New to the Community

tjbeaulieu

I`m really nervous about starting up my business. I feel this is my one and only shot and I want to make sure that all is done in the proper order. From what I can see in your 10-step program, step 5 is where I really get things legal. I have a personal product I wish to market from my home and on the internet and I`d like to get selling ASAP. Should I go ahead with the nonprovisional patent application right off the bat? Does the provisional application limit my doing business now? Then would come the copyright and afterwards do I come up with a trademark followed by a website? I want to thank you so much for your help and advice. This is all a bit overwhelming and I couldn`t even think of doing this if it weren`t for your program.

stonesledge

TJ,
 I agree.. don`t ever think that you have one shot at anything. We all learn from our experiences and sometimes it takes a few attempts at something to learn the things that you need to know to have a truley successful company. Give yourself some credit for making this huge step, that a lot of people are so fearful of doing and remember to go easy on yourself sometimes, have a good sense of humor, be patient and listen lots.
 
Erin

GrillCharmer

Hello TJ
Craig`s got some great advice!!  With your product, don`t file for anything until you have perfected your prototype and have done enough market research with it to make sure you will not need to make any changes to the invention before putting in your ap.  I did the provisional first then utility when my year was up. 

besthealth

Welcome & Congratulations on exploring the steps to getting your business in motion. This is a great resourceful site.

dkbush65

Welcome to the SuN!  I`m tracking right with Craig on this one. If I were to start back at the beginning I wouldn`t have gotten get caught up on all the legal stuff until I had a great business and marketing plan put together.  Maybe you do already so I mayb be preaching to the choir here but so many of us feel if we just "build it they will come" but the reality of it is that statement is misleading.  It`s true "if we build it they will come" but without a great business and marketing plan it`s the "creditors" that are the ones that come first and fast.
Create the income model and test it.  If it starts to get some legs get the attorneys involved. Keep following that dream!

tjbeaulieu

Thank you all so much for your advice and good wishes. I can`t tell you how much it`s encouraged me.  In following your tips, I`ve decided to push aside the written material (although it`s all very interesting and helpful) a little and get some products put together and get ready to put them out into the public. I wore one of these items last summer and it drew so much attention.  That`s when I got the idea to try to make a business out of it. I`d like to have some business cards prepared in advance so that when I go out wearing this product and am asked about it, I can pull out a card and let them know how to get one.  I`m trying to come up with a catchy logo. Would anyone know of a good place to get ideas?  Again, many thanx!
 
TheresajB