MICRO-PODCAST: What to Do When Someone Steals Your Work Online
How Do I Protect My Idea? Do I Need a Trademark or Copyright?
You have a great idea for a t-shirt. How do you stop someone from making knock offs?
You have a concept for a dope event or workshop. How do you stop people from copying your event?
You wrote a song, took pictures, wrote an article. How do you stop people on the internet from stealing and reposting it without your permission or paying?
You just came up with an idea for an app or product you KNOW would sell. How do you get help building it and stop people from stealing it once they find out what you’re building?
Here’s the good & bad of protecting ideas and whether you need a copyright or a trademark to do it.
10 Major Keys to Doing Business With Friends ....& Staying Friends
In the beginning when you are writing, producing, or collaborating with friends things may be free flowing, super casual, and going perfect with no formal agreement necessary. But I promise, as a lawyer my messiest and most difficult experiences are getting my clients money from situations that started out with friends or fellow group members. Everyone is cool until money gets involved or a project starts to get major traction.
The best way to keep friends and connections in the business is to keep business as business and get everything in writing...let me give you a few MAJOR KEYS....
3 Foolproof Way to Protect Your Creative Business
What to do When Someone Online Steals Your Content
You posted new pictures to your instagram to promote your brand only to see someone use it for a flyer or a facebook ad without your permission!
You give an artist a rough mix of a track you produced and next thing you know it's up on itunes and spotify without your permission or a split sheet!
You write a song in a session and months later you hear your song on the radio. When you check the credits your name is no where to be found!
HERE'S WHAT SHOULD YOU DO WHEN SOMEONE ONLINE STEALS YOUR CONTENT:
Handling Music Business As Business...LLCs to Partnerships Explained
If you are an artist, producer, or songwriter someone along the way has probably told you that you need an LLC or at least some kind of official business structure.
This may or may not be necessary depending on where you are in your career. Here are 4 ways to know it is time in your music career to open an LLC, get a partnership agreement in place, or just keep doing what you're doing as yourself.
MONEY TALK: Do I Need an LLC to Start a Business?
MONEY TALK: The 4 Top Tax Deductions for Creatives
The end of the year is upon us and with that comes the top of the year tax rush. One of the top ways creatives sell themselves short are in tax deductions. All the little things you've spent your money on to help build this year could possibly add up to thousands in tax deductions you don't want to miss.
I've teamed up with accounting guru Iyanna Vaughn to give share some of the top deductions you should should never miss at tax time:
CLIENT LAUNCH: Ventured - Black College Travel
Ventured Travel is connecting HBCU students with the world through incredible curated international travel excursions! Very happy to help them legally protect and launch this amazing idea! Follow them on IG @venturedtravel to find out more!