🎙️ Richard Gearhart on Overcoming Entrepreneurial Fear and Protecting Ideas
Guest: Richard Gearhart
Host: Dwight Heck
Podcast: Give A Heck
🔥 Episode Overview
What’s holding you back from pursuing that business idea you’ve been thinking about?
In this empowering episode of Give A Heck, Dwight welcomes Richard Gearhart, intellectual property attorney, founder of Gearhart Law, and cohost of the nationally syndicated radio show Passage to Profit. Richard is also an award-winning speaker, TV network expert guest, and recognized legal voice in entrepreneurship and innovation.
He has worked with high-profile clients including Larry Namer (founder of E! Entertainment TV), former WWE wrestler Brimstone, The Sopranos actor Kevin Interdonato, celebrity dentist Dr. Bill Dorfman, TV shopping icon Victoria Wieck, Dave Noll (creator of Chopped), world renowned relationship strategist Dr. Gilda Carle, and Terry Joes (founder of Kayak and Travelocity).
Richard has presented to Fortune 50 companies, top universities, and legal associations nationwide. He recently spoke alongside New Jersey Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner at the New Jersey State Bar Association Business Law Symposium.
🎥 Watch Richard speak on WDIV Channel 4 Detroit
Whether you are sketching your first idea or scaling a global brand, Richard brings clarity, strategy, and heart to the journey. His firm has represented scientists from elite institutions and three clients who successfully appeared on Shark Tank. Gearhart Law has twice been featured in Inc. Magazine’s list of fastest growing companies, and Richard was named one of “The Best of the Best” by ROI New Jersey Lawyers.
💬 In this episode, you will learn
- Why early life experiences shape our purpose and entrepreneurial drive
- The difference between patents, trademarks, and copyrights — and why they matter
- How to protect your most valuable ideas before sharing them publicly
- What separates successful entrepreneurs from those who struggle
- The power of collaboration and media in amplifying your mission
- Why it is never too late to give a heck about your life and your legacy
💡 Dwight’s Reflection
Richard’s insights on fear and entrepreneurship offer a powerful reminder. The journey itself builds skills, resilience, and clarity. Whether your business succeeds or not, the experience teaches you how to navigate uncertainty, solve problems, and grow as a person and professional.
Your idea deserves more than living in your head. It deserves a chance to breathe, to be tested, and to teach you something about yourself and the world.
Ready to Live A Life On Purpose & Not By Accident?
🕒 Episode Chapters
- 00:00:02 Introduction to Richard Gearhart — From Adoption to Intellectual Property Law
Host Dwight Heck introduces Richard Gearhart, who shares how his adoption story shaped his protective nature and led both him and his brother into careers centered on protection. - 00:04:40 Early Life Influences and the Path to Law — Adoption’s Impact on Career Choice
Richard reflects on being adopted at 18 months and separated from his brother, and how that experience influenced their shared drive to protect others. He also shares how watching Perry Mason inspired his legal path. - 00:08:52 Finding Purpose in Intellectual Property Law — The Switzerland Experience
Richard describes his transition from corporate law to intellectual property, including a pivotal experience working in Switzerland that helped him discover his passion for IP. - 00:12:03 Building Gearhart Law — 20 Years of Entrepreneurial Growth
Richard discusses founding Gearhart Law, the challenges of entrepreneurship, and how persistence and calculated risk taking helped him grow a successful firm. - 00:21:25 The Power of Podcasting — Lessons from Passage to Profit Radio Show
A behind the scenes look at podcasting beyond the mic. Richard shares how Passage to Profit became a platform for learning from accomplished entrepreneurs and innovators. - 00:23:52 Passage to Profit Radio Show — National Syndication and Format
Richard explains the show’s format, its reach across 38 markets via iHeart Media, and how each episode features three guests and segments on entrepreneurship, AI, and IP news. - 00:32:41 The Importance of Origin Stories — Building Deeper Client Relationships
Dwight and Richard explore how understanding a client’s personal story builds trust and improves service. Authenticity and empathy are key to long term success. - 00:47:25 Intellectual Property Basics — Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights Explained
Richard breaks down the three pillars of IP law: patents for inventions, trademarks for brand identity, and copyrights for creative works. - 01:00:43 Entrepreneurial Advice — Overcoming Fear and Taking Action
Richard offers practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, including the value of mentorship, financial planning, and reframing failure as a learning opportunity. - 01:10:06 Never Give Up — Final Words of Wisdom and Persistence
Richard closes with a message of tenacity and encouragement. He urges listeners to stay the course, seek support, and never give up on their dreams.
📬 Connect with Richard Gearhart
🌐 Website: https://www.richardgearhartesq.com
🌐 Radio Show: https://passagetoprofitshow.com
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PassagetoProfitShow
🐦 X / Twitter: https://x.com/passagetoprofit
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC45HBJb8Q-tnQavYqbIVbjw
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passagetoprofitshow
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-gearhart-7896aa2
🔗 Connect with Dwight Heck
🌐 Website: https://giveaheck.com
📘 Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/dwight.heck
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@giveaheck
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/give.a.heck
🧵 Threads: https://www.threads.net/@give.a.heck
🐦 X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/give_a_heck
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dwight-heck-65a90150
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@giveaheck
🎯 Final Message
Your ideas are valid. Your instincts are powerful. Your journey is worth protecting. Whether you are just starting out or scaling something big, give a heck. Give it boldly. Because when you honor your creativity and protect your vision, you are not just building a business. You are building a legacy.
