1 00:00:00,130 --> 00:00:04,630 Imagine a clothing store with untagged garments stacked up in the back room. 2 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:07,170 How would you know if you have a size in stock? 3 00:00:07,390 --> 00:00:10,239 How would you determine if there is an inventory loss? 4 00:00:10,820 --> 00:00:13,589 How would you know what to charge to make a profit? 5 00:00:13,969 --> 00:00:18,510 Every day that you don't take inventory of your assets is like that clothing store. 6 00:00:18,730 --> 00:00:22,290 You might be in breach of client agreements with non compete provisions. 7 00:00:22,740 --> 00:00:25,680 Are subcontractors taking your IP with them? 8 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:29,990 Once your confidential information is shared without an NDA in place, 9 00:00:30,349 --> 00:00:31,680 there's no going home again. 10 00:00:32,160 --> 00:00:34,230 Do you even own what you think you own? 11 00:00:34,649 --> 00:00:39,139 I posed these questions in the last episode where I covered the importance 12 00:00:39,300 --> 00:00:41,489 of auditing the assets in your business. 13 00:00:41,910 --> 00:00:46,070 It is the first step in the three part framework to turn your 14 00:00:46,070 --> 00:00:48,320 expertise into recurring revenue. 15 00:00:48,820 --> 00:00:50,810 Audit, protect, and leverage. 16 00:00:51,300 --> 00:00:54,320 This week, we're talking about protecting your expertise. 17 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:54,554 Thanks. 18 00:00:54,925 --> 00:00:58,925 Once you have a clear understanding of your assets, it's time to protect them. 19 00:00:59,205 --> 00:01:03,705 There are two key methods for safeguarding the most valuable 20 00:01:03,715 --> 00:01:05,364 intellectual property in your business. 21 00:01:05,895 --> 00:01:08,295 Copyright registration and contracts. 22 00:01:08,875 --> 00:01:12,184 We're going to dive into the importance of copyright registration 23 00:01:12,194 --> 00:01:14,124 in preserving your valuable assets. 24 00:01:14,335 --> 00:01:18,435 How contracts can either protect or jeopardize your intellectual 25 00:01:18,435 --> 00:01:22,934 property and crafting client and contractor agreements to secure 26 00:01:22,934 --> 00:01:24,875 your rights and limit your risks. 27 00:01:25,744 --> 00:01:27,405 First, copyright registration. 28 00:01:27,634 --> 00:01:30,125 So why am I talking about copyright registration? 29 00:01:30,384 --> 00:01:33,295 And you'll never hear me talking about trademark registration. 30 00:01:33,645 --> 00:01:36,114 Just as a quick reminder, what are copyrights? 31 00:01:36,505 --> 00:01:40,855 So copyright protects original works created by a human. 32 00:01:41,165 --> 00:01:45,095 that contain a minimal amount of creativity that's fixed in a 33 00:01:45,135 --> 00:01:47,225 tangible medium of expression. 34 00:01:47,485 --> 00:01:52,474 When you are the owner of copyrights, you have the exclusive right to reproduce 35 00:01:52,474 --> 00:01:58,295 the work, to make derivative works based on that work, such as modifications or 36 00:01:58,305 --> 00:02:03,925 adaptations or new uses, the exclusive right to distribute copies of the work 37 00:02:04,095 --> 00:02:07,465 either publicly for sale or to license it. 38 00:02:08,020 --> 00:02:11,950 And the exclusive right to perform or display the work publicly. 39 00:02:12,505 --> 00:02:17,485 So, when we think about protecting our work, and we're worried about 40 00:02:17,595 --> 00:02:23,365 competitors or former clients stealing our stuff, what are we talking about? 41 00:02:23,594 --> 00:02:27,115 Everyone talks about a trademark, do I need a trademark to protect my 42 00:02:27,115 --> 00:02:31,104 ideas, but contrary to popular belief, it's not trademarks that are going 43 00:02:31,105 --> 00:02:33,685 to protect your most valuable work. 44 00:02:33,965 --> 00:02:36,865 If you want to protect those valuable assets, if you want to 45 00:02:36,865 --> 00:02:41,889 protect your moneymakers, copyright registration is what you need. 46 00:02:42,190 --> 00:02:43,430 Here's a little example. 