Business Structure

Understanding trademark

Application Process for Trademarks

Trademark includes goods and services. Federal, nationwide protection is a process you can take to register your trademark.  The examination process and the timeline flow is explained above.  You can work with an attorney to conduct a clearance search of the USPTO database.  The value is to avoid submitting an application that costs you money (you won't get it back!) 

Strategic Considerations

You've given some thought to the problem you are trying to solve and you are ready to launch your business.  Now is the time to create a business structure, which provides a foundation for the business and protects the value of the company.

The City of Fort Myers embraces the entrepreneurial culture. This is a great place to make meaningful connections. You will meet more small business owners pursuing new ideas in Fort Myers and we all want you to succeed!   Strategies to go to market and other challenges such as back office needs are all part of your business structure. Opportunities to express and pursue new ideas and processes is made even better with the right framework. Having a good business structure will set you up to access financing.  Eventually you'll need to raise capital and a strong business structure will help you do that.

Hiring experts, such as attorneys and accountants, will help you understand your legal obligations, your financial obligations, and build a solid foundation for your business. Understand the time horizon may be long to set up your sources of revenue, procurement of resources, and be prepared to deliver or risk hurting your reputation. 

Acceleration Programs and other Entrepreneurial ecosystems are a great opportunity to engage a network.  Determine what you will gain from working with others and how it fits with your time frame and theirs as well.  Working in partnership with stakeholders lifts everyone up and finding ways to access supportive resources is valuable.

Convincing other people to part with their money requires expanding your spheres of influence. Building a community needs people to create opportunity. You need a solid business structure as the foundation you build your business on. Something as simple as making sure the name of your business is not already trademarked is just one step and with the assistance of an attorney can set you up to go into business without any legal mistakes in your business structure.

There is a movement toward structuring a business to make a profit and shift business toward a positive impact.  If you want to learn more about the idea of using business as a source for good, you can watch this youtube video on BCorps

Now go out and become a UNICORN.  (Just a fancy way of saying make your business grow and be valued at $1 billion. )  You can do it!  Need an example of a unicorn?  Check out https://www.highradius.com/