Until next time, keep giving a heck about your life.
And remember, no matter what stage of life you are at, it is never too late to GIVE A HECK.
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Full Unedited Transcript:
00:00:02
Introduction to Richard Gearhart – From Adoption to Intellectual Property Law
Host Dwight Heck introduces Richard Gearhart, an intellectual property attorney and co-host of Passage to Profit radio show. Richard shares his adoption story and how it shaped his protective nature, leading both him and his brother to careers focused on protection.
00:04:40
Early Life Influences and the Path to Law – Adoption’s Impact on Career Choice
Richard discusses being adopted at 18 months, separated from his brother, and how this experience influenced both siblings to pursue protective careers. He shares his journey from watching Perry Mason to becoming an intellectual property attorney.
00:08:52
Finding Purpose in Intellectual Property Law – The Switzerland Experience
Richard explains his transition from corporate law to intellectual property, including his time in Switzerland and discovering his passion for IP work within two weeks of starting at a specialized firm.
00:12:03
Building Gearhart Law – 20 Years of Entrepreneurial Growth
Richard discusses founding Gearhart Law nearly 20 years ago, the challenges of entrepreneurship, and how persistence through difficult times led to success. He emphasizes the importance of taking calculated risks for professional growth.
00:21:25
The Power of Podcasting – Lessons from Passage to Profit Radio Show
Discussion about the complexities of podcasting beyond just talking, including production, distribution, and marketing. Richard shares how their radio show became a learning platform for meeting accomplished entrepreneurs and innovators.
00:23:52
Passage to Profit Radio Show – National Syndication and Format
Richard details their nationally syndicated radio show on 38 markets through iHeart Media, featuring three guests per episode with segments on entrepreneurship, AI in business, and intellectual property news.
00:32:41
The Importance of Origin Stories – Building Deeper Client Relationships
Dwight and Richard discuss the power of understanding clients’ origins and personal stories to provide better service. They explore how authentic connections and caring about clients as humans drives business success.
00:47:25
Intellectual Property Basics – Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights Explained
Richard provides comprehensive explanations of the three main types of intellectual property: patents for inventions, trademarks for brand names and identifiers, and copyrights for original creative works and expressions.
01:00:43
Entrepreneurial Advice – Overcoming Fear and Taking Action
Richard offers guidance for aspiring entrepreneurs, emphasizing education, seeking mentorship, and viewing potential failure as learning opportunities. He stresses the importance of financial planning and realistic expectations when starting a business.
01:10:06
Never Give Up – Final Words of Wisdom and Persistence
Richard’s closing message emphasizes persistence and tenacity as key success factors. He encourages listeners to hang in there through challenges, seek support when needed, and never give up on their dreams.
[00:00:02 – 00:01:54]
Welcome back to the Give a Heck podcast. I’m your host, Dwight Heck. I’m here to help you live a life on purpose and not by accident. Each week, we dive deep into real stories, raw truths, and powerful conversations that challenge you to give a heck about your life and the lives of others. Before we dive in, I want to share something personal. Over the years, I’ve learned that the most powerful transformations often begin with a single idea and courage to protect it. Today’s guest has built his life around helping others do just that. His journey is not just about the law. It’s about legacy, empowerment, and the belief that every creator deserves to own their future. Richard Gearhart is someone who knows what it takes to turn an idea into something real and protected. He is an intellectual property attorney who has spent decades helping entrepreneurs, inventors, and creatives secure their patents, trademarks, and copyrights so they can build with confidence. He is a founder of Gerhardt Law, an international firm that works with everyone from Shark Tank contestants to Fortune 50 companies. He has helped media icons like Larry nammer, celebrity dentist, Dr. Bill Dorfman, and actors from the Sopranos protect their work and grow their businesses. But Richard is not just a lawyer. He’s a storyteller, a mentor, and co host of Passage to Profit, a nationally syndicated radio show that features real conversations with entrepreneurs and innovators. Whether you’re sketching your first idea or scaling a global brand, Richard brings clarity, strategy, and heart to the journey. I would like to welcome you to the show, Richard. Thanks so much for agreeing to come on and share with us some of your life journey.
[00:01:54 – 00:02:20]
Well, thank you, Dwight. That’s quite the introduction and I’m really happy to be here because I love the premise of your show and getting real and caring and talking about important things is one of my favorite things to do. So super glad to be here and we had a great conversation before the show started. We were talking about how to pronounce my name and I think we’ve got it now.
[00:02:22 – 00:02:31]
I hope so, brother, because my intent is never to offend. It’s always trying to elevate and lift people up right. And our names are so important.
[00:02:31 – 00:03:33]
They really are. Absolutely. And I, I, you know, you, you kind of admitted that. Well, every once in a while you find a name that too difficult to pronounce. And I’m in that position every once in a while, too. On the Passage, the profit radio show, we have people from all over and sometimes the names are not like traditional Anglo Saxon names. They’re people from different countries. Different backgrounds. And even if I practice the name, sometimes I’m a little unsure that I’m pronouncing it correctly. And it’s funny, when you’re in that mode, maybe you can relate to this, but when you’re in that mode, it kind of takes away from the program because when you’re speaking to somebody and you’re unsure about their name, it kind of creates a little uncertainty in the way I communicate with them too. It makes me a little bit more reserved and. And so. So anyway, I agree. I agree we took the name that. That hopefully it’s Richard Gearhart. We’re both comfortable with it. It’s off the table now.