47 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:49,480 Let's say you have an HR consultancy and it is called diversity 48 00:02:49,670 --> 00:02:52,139 and that's C I T Y diversity. 49 00:02:52,150 --> 00:02:55,920 It's a little play on words there talent solutions and it has a 50 00:02:55,920 --> 00:03:00,830 trademark registration and diverse city talent solutions provides D 51 00:03:00,859 --> 00:03:03,320 E I training to corporate clients. 52 00:03:04,020 --> 00:03:08,950 Trademark protects the business name diver city talent solutions. 53 00:03:09,430 --> 00:03:10,829 What does the copyright protect? 54 00:03:11,020 --> 00:03:15,920 It protects the training materials, the videos, your presentations, 55 00:03:16,130 --> 00:03:17,920 the workbooks, the guides. 56 00:03:18,350 --> 00:03:21,980 All those things are protected by copyright. 57 00:03:22,230 --> 00:03:25,470 Which one provides the most value to your clients? 58 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:28,300 Well, which one provides any value to your clients? 59 00:03:28,705 --> 00:03:33,685 In other words, which of those assets does your client pay you money for? 60 00:03:33,845 --> 00:03:37,725 Do they pay you money for your trademark or do they pay you money for those 61 00:03:37,725 --> 00:03:39,495 trading materials for those videos? 62 00:03:39,784 --> 00:03:43,845 It's the assets that are protected by copyright that they're paying you for. 63 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:47,790 Your corporate clients care about the transformation you provide. 64 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:54,090 If you're going to turn their disgruntled employees to a well oiled machine, 65 00:03:54,329 --> 00:03:55,839 that's what they're paying you for. 66 00:03:56,030 --> 00:03:57,209 They don't get that from your trademark. 67 00:03:57,359 --> 00:04:00,710 They get that from your copyrighted materials. 68 00:04:01,030 --> 00:04:03,459 So that's what we want to focus on. 69 00:04:03,749 --> 00:04:08,965 Now that we've settled on copyrights over trademarks, Why register the copyrights? 70 00:04:09,405 --> 00:04:14,315 As we know, copyright protection happens automatically at the time 71 00:04:14,315 --> 00:04:19,305 that it is put in that fixed, tangible form of expression. 72 00:04:19,685 --> 00:04:24,204 So, yes, it is automatic, but there are significant benefits to 73 00:04:24,204 --> 00:04:25,985 registering the work with the U. 74 00:04:25,985 --> 00:04:26,115 S. 75 00:04:26,135 --> 00:04:27,095 Copyright Office. 76 00:04:27,544 --> 00:04:32,515 And there are even greater benefits if it is registered before it is published. 77 00:04:32,745 --> 00:04:36,185 It's considered published after you make it available, it's 78 00:04:36,224 --> 00:04:37,674 offered to the public in some way. 79 00:04:38,094 --> 00:04:41,924 So what extra protection do we get from registration that we don't get 80 00:04:41,994 --> 00:04:44,504 automatically under copyright law? 81 00:04:44,865 --> 00:04:49,845 One, it enables you to file a lawsuit to enforce the copyright in federal court. 82 00:04:50,025 --> 00:04:54,755 If you want to use the court system to get a remedy against an 83 00:04:54,755 --> 00:04:57,625 infringer, it must be registered. 84 00:04:57,895 --> 00:05:02,265 Also, when you have it registered, it's evidence that you have a valid copyright. 85 00:05:02,565 --> 00:05:07,095 Let's say somebody infringes your work, they steal your work, and they claim that 86 00:05:07,105 --> 00:05:09,415 they have the valid copyright, not you. 87 00:05:09,565 --> 00:05:12,205 If it's been registered, well, that's a non issue. 88 00:05:12,550 --> 00:05:16,140 And, of course, it puts others on notice that the work is protected by 89 00:05:16,140 --> 00:05:20,100 copyright, that you are the copyright owner, and that you take your 90 00:05:20,100 --> 00:05:22,409 rights in those materials seriously. 91 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:24,630 We don't register everything. 92 00:05:24,850 --> 00:05:28,810 You probably wrote something today that you posted on LinkedIn or, 93 00:05:28,999 --> 00:05:32,170 or some, a blog post or something that you probably won't register. 