Shout out to all of the young entrepreneurs out there. I, too, dream of starting my own business someday. The more I learned about the business industry, the more I realized how many more options there are out there. It isn’t easy, but it’s not impossible. Aside from that, I am really inspired by all of these businesses popping up. The merchandise is so cute and unique! That sort of talent and hard work will pay off in the long run. Nevertheless, there is something that concerns me a little, and I have been seeing it done by people more and more: the use of other company’s logos. I didn’t know the exact laws about using another company’s logo, name, etc. which leads me to want to know how it works. That way just in case you also do not know, well now you do.
From a business owner’s perspective, you want to secure the intellectual property that you have worked hard to create and build up. Whoever tries to steal or use your name for their own gain will be taken care of by the law, so ensure the coverage you get a copyright and/ or a trademark. That way you can either not allow others to use your property, grant permission, or sell it.
What’s the difference between copyright and trademark? A copyright is defined as the legal right given to the originator to use its intellectual properties as they see fit, and it authorizes others to do the same. This should be one of the first things to handle when starting up your own business. You can copyright works of art, photographs, dances, computer software, books, and more! However, domain names can not be copyrighted. For example, say you created a new and delicious recipe that you want to share to make a profit. You can copyright the recipe, but not the ingredients themselves. There are more examples of what you can and can’t copyright in the source below.
Trademarking is sort of like a backup plan if copyright does not work out. A trademark is the symbol, word, or phrase that represents a company or product. What makes this different from copyright is that when you trademark something, you are protecting what distinguishes your goods or service. You can trademark your logo/artwork or your business name (under certain conditions). There is also something called a service mark which does the same thing but protects the type of service you are providing for the public.
Understanding what copyright and trademarks are will not only help you get your business on track but will also protect you. When following your passion, it makes you super thrilled and you want to start making and selling products/services right off the bat. There’s nothing wrong with that as long as you know that everything you are doing is legal and safe. I believe you got this. In the world today, it is crucial to have something that will keep your mental state content. The source below has more detailed information about starting and running a business. I used it to help me write this article. I’m sure it can help you too.