[00:03:33 – 00:03:34]
Yes.
[00:03:34 – 00:03:36]
Have a real conversation, so.
[00:03:36 – 00:04:38]
Absolutely, absolutely. You know, at the end of the day, though, you’re right. It does creates a reserve thought process. I’ll be interviewing somebody, and if it’s a first name, it’s even worse because now I’ve got through their last name. But if their first name’s hard to pronounce and I’m in the flow and all of a sudden I realize, oh, my goodness, I gotta say their name again. And I’m unsure, but yet I can’t stop the flow. I’ll just skip it. I’ll just say that comment. But the thing is the power of the first name. I really want to get it right because we love hearing our own name. And people may not admit it, but it’s been proven right. Psychology has proven it. So, Richard, I appreciate you again coming on. One of the things that on this show that we often explore is the deeper roots of purpose. I believe that understanding our earliest recollections, those defining childhood moments or young adult moments, is key to understanding why we are where we are today. What were some of those early experiences for you or influence that shaped your life?
[00:04:40 – 00:08:52]
Well, I think one of the biggest influences was started when I was 18 months old. I was given up for adoption. When I was very young, I had an older brother. He was given up for adoption too. We were sent to separate families. And, you know, there’s a lot of. A lot of research and a lot of psychology about what happens to adopted children and how they end up relating to the world. There are many who think that that experience is traumatic. Being separated from your parents at an early age represents a very deep, fundamental loss. And so I think that since I don’t know anything different other than what I experienced myself, I really can’t say how that would make me different or similar to other people. But I do think that you Know that had an influence on me. And it turned out that later in life I met my brother. We reunited when I was in my late 20s. And what’s interesting was, is that we both adopted professions where the focus was on protection. He was a security trainer. He trained people how to protect themselves with self defense moves. I became an intellectual property lawyer, which was protecting people’s technology. And you know, at first glance I, maybe I wouldn’t have traced that back to my origin story, but the fact that he was protecting people and I was protecting people made me think that that maybe had something to do with the path that we eventually ended up taking. And so I grew up in a great family, I’m very happy person. And I do think though that when I was younger I used to watch Perry Mason. So Perry Mason is this, you know, fictional character on tv. He was very popular and I loved how he acted in the courtroom. He was very commanding and you know, he always got the witness to break down and confess. And I just admired that power in him. And so from an early age I wanted to be an attorney. And it turns out over the years, as I went through college, I changed my mind a couple of times. I wanted to be a physician for a while, I wanted to be a business person for a while. I eventually ended up going into the business world and then after several years of that, decided I wanted to go to law school and become a lawyer. And so that’s how I ended up where I, where I am. And as an intellectual property attorney, I have a chemistry background because I deal with technical things. And the firm has a specialty in life sciences, so protecting inventions in the medical and health industry. So we work with a wide range of inventors, you know, you know, people who are just starting out with their entrepreneurial projects, you know, maybe have a new napkin holder to protect or something. But we also work with some, some pretty sophisticated technologies, pharmaceuticals and, and, and so it’s kind of interesting I guess to look at sort of my, how my technical background and my business background and my legal background all sort of combined to put me where I am right now. So.
[00:08:52 – 00:09:40]
Wow. The interesting story about the connection with adoption. This isn’t the first time I’ve experienced somebody that, you know, I’ve run into people and had people on my show that somebody was adopted. They didn’t even realize their family had given somebody up because they came after the fact. Let’s say it was a broken up relationship. New kids born and they weren’t told and they end up finding their significant Other and they find commonality between them and it’s amazing to hear that. So I appreciate you sharing that story about your brother and you. One, one fighting for, you know, the physical defense, the other one fighting for the emotional. And you know, your protection. Right. Because it does affect people emotionally if your stuff gets stolen. Your, your intellectual property, obviously.
[00:09:41 – 00:10:04]
Yeah. And I, I, you know, it’s, it’s a, also, you know, at some level protecting yourself. So, you know, so for my brother, being a self defense expert was also about him understanding how to protect himself. And, and for me, I suppose that there’s some parallels there with the intellectual property too, so.
[00:10:06 – 00:10:07]
But makes sense.
[00:10:07 – 00:12:02]
Yeah, I mean, I will say that intellectual property. After I had finished law school, I ended up going to Switzerland and I lived there for a couple of years. I went to school and got a master’s in international law from the University of Geneva. And while I was there, I worked for an international law firm, Jones Day, which is a very large international law firm. And I did corporate transactions and international litigation as a young associate. I wasn’t really super happy with that environment and that work. I loved living overseas and I learned a lot. But I ended up coming back to the United States and got a job at an intellectual property law firm and knew within like two weeks that I was born to do this kind of work. And so it’s, it’s been a passion of mine. For almost 40 years now. I’ve been doing intellectual property and I love it because I’m always learning something new. There’s so many different ways to practice intellectual property. You can work in a law firm, you could work in a company, which is, I, I also did that. I worked for a couple of large companies doing intellectual property work. You can work for the government. You know, there’s ethical issues and social issues around intellectual property. You can do litigation, you can do agreements. There’s just such a wide variety of things that you can do as an intellectual property attorney. And that was one of the things that I liked. You can practice it in different ways in different places and you can focus on different topics and you know, now I, I consider myself an entrepreneur. We started Gearhart Law. We’re coming up on our 20 year anniversary.