94 00:05:32,390 --> 00:05:34,330 And we'll put our C in a circle. 95 00:05:34,330 --> 00:05:38,700 We'll use the copyright notice of a C in a circle on there, but 96 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:40,639 we don't register everything. 97 00:05:40,895 --> 00:05:45,125 We want to register our moneymakers because we want to be able to enforce 98 00:05:45,165 --> 00:05:47,255 our rights against infringers. 99 00:05:47,615 --> 00:05:52,985 So what is the big benefit that we get from registering our copyright? 100 00:05:53,215 --> 00:05:54,924 It is statutory damages. 101 00:05:55,104 --> 00:05:56,755 So what are statutory damages? 102 00:05:56,885 --> 00:06:02,655 They are a form of damages that a court can award in a lawsuit, 103 00:06:02,835 --> 00:06:07,644 but the damages are set forth in by law, like in the statute. 104 00:06:07,644 --> 00:06:09,275 It's why it's called statutory damages. 105 00:06:09,585 --> 00:06:14,995 And so instead of trying to figure out what the actual harm is, what profits 106 00:06:14,995 --> 00:06:16,835 were lost, what are my actual damages? 107 00:06:16,845 --> 00:06:18,415 That's a whole separate process. 108 00:06:19,205 --> 00:06:21,725 But when you have access to statutory damages, it's 109 00:06:21,775 --> 00:06:24,455 basically like preset penalties. 110 00:06:24,705 --> 00:06:28,575 And so when someone infringes your work, you can just look at the statute 111 00:06:28,575 --> 00:06:30,404 and say, this is what they owe me. 112 00:06:30,415 --> 00:06:36,245 It makes it much simpler to get a remedy, much less expensive since 113 00:06:36,284 --> 00:06:38,335 using lawyers of course is expensive. 114 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:44,520 And it's much greater deterrent because it's kind of difficult 115 00:06:44,530 --> 00:06:47,160 sometimes to approve actual damages. 116 00:06:47,430 --> 00:06:51,000 But when you have statutory damages, you don't have to bring that proof. 117 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:56,609 And that means that it is much easier for you to get a remedy and therefore a 118 00:06:56,610 --> 00:06:59,934 greater deterrent to potential infringers. 119 00:07:00,235 --> 00:07:04,135 So, to be clear, you can still protect your work against infringement. 120 00:07:04,145 --> 00:07:09,954 You can still go after someone for damages if it's not registered before publication. 121 00:07:10,205 --> 00:07:13,234 So, if you have something out there that's already been published and it hasn't 122 00:07:13,234 --> 00:07:20,205 been registered, but it is something that you would hire a lawyer to protect 123 00:07:20,305 --> 00:07:24,895 your rights against an infringer in a court of law, then those are the things 124 00:07:24,905 --> 00:07:29,870 that you want to have registered But you would have to prove actual damages. 125 00:07:29,870 --> 00:07:36,360 You'd have to say, I was selling 10 copies of this a week at 500 a pop, and 126 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:40,839 they have been ever since they infringed it and started selling it on their own. 127 00:07:40,839 --> 00:07:41,980 I haven't had any sales. 128 00:07:41,980 --> 00:07:43,679 And therefore, this is what my damages are. 129 00:07:43,889 --> 00:07:47,560 It's a little harder to prove that than to be able to look to the statute and 130 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:50,530 just say, they sold 50 copies of my work. 131 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:52,620 And therefore, these are what my damages are. 132 00:07:52,860 --> 00:07:55,440 So what are those statutory damages? 133 00:07:55,730 --> 00:08:00,040 Well, it depends on the gravity of the infringement as well 134 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:01,320 as the infringer's intent. 135 00:08:01,690 --> 00:08:05,310 So, for innocent infringements, like, sometimes we steal things. 136 00:08:05,310 --> 00:08:06,450 We don't even realize it. 137 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:07,640 That does happen. 138 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:09,219 Unintentional infringement. 