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J.J. Lee, Trademark Attorney

Most of your business value may not be visible

Published 15 days ago • 1 min read

May 28, 2026

Hello Reader,

There was a recent analysis of some of the largest companies in the world.

Companies like Apple Inc., NVIDIA Corporation, Costco Wholesale Corporation, Eli Lilly and Company, and Mastercard Incorporated.

The conclusion was straightforward.

A large majority of their value comes from intangible assets.

Not physical assets.

Not equipment.

Not inventory.

Intangible assets.

That includes:

  • brand recognition
  • trademarks
  • goodwill
  • intellectual property

At that scale, it makes sense.

But the same principle applies to smaller businesses.

If you are building something, a significant portion of its long term value is tied to the brand.

The name.

The reputation.

The recognition.

Early on, this is easy to overlook.

Most businesses are focused on:

  • getting customers
  • generating revenue
  • launching products

The brand feels secondary.

But over time, it becomes one of the most important assets the business has.

That is why trademark decisions matter.

Not just whether you can register something.

But whether you are building something that can hold value.

A strong brand can:

  • support pricing
  • build loyalty
  • make expansion easier
  • increase overall business value

A weak or risky brand creates friction in all of those areas.

This does not mean every name needs to be perfect.

But it does mean these decisions should be intentional.

If you are at the stage where you are thinking about protecting your brand, it is worth asking:

Is this something I want to build around long term?

If the answer is yes, the approach to filing should reflect that.

Recent trademark registrations this week

Congratulations to these founders whose trademarks were successfully registered by our firm:

All the best,

J.J. Lee and the Trademark Lawyer Law Firm Team

P.S. If you are thinking about filing a trademark, this is where I would start:

​Trademark Registration Options Here​

J.J. Lee, Trademark Attorney

Protecting your Brand and Trademark Since 2007 and over 7,000 Trademark Registrations.

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