From Ideal to Real - Part 7: Trademarking

I shared my idea for these bags and straps very tentatively with just a few select people. I wanted to get an idea about whether this was as different and desirable as I thought it was. One person I shared my idea with was my work neighbor, Wendy. She informed me that one of her closest friends from Marshall Law Group- Trademarks The Spot was a trademark lawyer and she would be happy to set up an introduction.

A date was set, sushi was enjoyed, and I got a crash course in trademarks. A trademark must be unique so no one else can claim ownership of it. I already talked about the trials and tribulations of finding a name, but Laurie was instrumental in looking into the names I was proposing to determine if it was a "strong mark" and would have a good chance of being granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Once I had a name that she considered strong, I worked with the logo designer to design the logo so we could submit all at once.

Then, as it turns out, it is actually MORE expensive to register for a trademark if you haven't yet been in market with it. So penalized for being careful before being out for sale? So weird.

I also was given the recommendation from my patent lawyer to be sure to register the trademark in China because apparently Chinese companies scan sites like Kickstarter for new companies to knock off and register their name to keep them out.

So... China here comes Litty Bird.