[00:12:03 – 00:12:04]
Congratulations.
[00:12:05 – 00:12:08]
So knock on wood that we make it that far.
[00:12:08 – 00:12:09]
Oh, you will.
[00:12:11 – 00:12:39]
But I still think of myself as an entrepreneur. And you know, we’re still actively trying to grow the firm and you know, we serve entrepreneurs, so we’re very much involved in the entrepreneur ecosystem. And I love the new technology, I love the Enthusiasm that entrepreneurs bring to their projects and their businesses. And I just think I’m the luckiest guy in the world.
[00:12:39 – 00:14:05]
So it’s all about attitude, right? It affects our altitude in life. And if you like what you’re doing, it makes it so much easy. Hearing the stepping stones view, going, starting a law internationally and then coming back and finding within weeks that you liked intellectual law, property law, it’s amazing. And the reason I point out to that is the listeners listening. It’s never too late to give a heck. And even if you love what you do, but you don’t necessarily like the way that it’s going, maybe what you love to do can be changed. Maybe you can look at utilizing your talents in a different way to bring back the passion that got you into it in the first place. I know myself. I’ve had hills and valleys, valleys and gone up and down. This, I’ve been in this business, in financial education, and for 24 years I’ve been a financial planner. So it’s. I get it. But I’ve had to reinvent myself along the way because sometimes I get stuck. So what did I do? I always stay curious. I always want to learn new strategies. I always want to stay on top of it. I don’t want to be that professional that stays cap. Cap, pardon me, camp to my mindset mentally and not trying to strive to be the best version of myself so I can continue to serve and educate consumers on how to give a heck about their lives so they can live that purposeful existence and not struggle to have that month or more days than there is money. So I appreciate you sharing that. That is so important.
[00:14:07 – 00:18:37]
Yeah, I mean, you know, I think I’ve been pretty good at sort of sticking my neck out and maybe getting out a little bit over my shoe tips every once in a while. I think that if, from a, from a job standpoint, if you’re looking for professional growth and stimulation, you’ve got to take those, you know, calculated risks. And ultimately, I think that’s what makes the job or the career piece interesting and fulfilling, is finding new things to try to conquer, even if you’re not sure that you can do it. But, you know, it’s that little and it’s that uncertainty and it’s that challenge that keeps things interesting. And it doesn’t have to be like a whole new job or a whole new career. It doesn’t have to be like that. You don’t have to put everything at risk. But maybe you can put a little piece of what you’re doing at risk just to enjoy the experience of having something new and, and, and challenging. And I think that that growth for me personally has been, you know, extremely important. I’ve really. I’m not the same person that I was, you know, 20 years ago when I started Gearhart Law. It was a different, it was a completely different setup and organization then compared to, to now. And my responsibilities have changed and, and it’s, you know, it hasn’t been a smooth ride. It’s been, you know, plenty of bumps and challenges along the way. There were times when I was just absolutely terrified, but I had a good support system and I had help and, you know, and we were able to kind of push through. Fortunately, I have an amazing team who, who, who stayed loyal through all the ups and downs. I’m very grateful for that. And now these last couple of years, things have gone really, really well, and I’m, I’m glad I’m in a position to show my appreciation for their, for their loyalty over the years. So, you know, it’s, it’s, it’s, it’s, it’s, it’s. It’s been a really interesting journey, but I think even the most difficult times are the times when you learn the most, right? And so it’s hard to say, welcome those, but at least if you’re going through a tough time, my, my, my feeling is, is that when you get out the other end, and you always get out the other end, right? And hopefully it’s somewhere close where you want to be. But hopefully when you get out the other end, you can look back and you say, well, I learned this, and I learned this. You know, lots of times I’ll tell entrepreneurs who are. They’ll come to us and they’ll tell us about their ideas and their business plans and their I, you know, their inventions. And lots of times they haven’t even told their significant others about it, right? Lots of times we’re the first ones that they, they talk to about it, and they say, well, you know, should I do this? And I always say, well, I mean, it’s ultimately up to you. It’s a risk. We can’t guarantee that it’s going to work out for you. You know, on the business side, we might be able to give some assurances on the intellectual property side, but even if it doesn’t work out, you’ll learn, you’ll maybe learn that entrepreneurism isn’t for you. You know, maybe you’ve wondered all your life, should I run my own business? Well, you might Find out that that’s not your path. Right. Or you might find out that you love it. Even if this project doesn’t work out, you’ll go on to the next project. Right. But you’ll learn something. And even if, Even if you end up going, you know, back to a more traditional job, you’ll have gained skills that people who haven’t made that trip don’t have. Right? And so you’ll, you’ll be able to bring new skills to the, to the workplace where you’re, you’re, you’re working at. So, yeah, so it’s, It’s a, It’s a learning experience, and I try to encourage people to, to look at it that way and then, you know, find out for yourself.
