|
Learn something new every Monday! Join over 4,000 entrepreneurs and business owners for weekly Trademark tips, tricks, and news.
April 23, 2026 Hello Reader, Most founders assume adding words to a brand makes it stronger. More descriptive. More clear. More unique. But in trademark law, adding words can sometimes do the opposite. It can make the brand weaker. A recent decision from the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board highlights how this happens. The issue involved a phrase that included the words “made by.” At first glance, that seems harmless. Even helpful. It tells customers who is behind the product. But from a...
April 16, 2026 Hello Reader, Most founders assume trademark conflicts only happen with direct competitors. A coffee brand competes with other coffee brands. A fragrance brand competes with other fragrance brands. Different products should mean no conflict. That assumption feels logical. But trademark law does not always follow product categories. Sometimes products that seem completely unrelated are treated as connected. And that can lead to refusals that catch founders off guard. A recent...
April 9, 2026 Hello Reader, Most founders don’t think about trademark ownership when they start a business with a partner. They split everything evenly. 50/50. Simple. Fair. And for a while, it works. But trademarks don’t always behave well in shared ownership. And when something changes, that’s when problems start. In many partnerships, the trademark ends up: • owned jointly by both founders• filed under both names• or tied loosely to the business without clear structure At the beginning,...