A very warm hello from Anita Mar and Trademark Angel, and best wishes for the holiday season.

As many of you may know, Trademark Angel began a mere six months ago. It’s been such a growing experience running my own company, and I wanted to thank you personally for being such an integral part of the Trademark Angel Team.

A little about me:

I’ve been working for as long as I can remember. My introduction to trademark work began in 1999 in distant Tel Aviv, and since then, I’ve found a home in big multinational law firms and small boutique firms alike.

In fact, four years before the establishment of Trademark Angel, I found myself working remotely at a burgeoning boutique firm. It was exciting to be a part of something so successful, and I was compensated well for my work. But there was this vague feeling that I was working for someone else’s dream. It provided me with security, but I couldn’t shake the desire to make something for myself.

And then I got pregnant with my third son, which was a surprise but an exciting one. The maternity leave offered me some time to think, and what resulted was a ton of business ideas that I knew would only be implemented if I was running the company myself. So, I made the (terrifying) leap, and Trademark Angel was officially born.

Every new business owner has to face the fear of failure.

  • What if my business doesn’t grow like I’m expecting?
  • What if the market is saturated and I’ve got nowhere to go?
  • What if I fail on Day One?

To my biggest surprise (and some good fortune), I was busy from the start. And I have you wonderful clients who have partnered with me to thank for that.

Trademark Angel is fully remote. We have an awesome team of contractors helping with the Trademark Angel website and web presence, as well as a US attorney and EU representative who work closely with the trademarking team.

Part of being a small business owner makes you want to help others who may be pursuing ownership themselves. Starting your own business can feel overwhelming, and there’s a certain camaraderie between business owners. I’d love to share the lessons that I’ve learned as a small business owner these past six months, in the hope that it might give the rest of you a leg up on the competition.

The lessons Trademark Angel has taught me:

  1. As much as your schedule may demand it, working non‐stop only leads to a decrease in quality and, at worst, major burn‐out. I always manage to fit in a day of rest to recharge my batteries, no matter how busy Trademark Angel may be.
  2. Realize when you need some help, and if financially possible, outsource some of your work. For me, website development and SEO work were taking too much of my time from the goals I’d set for Trademark Angel. I realized that leaving the company’s digital presence to professionals, while an investment, would allow me more time to work on what mattered the most.
  3. Once you see some revenue, don’t be afraid to invest in good software that will benefit your business. I use a great scheduling program called Accuity that works wonders, and there are others like it. The same goes for Customer Relationship Management, or CRM (in my opinion, Zoho CRM or Pipedrive are good candidates for small businesses). PDF Factory Pro and FinePrint are essential for easy printing and puffing. I also invested in professional searching software (Corsearch) to better serve my clients and to provide accurate search reports.
  4. Prioritize. Learn to reference and rely on Eisenhower’s Matrix, which is all about utilizing good time.
    management principles. Sitting in front of your computer with a dozen notifications blinking on a screen can be paralyzing…I’ve been there.
  5. Start keeping records early. I knew that Trademark Angel needed to have an accurate data and deadline management system, so I wasted no time in implementing it.
  6. Have goals and keep statistics. Statistics are king. You’ll never know how well your business is flourishing unless you have concrete goals to meet and statistics to back them up. It can be a tedious process, but prudent book‐keeping can not only show you your business’ weaknesses but also the roads to improve them.
  7. Be a pro in your field, even if you don’t always feel it. Clients can tell when you’re feeling uncertain or have doubts about your business. Project confidence. You started a business precisely because you knew it would provide a valuable service, so go in knowing that you’re able to offer it.
    I used to hate doing sales in my previous job. I’d always get cold sweats, and I’d practice rehearsing my “lines” over and over again before calling a client. Luckily, thanks to years in the trademark field and a growing knowledge of trademark processes, I learned how to talk with my clients and hear their concerns.
  8. Protect your brand from the start. The first thing I did was filing my TRADEMARK ANGEL trademark, days before I launched the business.
  9. Be thankful for your team, no matter how big or small. I am immensely grateful for my Trademark Angel team. Without them, I couldn’t have done it. Thank you: Thomas, Daniel, Sheikh, Hamza, Bhavik, Blake, Clayton and Alice. You guys are the best.

Trademark Angel is one of the best trademarking firms on the market, and I can say that with the confidence of the team behind me and the goals that we’ve set for ourselves. Furthermore, I can pass that success on to my clients, who have been with me from the very beginning.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this letter. Trademark Angel couldn’t be what it is without the trust and partnership of you and your business. And if you’re on the verge of starting your own business, I hope the lessons I’ve learned will give you a head start towards success.

My only regret – I wish I had opened my own practice earlier.
Regards,

Anita Mar and the Trademark Angel Team