[00:18:38 – 00:19:47]
Oh, yeah, it can be exciting. It can be character building, dealing with clients of mine as well. Over the last 24 years that when I start up a business, I’ve had, you know, let’s say half of them that was good for them still had a lot of things to go through and help them figure it out before they walk away from their job. And then you got half of them that it just, they don’t understand all the complexities of what an entrepreneurship will be. Lack of health care, you got to pay it yourself. Lack of this, lack of all these other things that a company gives you. If somebody’s sick, you got to show up. You know what I mean? If you have, if you have staff, and it is such a complex thing. So I really appreciate the fact of talking to somebody that thinks that same way. You know, we need to talk to you. You know, maybe you’re a good fit, but the skills, if you do do it and it doesn’t work, that’s okay. Those skills can be hopefully, you know, revamped and utilized in a different circumstance. Or maybe you go back to work for somebody because of what you learned. It elevates you in their mind’s eye. And you, you have a, you did get a leg up in life, pat yourself in the back for trying. Most people don’t.
[00:19:47 – 00:21:25]
Yeah, yeah. And it’s, It, It’s. It’s not easy to put yourself out there. Right. And, you know, for example, if you’re, if you’re going to do a podcast, for example, you know, there’s a, There’s a lot more to doing a podcast than a lot of people think. It’s not just, you know, plugging in the microphone and turning on the zoom. You know, you have to, you have to get the guests. You have to, you know, you have to have the shows produced, at least to some extent. You have to have them distributed. You have to market your podcast, and then, you know, hopefully you’re generating some sort of revenue from the activity. So if, if you want to generate revenue, you have to find advertisers. And so there’s, there’s, There’s a lot. There’s a lot to it. And so, but on the surface, it all looks so simple, right? Because it’s just two people talking, right? So how hard can that be? Right? But, but there, there is a lot to it. And, you know, you’re putting yourself out there. If it works great, you’re golden. If it doesn’t, some people might feel like, you know, a little embarrassed because it didn’t work out. Right. And so then you have to have to deal with those feelings. Right. And I think, you know, most people don’t try because they’re scared of those feelings. And the thing that I’ve learned is to not be scared of those feelings and just not care. Right. And if you can, don’t give a heck about your, your, your, your, Your fearful feelings.
[00:21:25 – 00:21:26]
Right, exactly.
[00:21:27 – 00:21:47]
Get out there and, and try it. And if it doesn’t work, then, you know, that’s fine. You can try again or you can do something else. But I think that is trying to, trying to take those baby steps forward is what keeps your career interesting, right?
[00:21:47 – 00:21:48]
No, of course.
[00:21:49 – 00:22:13]
And, you know, not everybody’s interested in that. Some people are happy, you know, just showing up and, you know, doing their thing and then, and then, you know, going home at night and not worrying about it. But I think there’s a risk in that too, right? I mean, because you never know what’s going to happen to your company and jobs that used to be secure aren’t.
[00:22:14 – 00:22:14]
Right.
[00:22:15 – 00:22:21]
So, so it’s a, you know, it’s a, it’s an interesting mindset. So.
[00:22:21 – 00:23:52]
Well, and the mindset you have in regards to, you know, diversify and having a podcast, those that are, have been listening to my show for years, that we’ve had these conversations and, and an average guess for me from start to what I showed you, where I draft and do all that work myself, to doing the social media side, I do have a production company. They only do so much, and I do so much. I put four hours of my time in before this podcast will be live to the listeners and viewers. Right. So is that a little bit of time or a lot? To me, it’s, It’s a lot, but it’s also a great investment. Because I consider my podcast a classroom. I get to pick who I want and if the amount of applications I get on a weekly basis from different services or just the general emails, it’s tough. I got to go through and I got to have that feeling here to have that person on. I got, I do all this research because at the end of the day, I want to learn more. I’m my podcast biggest student and fan. And if, and if I have a tribe, a following of people that are similar mindset, entrepreneurs, people that are in a career that want to drive to get better, they, they want and expect that from me. Right. So I love podcasting and your Passage to Profit podcast, which we’re going to talk about since it’s come up about you. Podcasting is a national syndicated podcast that features entrepreneurs and innovators. What inspired you to start that with your wife? Elizabeth. Correct. She’s your co host.
[00:23:52 – 00:23:54]
She’s my co host. And tell.
[00:23:54 – 00:23:56]
Tell me about it. So I.
[00:23:56 – 00:28:06]
Well, thank you for asking. As a, as a fellow podcaster, Passage to Profit is a actually, it’s a radio program and it’s syndicated in 38 markets. We’re international because about a month ago we added a radio station in Guam. So we can actually say we’re an international radio show. And, and so it the flagship station is WOR710 in New York, and we work through iHeart Media, and the show is sometimes recorded in the studios in Manhattan at iHeart. And sometimes we do zoom shows, too. So we do maybe two we record two shows in the studios in Manhattan a month. And then we’ll do usually do one or two zoom programs per month. And we have three guests on the program. We usually have a prominent entrepreneur. And then we have who’s the main guest. And then we have two presenters. We have different segments during the program. We have your new business journey, where we ask all of the panelists on the show a question like, well, what rule of entrepreneurship did you throw out the window to become successful? And everybody will talk about that. And then we’ll interview the guest. And then after that we’ll go to another segment called AI in Business, where we ask everybody, how are you using artificial intelligence in your business? And we get a lot of different answers to that. And then we’ll do a segment called Intellectual Property News, of course, because I’m Intellectual property lawyer. And then we’ll interview the other two guests who are presenters, and they’ll talk about their businesses. Usually they’re not quite so far along in their careers as the main guest. And then the last segment is Secrets of the Entrepreneurial Mind where everybody discloses a secret that had make them successful. So it’s a 54. We pack all of that into a 54 minute program and it airs on Sunday evenings. You can go to the passagetoprofitshow.com website to see where it airs near you. And then the show is converted into a podcast. It’s available on anywhere you get your podcast. So Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the whole, the whole whole gambit. And then we also have a YouTube channel too. So if you want to see videos of the interviews you can do, you can do that. And the way we got involved in it is somewhat circuitous. I was a radio person, person in when I was in college, and so I always loved radio. I had a radio show, I did. I was manager of the radio station for a while. And then after I left college, I worked for public radio for a little bit. WCPN in Cleveland. I helped them when they were just getting started and I volunteered there. And so radio has always sort of been a part of my background. Elizabeth and I were at a networking event at CBS in Manhattan about seven years ago. I had a friend who had a radio show and they did a live broadcast and they invited us to be in the audience. We met a woman there, Kenya Gibson, who was working for cbs. She eventually left CBS and we stayed in touch with her and she asked Elizabeth and I if we wanted to do a show about intellectual property on wor. And of course we said yes. And so we’ve done over 300 episodes.
