Trademarks 101: The What, How, and When for Startups and Entrepreneurs

<p>Are you a small business or start-up and curious about trademarks? In today’s episode, Josh Joel is joined by his friend and colleague, Paul Knowlton. Paul has been an intellectual property law attorney for over 20 years and a registered patent attorney. He is here today to explore all things trademarks for startups and entrepreneurs. He discusses what trademarks are, what you need to know about them if you should get one, and how you can get started. Tune in as Paul explains the difference between a trademark and federally registered mark and some other valuable information you’ll want to know if you’re a small business owner or entrepreneur.</p> <p><strong>IN THIS EPISODE:</strong></p> <ul> <li>[02:36] What is a trademark and why do we use them?<br> </li> <li>[04:50] When a small business is starting up, when should they start thinking about the concept of a trademark and identifying themselves that way?<br> </li> <li>[08:37] Difference between trademark and federally registered mark.<br> </li> <li>[11:59] What do people need to be thinking about when they're putting together something that they might want to get trademark protection over?<br> </li> <li>[21:32] Top tips for startups and entrepreneurs to know about trademarks.<br> </li> </ul> <p><strong>KEY TAKEAWAYS:</strong></p> <ul> <li>What is a trademark and how do companies use them?<br> </li> <li>Paul advises his clients that are small businesses starting up to begin the trademark process as early as possible.<br> </li> <li>Explaining the difference between a trademark and a federally registered mark.<br> </li> <li>The importance of doing your due diligence on trademarks early on in your business to ensure you can create something unique for your business.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Links Mentioned:</strong></p> <p>Paul’s Sole Practice <a href="https://www.ubercounsel.com/"><u>Uberconsel</u></a></p> <p>Paul Knowlton <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/peknowlton/"><u>LinkedIn</u></a></p> <p>Note: the topics discussed in this podcast do not