139 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:12,680 Our subconscious remembers something we think it's original, but it 140 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:13,884 is actually an infringement. 141 00:08:14,075 --> 00:08:17,555 So if you can show that you weren't aware, you had no reason to believe 142 00:08:17,555 --> 00:08:22,224 that was an infringement, then the damages can be as low as 200 per 143 00:08:22,234 --> 00:08:24,865 infringing work, but it can go up. 144 00:08:24,955 --> 00:08:31,914 If you should have known, it can go up from 750 to 3, 000 per work infringed. 145 00:08:32,125 --> 00:08:35,345 And if it was willful infringement, you absolutely know. 146 00:08:35,605 --> 00:08:40,695 Someone steals your entire website and they start selling it as their own. 147 00:08:40,725 --> 00:08:44,445 And when you tell them to stop doing it, they don't stop doing it. 148 00:08:44,595 --> 00:08:46,004 It's a willful infringement. 149 00:08:46,175 --> 00:08:52,584 The damages can be as up to 150, 000 per work infringed. 150 00:08:52,745 --> 00:08:54,304 So those are statutory damages. 151 00:08:54,534 --> 00:08:57,955 And these are some of the benefits that you get under intellectual 152 00:08:57,955 --> 00:09:02,595 property law when you register a work as copyright registration with the U. 153 00:09:02,595 --> 00:09:02,675 S. 154 00:09:02,725 --> 00:09:03,414 Copyright Office. 155 00:09:04,195 --> 00:09:06,875 Contracts is the other way that we protect our copyrights. 156 00:09:07,340 --> 00:09:12,520 Registration that helps us and takes care of infringers, but you know what, 157 00:09:12,670 --> 00:09:15,959 mostly people don't just steal our stuff. 158 00:09:16,220 --> 00:09:20,689 The number 1 way that we lose rights in our intellectual property is 159 00:09:20,689 --> 00:09:27,110 by not using contracts or signing contracts that we do not understand. 160 00:09:27,574 --> 00:09:32,944 All right, so intellectual property law takes care of infringers, but 161 00:09:33,114 --> 00:09:38,244 most people don't lose rights in their IP because of infringers. 162 00:09:38,494 --> 00:09:43,394 It's more likely that we will lose control over intellectual property because we 163 00:09:43,504 --> 00:09:48,415 are not using contracts or we're signing contracts that we do not understand. 164 00:09:48,795 --> 00:09:51,505 And that is just a self-inflicted wound. 165 00:09:51,735 --> 00:09:55,935 Unlike physical assets, ownership of intellectual property has nothing 166 00:09:55,935 --> 00:10:00,685 to do with possession or whose idea it was, or even who paid for it. 167 00:10:00,985 --> 00:10:05,755 If we want to make sure we are maximizing the value of our assets, 168 00:10:06,114 --> 00:10:11,215 we need to use our contracts in order to make sure that we control 169 00:10:11,215 --> 00:10:13,595 the use and get paid for its use. 170 00:10:14,005 --> 00:10:17,035 So we cannot skip the contracts step. 171 00:10:17,410 --> 00:10:22,560 We need contracts with our clients to limit their ability to reuse or even 172 00:10:22,560 --> 00:10:27,410 distribute our proprietary materials, and we need contracts with our contractors 173 00:10:27,669 --> 00:10:32,019 to make sure that we have rights in everything that they deliver to you. 174 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:36,160 So, when we think about our client contracts, if you're regularly 175 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:41,420 signing contracts provided by your corporate clients, those agreements 176 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:45,579 will absolutely have language about who owns the deliverables. 177 00:10:45,990 --> 00:10:50,980 And you want to make sure that there is language in there so that you retain 178 00:10:50,980 --> 00:10:54,310 rights in your preexisting property. 179 00:10:54,745 --> 00:10:59,775 If they're coming to you, chances are you have preexisting property that they value. 