[00:28:07 – 00:28:07]
Wow.
[00:28:07 – 00:29:06]
You know, once a week. And it’s been amazing. I think the, the best thing for me has just been exactly, you know, what you said, Dwight, and that is you get to meet a lot of really smart, accomplished, capable people and you get the opportunity to learn from them. And so I’ve learned a lot. I’ve learned a lot about business. I’ve learned about things that I didn’t even know existed. We’ve been learning a lot about AI. Very interesting now and certainly very, very relevant. And so it’s been just a fantastic experience. So we’re very fortunate. I don’t really consider myself a great speaker or a great radio personality, but they keep us on the air and they put up with us, so it can’t be too bad, right?
[00:29:07 – 00:30:15]
I think you’re great, man. Honestly, I think you’re, you’re very articulate, you’re great at telling a story. So it just makes sense. If you had that Radio itch to get into podcasting and things happen for us, not to us. You running it to that person and then that person asking you if you wanted to do a show, your wife and you, that happened for a reason. That doesn’t happen because it’s just a one off the universe or God, whatever you believe in is gonna is looked at your life and thought, wow, this, this man has way too much to share and he needs to bring people to the surface that have other things to share. So it’s a win, win situation like my podcast. Right. So, and of course, by the way, I’m gonna showcase your podcast. We have some overlap and listeners, but we have different. It’s no different than people not wanting to share their secrets with somebody else doing the same business as them. You are different. They are both different. Different companies, different people. You attract different people. So why wouldn’t I want to showcase somebody and, and having such an amazing podcast like our radio show turned into podcast? Because I did look it up last night and I thought, wow, what an amazing show.
[00:30:16 – 00:31:00]
Well, I, I, I appreciate that Dwight. And I, I just talking with you, I, I can understand why your podcast is so, so popular because you have in such an easy conversational way about you and you know, I feel very comfortable talking with you and I think that’s what makes for the best content is that, is that connection between a guest and a host. And I think that’s, I think some of that is natural talent, but it’s also, you know, experience as well. And creating an environment where people feel comfortable sharing is, you know, one of the things that, you know, a good podcast host does.
[00:31:00 – 00:31:03]
And I appreciate that. That’s very kind of you to say.
[00:31:05 – 00:31:11]
And so I do appreciate, you know, everything that’s happened so far.
[00:31:11 – 00:31:51]
So I thank you so much. And for the people listening or watching, you don’t have to pull over to the side of the road if you’re in a vehicle. Hopefully you’re not watching in a vehicle. But if you’re listening, remember, I give a heck you go on to my web, pardon me, my website. I have complete detailed show notes for this episode, including all the links including the link to his podcast, obviously our episode, as well as detailed chapter summaries and I put the full unedited show notes so I don’t hide nothing. You’ll be able to find it. Just go to give a hack.com or also reiterate this at the end of the episode. Sound fair? Make sure that people can easily find you, brother.
[00:31:52 – 00:32:09]
So we’re certainly happy to share this podcast with our listeners as well, Dwight, because I think that the, you know, I think our listeners would have things in common. Right. So of course, and I think what you’re doing here is, is, is, is very valuable.
[00:32:09 – 00:32:39]
So who, who knows? Maybe as a side note, I, I, I can put in an application maybe, maybe I’m somebody that, that would elevate your listenership because everything you said, you ask I do you as AI and I use it very strategically and I have for quite a while in my practice because it helps when I’ve got clutter to declutter, not necessarily create my, but it takes my creations and makes them better. So anyway, we’ll talk about that in the future, maybe.
[00:32:39 – 00:32:41]
Sure, absolutely.
[00:32:41 – 00:32:43]
So you, oh, sorry, go on.
[00:32:43 – 00:32:44]
No, go ahead.
[00:32:44 – 00:32:47]
No, I was just going to ask a question. Go ahead. I’d rather you finish your thought.
