A daddy enjoys being left alone with the kids because he can play with his kids while surfing the web and watching Sports Center.
A father can answer questions about the government and the stock market.
A daddy can also answer, “Who do we ask for help, when we don’t know which way to go?” and “Can We Build it?” (For the fathers, The map and YES, WE CAN!)
To a father, making lunch means opening a can of Spaghetti-Os or frozen pizza.
To a daddy, well this one’s a push. Forget it.
To a father, a peaceful quiet moment actually requires Quiet and Peacefulness.
To a daddy, a peaceful quiet moment can include kids screaming and the lights and sounds of kids toys that make Times Square look tame, as long as he can sit on the couch and especially if he can watch a few minutes of Sports Center.
A father talks to his kids at dinner and might know the name of their kid’s best friend.
A daddy not only knows his kid’s friends, he knows which ones to stay clear of on the playground, and which one’s parents to stay clear of at birthday parties.
A father thinks the best thing he can do for his family is work hard and make as much money as he can so he can provide a nice home for his family and his children will have everything they need and most of what they want.
A daddy gets that, but he thinks the most important thing he can do for his family is to be present in his children’s lives and participate in forming the way they look at the world.
I’m trying real hard to be a daddy. I don’t catch every big moment, but I get to see more than most, and that makes me pretty lucky. What about you? Leave a comment and tell me what you think.
The one time you skip a CYA procedure will be the time that procedure was really needed- guaranteed! If you downloaded episode 5 of my podcast before today (December 22, 2008), and you listened to the Time Saver Quick-tip, you were probably thinking, “What’s wrong with this guy?” There were long pauses and heavy sighs, it was a mess. That’s because it was the one time I skipped a step in my process for publishing and posting my podcast. And of course, it bit me where I sit.
My basic process for recording a podcast is this. I record the segments in one sitting, then go back and edit them, then assemble them. Then I listen to the whole thing, and then I post it to the web. I use an outline of the things I want to talk about, but I don’t use a script. This means I have a lot of editing to do. Sometimes I will say something over or in a better more clear way, or sometimes I just have to remove a cough or something. Hey, you don’t need to hear my Umms, Uhhs, and Coughs. I have too much respect for your ears and your time for that. So what happened this time, and why I am I telling you about it?
The What is simple. I was tired and got lazy. I was sitting on this interview for two weeks because I was sick, and I really wanted to get it out. I was still feeling the effects of the cold, so the recording was a mess. I edited everything but when I assembled the final one, I used the wrong file for the Quick-tip. I was in a hurry to get it out there, so I didn’t listen to the final file before I posted it. Stupid.
Luckily, I got some email from some listeners asking me what was wrong. The questions people were asking ranged from asking if I was angry or frustrated to whether I was having an asthma attack. The truth is I was just still feeling the cold, and out of breath. I have fixed the file, but the damage is done. Half of the listeners of this podcast got the unedited version of the file. If you are one of them and still reading this, Thanks for sticking with me!!
So why am I telling you all of this? I want it to be an example of why you need to put CYA (Cover Your Assetts) Procedures in place, and to NEVER deviate from them. The one time you skip a step, is the time that step will be the most needed. You forget to backup a file? You will loose or delete it. You forget to look at the TO: field before you send that scathing email? You just hit Reply To All. Count on it. Forget to backup your hard drive? Do you smell smoke?
The point is, you need these things in place for when you ARE tired, or off your game. You need backups becauses drives DO fail. It takes a little extra time but it is ALWAYS worth it. Take the time to determine where the scary parts are in your business process. Develop a procedure for protecting yourself from failure or embarrassment, and make sure you follow it. If you don’t, trust me, <heavy breath> <lip smack> you’ll regret it.
I talk about using WordPress to build your website in episode 4 of the podcast. One of the things that makes WordPress so powerful, is the ability to install plugins to easily add certain functions. Andy Beal, from Marketing Pilgrim has recently posted a great list of WordPress Plugins that will supercharge your new website. I am using some of them on this site, and I am going to look into using some of the others he suggests.
One of the things that makes this list so great is that he does a very good job of explaining what each plugin does. You should definitely check this out:
In this episode of Start A Business With Startup Daddy, I interview Dan Zeidler, an expert in both Individual and Group Health Insurance coverage. He answers your questions about getting health insurance for you and your family when you are self employed, and getting coverage for you and your employees after you grow your business. In the Time Saver Quick Tip, I discuss Google Analytics.
