AI, IP, and the Smart Startup!
Nancy Steidl is an international business consultant and intellectual property (IP) specialist, Canadian-born and UK-based for 25 years. She runs The Business Mission and blends practical business structuring with deep IP expertise. She emphasizes education (two completed master’s degrees—Business Law and an MBA—and a third in International IP Law) and has a forthcoming book titled The Art of Analogies in Business: How to Start a Business Using Layman’s Terms, its available via her website designed to make business concepts simple through analogies.
For new entrepreneurs, Nancy’s core playbook starts with a real business plan—turning ideas into a validated model with actual revenue. From there, choose the right legal structure (sole proprietorship/sole trader, LLC/limited company, corporation), register and license properly, and put airtight contracts in place. She urges early attention to IP—trademarks, patents, copyright, and trade secrets—because brand and know-how are central assets. Employment law and freelancer agreements matter, too; you must define wages/benefits compliantly and ensure contracts assign IP to the company.
On AI and IP, Nancy notes the legal landscape is fast-moving and jurisdiction-specific. Patentability standards differ country-to-country, so founders should conduct prior-art searches and plan filings per jurisdiction (US, UK, Canada, etc.). Copyright is automatically granted upon original creation, but AI-generated content raises authenticity and ownership questions—and current doctrines don’t allow robots to own IP. Trademarks remain human/company-owned, while trade secrets require strong confidentiality controls (NDAs, secure processes). Founders must also meet data-protection obligations like GDPR (EU) and CCPA (California).
Trademarks take time: UK filings can complete in ~6 months, India can take ~3 years, and the US is heavily backlogged. You can usually use “TM” while an application is pending to build history—but there’s risk if opposition arises. Because IP can dwarf all other assets, some larger companies park it in a separate holding entity, depending on circumstances. Nancy shares cautionary tales—small firms forced to rebrand after conflicts with powerful rightsholders—underscoring why early trademark searches and filings are crucial.
Nancy supports clients globally (US, UK, Canada, EU, Middle East, Latin America) across the journey: startup “architecture,” ongoing structuring, and preparing for exit (she handles structure and planning, not brokering the sale). Engagements can be project-based or multi-year. She also helps founders seeking the UK Innovator Visa by aligning business plans, UK trademarks, and market entry. A recurring theme is culture: success abroad requires adapting to local norms and behaviors (e.g., early McDonald’s UK missteps), aligning legal compliance, and tailoring IP protection country-by-country.
Philosophically, Nancy reframes “failures” as redirections. Her guidance: over-protect rather than under-protect contracts; ensure all employee/contractor IP is assigned to the company; and remember that brand (your name, marks, and story) is your moat. Couple a thoughtful plan with strong IP hygiene, respect for data/privacy rules, and cultural intelligence, and you dramatically improve a business’s odds—from launch, through growth, to a valuable exit.
Takeaways
• A business needs to prove its model before it's classified as a business.
• You must start with a business plan.
• Intellectual property is a very big asset.
• Understanding the logistics of any country is crucial for business.
• Cultural aspects are important when starting a business in a new country.
• You need to secure your IP rights to protect your business.
• Business planning should include an exit strategy from the start.
• AI innovations present new challenges for intellectual property laws.
• Contracts should clearly define IP ownership to avoid disputes.
• There are no failures, only redirections in business.
Sound Bites
• You must start with a business plan.
• You need to give that time to grow.
• You have to secure your IP rights.
Listen & Subscribe for More:
🎧 The Vast Voice Podcast → Available on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
▶️ Subscribe on YouTube (@VastSolutionsGroup.com) for expert insights 🚀
📚 Don’t miss Modern Millions by R. Kenner French – the #1 BEST SELLING Amazon book (Entrepreneurship category) 👉 ModernMillions.ai
📚 Amazon Top Selling Author→ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FHBS32LG
📘 Also check out The Art of Analogies in Business: How to Start a Business in Layman’s Terms — available now via TheBusinessMission.com ✨
Got Questions? Reach Us Anytime:
📞 415-212-8189
🕗 Monday–Thursday | 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Pacific)
🙏 Thank you for listening & supporting!