[00:32:47 – 00:34:21]
Well, I just saw an interesting quote the other day about AI and you know, AI brings efficiency, but talent brings empathy. So I thought that was really well said because in all of this AI, I mean, you can do a whole podcast with AI, but I don’t think that you get the real. They haven’t made it so human yet that it’s really, it’s as good as what I think a human being can do. They’re getting pretty close. I mean, in music, lot of different places there AI is, is, is definitely, is, is definitely something that those of us in the, you know, communication business need to be aware of. Right? And they, there was a TV show and in the UK not too long ago where they, they, the, the, the host of the TV show revealed that he was an AI chatbot at the end of the program. And I guess the, the, the audience in the UK that was watching this flipped out because they had not expected that there was such a reaction. It was sort of like Orson Welles and the War of the Worlds, right? Where you know, people, you know, they, they just didn’t expect this. And so, so anyway, it’s an, it’s, it’s a, it’s a definitely a topic for our times.
[00:34:21 – 00:35:36]
Oh, absolutely. And you can either embrace technology or you can have it squash you. Your choice, people listening or watching. You don’t have to like it, but you need to understand it, especially how it affects your career, your business, your entrepreneurship. It is, it’s just like a lot of things, you either are going to be in front of the wave or you’re going to be behind it, getting crashed over. Right? So embrace AI. We won’t get too Much into it, but it is very, very powerful. We could probably do an episode just on AI. Right. And the different things of how it’s. It curtailed or, or assisted or elevated or decreased what you would have said or how you did it. You can’t be you though, right. It just can’t. It can’t give personality. And I’ve challenged it. I’ve even taken my best selling book and put it into it just to see what it thought. Because it was five years ago. Right. It’s been out as of March in 2026 for five years. Well, you know, it was telling me things that I should have done different and this and this and that. I’m looking at it like, who are you? Oh, let’s see. You’re a combination of a bunch of routines and data from around the world. And at the end of the day, thank you, but no, thank you. I just did it to prove a point to myself. Right.
[00:35:36 – 00:35:38]
What was the, what was the title of the book?
[00:35:39 – 00:35:47]
My. It’s right over my shoulder here. Give a heck, actually show it. I’ll show it. There you go. How to live.
[00:35:47 – 00:35:47]
Okay.
[00:35:48 – 00:36:57]
How to live life on purpose and not by accident. It starts. And I’m just going to add because my listeners know, but you would know, necessarily. My whole thing for my business is all sitting down with people and doing life skill coaching before we get to the financial numbers to understand their monsters in their lives. They’re personal, they’re money monsters, and it always starts at their origin. So I built my practice around finding out the origin, finding out the purpose. Let’s, let’s, let’s heal this. Let’s help work with this to heal it so that you can be the best version of yourself. Because in my 24 years, people will crash and burn within 90 days if I just deal with the numbers and don’t deal with them as a person, as a human, as a relationship. So my book starts at my origin, my youngest things just like my podcast. I want to know about your origin, Richard. I want to know how it affected you. And it works all the way up through my life, right up to me introducing my podcast. Right. So I, I kept the Kibahack brand that way, including my company, to, to really realize that our origins are important and how many people actually ask and care about our origins or is it just lip service?
[00:36:58 – 00:38:18]
Yeah, I mean, you know, that is so powerful. I think, you know, to take the time to. I think if you understand somebody’s origins, you really understand who they are. And I think that Means makes for providing a, a better service. And I, I, when I’m talking with, you know, clients or pro, prospective clients, I look for cues that, you know, reveal, you know, what they’re about and what their motivations are. And, but I don’t, you know, to be honest, I don’t really ask them. And I kind of wonder now I’m going to try this a little bit maybe and, and ask a few more personal questions about our clients and see because I’m very open to under hearing these, hearing their stories and their motivations because I think that could help me, you know, be a better service provider and, you know, make for a stronger connection. And so I’ve already learned something here that I think is very, is, is very valuable. I’m. When you’re, so do you start with a, do you have like a particular line of questions or is it just.
[00:38:18 – 00:40:34]
More of a. I actually, I actually first when we sit down, I become a student of human behavior. So I ask, I don’t ask questions till I look and see. Just saying, you know, oh, thank you for. Because they’re on zoom calls, right? Or they’ll, I’ll go to their house or their business or whatever and we’ll just have a simple conversation. I’ll look around their home or if I’m on video with them. I’ve already hopefully done a little bit of research so I can ask them questions. Oh, what’s that picture behind you? Or, or. Oh, that’s a beautiful picture. Right? I really like that. I want to see if their body chemistry will change if I complement them with sincerity and genuine. You have to be genuine. No, never be a false person because a relationship started that way never ever works, right. Long term or even short term. So I’m genuinely curious about them and I’ll say, what do you hope to get out of this appointment? I know, you know, I’m in finance. You know, I do stuff, but do you know how much life coaching I do? What are you looking for? Are you stuck? Right. If it’s husband and wife and they’re not sitting close to one another and they’re on the call, I can tell, I can see chemistry. And I’ll, I’ll just say to them, you know, what’s going on in your lives? Why are you here? What can I help you with? And they’ll say a few things. Sometimes that conversation will go on a long time. Sometimes I can break down the barrier because I’m a person that believes in wordsmithing and I understand what, what to Say to get the best out of them. It doesn’t always work. I’m not perfect, but I constantly work it and strive at that. And then I give them a goal sheets and I’ll give them each one of. It’s just an individual. I have ones that I do for business, I have ones for personal that I’ve designed over the years. And I literally will get them to say there’s 15, 20 goals in there. I only want you to tell me the top three. I can help you with them all, but if we bite off too much, you’re never going to succeed. So let’s start. What is your things that are really bothering you? And then they’ll check it off and I’ve got areas, obviously, and we’ll say, well, tell me why you put this down. Is there something in your past? Again, back to your origin. Right. Everything is our origin. We just don’t respect it enough. Right. The past is not indicative of our future. I tell my clients that. But it shows us signs. Right, right. It shows us signs that we can learn from.