I don’t have to tell you how important having health insurance is. It can be a challenge however, to navigate all of the options and choices available to you and find a health insurance policy that you can afford. In this interview, Dan shares his insight on choosing a policy that balances having the benefits you need with a premium you can afford.
In this episode of Start A Business With Startup Daddy, I talk about how you can have a modern, Web 2.0, interactive website for your new business, even if your computer skills are limited to sending email and searching Google.
I discuss free open source software you can use to create your website, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of certain platforms to help you decide which is best for you.
In this episode of Startup Daddy, I give some tips about setting up your home office and get you started with branding by talking about getting a Business Identity Package for your new business.
Creating a Logo and making sure all of the things that project the image for your company- Logo, Website, Letterhead, Business Cards, etc.) all have the same over all look and feel, are essential in establishing the identity of your business and the foundation of establishing your brand. In this episode, I reveal a cheap and easy way to get a professional designer to create your logo and all of the other things you will need.
Tomorrow is Halloween, and at our house that is a pretty big deal. My oldest daughter (who would be proud to tell you she is five and three quarters) is totally into it. That makes it a lot more fun for my wife and me. She decided what she wanted to be months ago, and has been wearing her witch costume around the house for weeks now. They say that the money Americans spend on Halloween is second only to Christmas. Are you kidding me?! Let me say that again for the entrepreneurs- In America, Halloween is the second largest retail holiday- It is second only to Christmas.
This isn’t going to be about making money on Halloween, but the business coach in me couldn’t resist passing that little hint along to anyone who is looking for ideas. This is going to be about the opposite. This is going to be about things you can do to make tomorrow special, without spending a lot of money.
When I was young, we didn’t have a lot of money; certainly not enough to spend on decorations and costumes. My mom didn’t have a lot of free time either, being a single mom with three kids and a full time job, and all. My mom still managed to make things special on Halloween. Here are some fun, easy things you can do to make tomorrow fun. They won’t take a lot of time or money.
First, make a special breakfast. That picture above was my daughter’s breakfast this morning. I made it from a frozen pancake and a banana, and it took all of two minutes (including the 45 seconds to cook the pancake). You can do the same with a frozen waffle. You can also do something fun like put a couple drops of food coloring in their milk or juice and make a witches brew for them to drink.
Get a Halloween shape cookie cutter, and use it on a sandwich for their lunch. Peanut butter and jelly works great for this, but I have done it with deli sandwiches too (you just have to push a little harder). My daughter loves eating her pumpkin sandwiches. You can find these cheap and easy at just about any grocery store.
Let your kids draw some Halloween pictures and put them all over your house to decorate for the big night. This really gets them (and you) into the spirit of things and it gives them something to do while you make dinner or carve the pumpkin or whatever.
Let them decorate a pumpkin. Pumpkins get real cheap today and tomorrow, and I buy a few small ones and let my daughter decorate them. If you are anything like us, you have some art supplies around the house and if not, the dollar store is a great place to stock up. A little paint, a little glue and glitter, etc., and you have a project!
Just stop at the grocery store on the way home and buy some Halloween cookies or some other special treat for dessert tonight.
These are just a few quick ideas to get your mind working. Halloween can be a lot fun, especially if you have young children. You don’t have to spend a lot of time or money to make things special, you just have to get a little creative. So give some of these a try, and let me know how things go. Also, if you have any cheap and easy ideas you want to share, please leave a comment and share them here.
This video tutorial teaches you how to use the US Patent and Trademark Office website to search if a trademark is available. Before you finalize the name for your new business and file the paperwork for your LLC or corporation, you need to make sure the name is not being used by another business. One of things you can do to make sure your name is available, is search the USPTO database using their website.
The website is pretty confusing but this tutorial shows you how to find the search form and easily conduct the search to make sure your name is is not already registered as a trademark by another company. After watching the tutorial, go to The United States Patent and Trademark Office Website to conduct your search.
If you find this video useful, please share it with one of the social bookmarking sites below, and leave a comment for me here.
Okay, I gave away the answer in the title, but I just couldn’t wait to tell you. There is a lot of talk about the recession lately. The world economy is on magic mushrooms, and stock markets go up and down by 10% in a given day. All you hear on the news are stories about people loosing their homes, businesses going bankrupt putting thousands out of work, Armageddon. Are we in a recession or aren’t we? The media is selling fear, worry and panic, and the general public can’t buy enough. The candidates for President of the US keep saying that the country is facing the biggest economic crisis since the Great Depression. They wouldn’t be setting themselves up to be a huge hero when things turn around, or have a good excuse if they don’t, would they?
