A few months ago, as those of you who have been reading this blog know, EMI ( Entrepreneur Magazine) threatened me with a trademark infringement lawsuit for use of the word Entrepreneur in my name. EMI has a reputation for sending their high priced attorney’s after anyone who uses the word; and most have caved in and traded their name in for another that would not cause a stir with EMI.
I, however, was unwilling to do that. There is no other way for me to express, in any other way, what I believe so passionately is needed in the arts. It’s time we put some entrepreneurial action into our art, that we Entrepreneur The Arts, which is why I made the word Entrepreneur a verb.
In any event, my attorney called today, and EMI has agreed to drop their threat of a suit in exchange for a disclaimer that Entrepreneur The Arts is in no way affiliated with EMI ( Entrepreneur Magazine). My application for trademark was recently approved through the trademark office also so this is all great news.
But my real point in blogging about this, is to illustrate the point that it would have been far easier for me, as a new start up, to have chosen to pack up my name, like all the others, and choose another than live with the uncertainty of a lawsuit hovering over my head for the last few months. But sometimes the difference between success and failure is in holding true to your beliefs; even when it seems difficult to believe you can succeed.
Standing up to a corporation that has over 36 million a year in advertising revenue alone was not an easy choice for me to make; but having a good attorney and simply not giving up served me well.