180 00:11:00,095 --> 00:11:04,665 What is the distinguisher between you, like, take the HR consultant, 181 00:11:04,885 --> 00:11:07,785 the difference between you and another HR consultant will probably 182 00:11:07,795 --> 00:11:11,245 be your preexisting materials that you have developed workshops that 183 00:11:11,455 --> 00:11:16,185 you've developed trainings that you've developed guides that are 184 00:11:16,194 --> 00:11:18,265 more effective than the next guys. 185 00:11:18,265 --> 00:11:19,685 And that's why they're coming to you. 186 00:11:19,905 --> 00:11:23,384 And we want to make sure that you are preserving the rights in those works. 187 00:11:23,765 --> 00:11:28,064 And if you're signing a standard client agreement, then you are 188 00:11:28,125 --> 00:11:30,005 endangering your rights in those works. 189 00:11:30,585 --> 00:11:34,615 Also with our contractor agreements, the agreements that we signed with 190 00:11:34,615 --> 00:11:39,485 people, when we are the client, we want to make sure that we have 191 00:11:39,495 --> 00:11:43,395 the rights, the ownership, and all the things that they do for us. 192 00:11:44,115 --> 00:11:50,065 In the absence of a written agreement that is signed and not by email, but 193 00:11:50,095 --> 00:11:54,195 actually signed, it can be, you know, an e signature, but something that 194 00:11:54,195 --> 00:11:58,644 is an enforceable signature, if we don't have that in place, then the 195 00:11:58,655 --> 00:12:01,274 human who created it still owns it. 196 00:12:01,635 --> 00:12:06,695 So, if someone is creating something for you that you will be using with your 197 00:12:06,745 --> 00:12:11,135 client or you'll be using it in your business to build some assets on, you 198 00:12:11,145 --> 00:12:13,004 want to make sure you own those things. 199 00:12:13,185 --> 00:12:18,154 You want to make sure you have contractor agreements in place that are signed. 200 00:12:18,425 --> 00:12:23,475 Signed agreements are the only way to overwrite the default provisions 201 00:12:23,785 --> 00:12:28,375 regarding ownership and licenses under intellectual property law. 202 00:12:28,730 --> 00:12:33,590 So, if you don't have signed agreements with your clients, then your clients may 203 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:38,530 have an unlimited license to use your pre existing materials, if not own it. 204 00:12:38,559 --> 00:12:43,220 So, those are the two dangers and no agreements with your contractors. 205 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:49,050 They may own some very important piece of your methodology or framework. 206 00:12:49,464 --> 00:12:54,764 Now, in an AI world, we have even more risks associated with 207 00:12:54,864 --> 00:12:57,155 oral or unsigned agreements. 208 00:12:57,285 --> 00:12:59,454 And again, I'm including email in that. 209 00:12:59,814 --> 00:13:07,004 If we don't have signed agreements, we can't get assurances regarding the work 210 00:13:07,014 --> 00:13:09,305 that is delivered by our contractors. 211 00:13:09,625 --> 00:13:14,365 We want to make sure that we have representations from our contractors 212 00:13:14,555 --> 00:13:19,734 regarding the originality of what they're delivering to us, and that it does 213 00:13:19,734 --> 00:13:22,845 not infringe any third parties rights. 214 00:13:23,265 --> 00:13:26,934 So, in our standard contractor agreement, you will want to have 215 00:13:26,934 --> 00:13:31,625 language that says that contractors work is original, unpublished, 216 00:13:31,925 --> 00:13:34,814 and solely their own work product. 217 00:13:35,315 --> 00:13:40,735 And that as delivered to you and used by you, it will not violate any 218 00:13:40,735 --> 00:13:45,115 laws or violate any third party's intellectual property rights. 219 00:13:45,465 --> 00:13:49,854 When we have someone using AI, we don't get any of those 220 00:13:49,854 --> 00:13:52,254 assurances when you use AI. 221 00:13:52,470 --> 00:13:57,140 That is buyer beware, user beware with regarding anything 222 00:13:57,140 --> 00:13:58,940 that is generated by AI. 223 00:13:59,170 --> 00:14:04,470 So if you have a contractor where you care about the originality and 224 00:14:04,470 --> 00:14:08,759 that you have full ownership of those deliverables, you want to have the 225 00:14:08,779 --> 00:14:12,800 contractor agreement in place and you want to have language in there 226 00:14:12,990 --> 00:14:15,880 about whether or not they can use AI. 227 00:14:16,260 --> 00:14:20,520 If you don't want your contractor to use AI, make sure the agreement says that. 228 00:14:20,890 --> 00:14:26,250 If you're okay with a contractor using some AI, so long as it's disclosed to you, 229 00:14:26,430 --> 00:14:28,520 then make sure that's in the agreement. 