Turn That Corona Virus Frown Upside Down

Reframing the Notion of Failure.

I have been in the business of “ideas” since I can remember.  Whether it was writing a speech on my favorite American (which of course was Benjamin Franklin) for a speech competition at age 9; hawking bead and string bracelets in the hallways in between Math and P.E. at 12; or trying to help a client protect and monetize their latest “widget”;  I’ve made it my business to take ideas and concepts, and turn them into realities for at over 30 years.  While some of my brain babies have been very successful and lucrative over the course of my life, I would say most of these “proof of concept” experiments have failed.

While those around me may have judged and shamed these countless failed attempts at excellence (I believe my ex made a reference to that effect), over the years, I would argue that these so called “failures” have given me the depth, texture, and insight that has allowed me to not only provide sound legal advice to my clients, but also help pull out of them an action plan for taking their “ideas” to the next level.

Similar to how most people respond when they hear the words “Corona virus”or “COVID 19”, I know the “F” word in business is equally terrifying to many entrepreneurs (at any age). I am here to tell you first hand, that some of the best personal and professional lessons I have learned, have come from the so called “failures” in my life.  At the end of the day, it’s really how you frame it; “it” being the experience, the lessons learned, as well as your relationship to it all.  It’s not that dissimilar to how we choose to view our relationship to the Corona virus, and the upheaval it is currently causing in almost everyone human beings’ life on this planet in one way, shape, or form.  Provided you or your loved ones are not included in the large number of the unfortunate people who have been exposed and are suffering with the unpleasant side effects of the virus, I would encourage you to look at this time in your life as an opportunity; a chance to harvest some of the intellectual fodder in your brain, and develop it to the next level.

There is no shortage of brilliant, wonderful, amazing, useful, inventive ideas out there in the world; but ideas in and of themselves cannot be “protected”.  As such, you cannot make claim against another person or company that has “taken” your idea, but rather, you must take the next step and work toward developing your intellectual property in a tangible medium in the form of a goods or a service.

Whether you are launching a platform, growing your business, taking your company public, or divesting from your assets, the impetus is on you/your team to take the next step, and not be afraid to take chances.  My firm is uniquely positioned to help you:

• Research, Develop, and Secure your intellectual property/properties;
• Navigate you through the terrain of legal instruments, contacts, licensing, and regulatory needs and requirements;
• Shield and protect your personal and business assets from liability;
• Work with you to develop an individualized comprehensive offensive and defensive strategy to meet your business needs where ever they may be.
• Help find and identify the appropriate strategic partners, investors, employees or development team.

Here is my challenge to you:  Take the next step!  If it’s a book you promised yourself you would finish writing;  an online platform or content site that needs to be developed in a beta form; or some other inventive good or service you have been ruminating over-that needs a bit more of your love and attention, I challenge you to respond to the call to action.  Take advantage of the down time that the virus has caused, and breath some fresh air into these concepts and ideas.  The worst that can happen is that you fail; which if you ask me, really isn’t that bad of a thing after all.