Let’s assume we ARE in a recession, and we are facing this huge economic downturn. So What?! That may seem cold, or uncaring to people facing hard times right now. It’s not. I’m just saying that worrying about it isn’t the answer. You may have already been affected by the economy in some way, or maybe you haven’t. If you have, make a plan. If you haven’t, MAKE A PLAN. Don’t get sucked into the vacuum of panic and paralysis that is sure to grip so many small business owners. Change your tactics. Adapt to the market- like you always should. If you don’t think a business can survive hard times, and the great Depression wiped out everything, think again.
Do a google search on companies that thrived during the Great Depression, and you’ll see I’m right. You’ll find that the common thread among the companies that demonstrated the highest level of growth and sales was that they advertised heavily. Want examples? Proctor & Gamble has a policy of not cutting advertising budgets during times of recession and they have made progress in every one of the major recessions, and the Great Depression. During the ’20s Fords were outselling Chevy’s by 10 to 1. In spite of the Depression, Chevrolet continued to expand its advertising budget and by 1931, the “Chevy 6″ took the lead in its field and remained there for the next five years.
Doesn’t this make sense? People don’t just stop buying things in hard times. Now if you sell Lear Jets to stockbrokers, I probably can’t help you, but if you have a product or service that gives true value to your market, then you can not just survive bad times, you can thrive in them. Should you start a new business in a recession? Absolutely. All of the same rules apply. Define your market. Find what they want, and sell it to them. Don’t try to sell them what you think they want.
Become an expert marketer. Learn all you can about promoting your brand, and then DO IT. Companies will be slashing advertising budgets, so you should increase yours. When competitors start disappearing from the marketing landscape, it is a precursor to their permanent disappearance. In hard times, advertising costs drop, as advertisers slash budgets. This is a huge opportunity. If you can negotiate, there will be some great bargains out their for advertising.
If you have a good product or service, find an angle why it is important to keep using it in hard times. If you provide business services, stress the importance of your product to your customer, and show them how it will help them survive the hard times. Entertainment or leisure? Stress the importance of staying sane in hard times by maintaining your personal relaxation routine.
True courage is not the absence of fear, it is the abilty to act in spite of it. That isn’t a Startup Daddy original, but I was lucky enough to learn that lesson as a young child and it has influenced my attitude about fear, my whole life. It is okay, normal, to be at least a little fearful about starting a new business in a troubled economy. Don’t let that fear keep you from acting. Use is to keep you sharp. Do your research. Fortunes are not just lost in hard times, they are made.
You can’t own your ideas. Sorry, but it’s true. You can patent an invention, copyright a work of art, trademark a name or phrase, but you can’t own an idea. Once you put it out there, it’s out there. Remember this when you start a business. Sure, you can use a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to protect yourself when talking about an idea with a vendor or adviser, but once you get your business up and going, you open yourself up to competition that will copy your idea. If it is a good idea, you can count on this. 100%.
I have come to realize that there is a huge difference between a father and a daddy. I had a father, I’m trying to be a daddy. So just for fun, here are a few differences between a father and a daddy:
Tomorrow is Halloween, and at our house that is a pretty big deal. My oldest daughter (who would be proud to tell you she is five and three quarters) is totally into it. That makes it a lot more fun for my wife and me. She decided what she wanted to be months ago, and has been wearing her witch costume around the house for weeks now. They say that the money Americans spend on Halloween is second only to Christmas. Are you kidding me?! Let me say that again for the entrepreneurs- In America, Halloween is the second largest retail holiday- It is second only to Christmas.
Okay, I gave away the answer in the title, but I just couldn’t wait to tell you. There is a lot of talk about the recession lately. The world economy is on magic mushrooms, and stock markets go up and down by 10% in a given day. All you hear on the news are stories about people loosing their homes, businesses going bankrupt putting thousands out of work, Armageddon. Are we in a recession or aren’t we? The media is selling fear, worry and panic, and the general public can’t buy enough. The candidates for President of the US keep saying that the country is facing the biggest economic crisis since the Great Depression. They wouldn’t be setting themselves up to be a huge hero when things turn around, or have a good excuse if they don’t, would they?