230 00:14:28,849 --> 00:14:34,329 And most importantly, always be mindful of how a deliverable 231 00:14:34,519 --> 00:14:37,039 from a contractor will be used. 232 00:14:37,630 --> 00:14:42,010 So that you can make sure that that agreement includes all of those 233 00:14:42,010 --> 00:14:43,420 rights that you have in there. 234 00:14:43,630 --> 00:14:48,310 Let's say you have an agreement with a contractor and they have language that 235 00:14:48,314 --> 00:14:53,770 says, I'm gonna be using my pre-existing framework, and it will say, you as 236 00:14:53,770 --> 00:14:57,849 the client can use it, but you cannot sub-license it to any third party. 237 00:14:58,060 --> 00:15:02,079 But your intent was for this to be used with your own end client. 238 00:15:02,290 --> 00:15:04,839 You have to make sure that there's language in there about that. 239 00:15:05,310 --> 00:15:11,690 So, the end result is in some, we really want to make sure that we don't end up on 240 00:15:11,690 --> 00:15:16,579 the receiving end of a cease and desist letter because we don't get all the rights 241 00:15:16,580 --> 00:15:21,399 from our contractors that we need, that we don't end up at the receiving end of 242 00:15:21,399 --> 00:15:26,080 a cease and desist letter because we have granted exclusive rights and materials. 243 00:15:26,405 --> 00:15:33,015 To one client that we need to use with other clients and at best I wasted money. 244 00:15:33,025 --> 00:15:38,274 Maybe you need to refund money and at worst you could end up with an 245 00:15:38,274 --> 00:15:42,525 infringement claim and you could have some permanent damage to your reputation. 246 00:15:42,774 --> 00:15:49,365 Certainly if you turn in something to a client that turns out that it was created 247 00:15:49,365 --> 00:15:52,435 by AI, that could be a real mess for you. 248 00:15:52,655 --> 00:15:54,855 So we want to make sure that that doesn't happen. 249 00:15:55,105 --> 00:15:57,505 IP is everywhere in particular. 250 00:15:57,655 --> 00:15:59,325 Your IP is everywhere. 251 00:15:59,495 --> 00:16:02,505 So we want to make sure that we use copyright protection and we're 252 00:16:02,505 --> 00:16:06,595 using contracts to make sure that you own it and that you control it. 253 00:16:06,935 --> 00:16:11,495 So that brings us to the third and final leg of building a scalable and 254 00:16:11,595 --> 00:16:13,495 salable expertise based business. 255 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:15,730 That is leverage. 256 00:16:15,950 --> 00:16:19,580 So leverage means increasing profitability, not just 257 00:16:19,580 --> 00:16:20,550 increasing revenue. 258 00:16:20,780 --> 00:16:21,520 What does that mean? 259 00:16:21,700 --> 00:16:23,150 We have leverage in our business. 260 00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:28,759 If we can increase our revenue without increasing the cost to get that revenue 261 00:16:28,759 --> 00:16:35,480 that increases profitability, or we can decrease cost without also decreasing the 262 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:37,910 revenue or both in the best of both words. 263 00:16:38,090 --> 00:16:43,120 That means we are applying leverage so that we have a more profitable 264 00:16:43,130 --> 00:16:47,490 business, meaning there's more distance between revenue and costs. 265 00:16:48,029 --> 00:16:52,069 And yes, you can have leveraged one on one services. 266 00:16:52,420 --> 00:16:55,700 So if you want to find out more, make sure you check out the next 267 00:16:55,729 --> 00:16:58,320 episode of the hourly exit podcast. 268 00:16:58,770 --> 00:16:59,630 Thank you ladies. 269 00:16:59,670 --> 00:17:01,680 And remember IP is fuel.