[00:40:34 – 00:40:54]
Yeah, I was going to say it informs about our future. Right. And I mean, I, I think of every day as a new day, but I also have years of experience, of experiences. Right. That guide how I behave right now.
[00:40:54 – 00:40:55]
So.
[00:40:56 – 00:41:18]
And I think if you’re, if you’re working with somebody and you can understand those and you know, they’re, they’re willing, they trust you enough to, to reveal those things to you, then you can even be of, of more help to them. Right. Because you have a fuller picture of who they are and you’re able to, to support them in the ways that they need support.
[00:41:18 – 00:43:38]
Oh, yeah, it’s very important. They’re very, very important in my. And you know What? I’ve been 24 years, I’ve been invited to birthday parties, weddings. I’ve been invited to special events, barbecues. Why? Because it would become more than, more than just, you know, them being a client to me. They become important to me and I want them to share with me. I want them to reach out and say, you know what? We can’t see the forest for the trees. You’re always very kind, but you’re blunt with us. This is what we want to do. Here’s our budget. Because that’s another thing I do. Not all my clients want to, but I’m very into doing specific budgeting with people. So they live that purposeful life and know their inflows and outflows and, and, and I just create that connection and it might help your practice because you said that you don’t necessarily do that level of origin, but any. Any relation book and find out more. Any relate. Any relationships can help us. Well, my book talks about exactly what I do with my clients. We talk about. I could talk about faith with them. If they’re not faith. If they’re. If they’re, you know, if they’re atheists, whatever. I accept everybody for what they are and give them the opportunity to climb out of their, you know, climb out of their despair, their valley despair and move forward. Was. I did I start this from day one? I did, but it was a. It was a learning process. And guess what? I’m still learning, Richard. I’m still. I still change stuff because all of a sudden I’ll have to analyze why what I said during that conversation. I watched the body language change and I asked the person if everything was okay, but they said it was fine. But there was something that was said. Should I address it again? Should I reach out to him and say, hey, is there something that else I can help you with? You looked really disturbed. If I said anything incorrectly, I’m really sorry. Let’s talk. Right? And I’ll get messages back. No, it wasn’t you. It just had something we talked about. Just hit hard and. Oh, yeah, you said this and it kind of irritated. Oh, I’m sorry. I apologize. You know, thank you for letting me know now. I can make that better in the future. Right. Making yourself vulnerable in any form of business is tough for people. But guess what? People need and want you to be the real genuine person that gives, you know, more than they, you know, they want to know how much you care. They don’t care how much you know is what I tell them. You know, I care about you.
[00:43:39 – 00:43:40]
Yeah.
[00:43:40 – 00:43:45]
So sorry. Get off my soapbox. This isn’t about me. But I like what. I like when people ask me questions, too.
[00:43:45 – 00:45:56]
I like that I attribute Gearhart Law’s success to that level of authenticity and, you know, caring about clients. And I think that’s really, really important. And, you know, also about our team, caring about our team on a. On a human level and personal level, I think that makes, you know, all the difference. And I think people are hungry for environments where they can spend time, you know, around people who are. Who have the capacity to hold the space for them, because it’s not. It’s not so typical. Right. And I think if you can offer that in any business that you’re in at some level, in some way, I think that that is, means that your chances of success are higher because, you know, you buy a widget, but you also buy the brand and you buy what you feel like it can do for you. And then you buy the customer service. If it turns out it doesn’t work right, or you don’t know how to use it, you have support there. And part of building a business is. Is delivering all of that in an effective way that’s, you know, profitable for the business but also, you know, beneficial for the. For the people you’re serving. So. So yeah, I think that, you know, but I think that, you know, digging a little deeper and finding out a little bit more about, you know, in my case, my, you know, some clients is probably, I think, makes a lot of sense and it. It builds loyalty and connection and communication so that you can do a better job. You know, if you have better communication, then you can. You can give better support. So.
[00:45:57 – 00:46:12]
Absolutely, 100%. So I’m going to skip over a few things here because we don’t have a lot of time left. I have so many things to ask you. I already warned you that this could happen. We might not get everything through. That’s okay. The joy of this show is I can have you on for part two.
[00:46:13 – 00:46:13]
Right.
[00:46:13 – 00:47:04]
And I’ve done it. I’ve done it with a lot of people. Already had them on a second time. Oh, yeah, I get. You’d be surprised at a 260 episodes how many people reach out to me and I reach out to them. We become friends. Right? We have. It’s just. It’s. It’s phenomenal. I love. Yeah, I love my podcast for connection networking. That’s the. That’s. That’s the. You talked about profit in podcasting. I don’t make money off it because my profit is through the connections, the networking, and then I make profit or whatever after the fact. And sometimes for me, the emotional and mental connection is the profit that I needed. Right. Because that person can correct. They can be my co pilot because I’m stuck somewhere and they got a specialty and they’ll ask me questions. It’s just. Anyway I could. I’ll get off my soapbox. It excites me having you on as a guest. Right.
[00:47:04 – 00:47:06]
It’s just excited to be here. So.
[00:47:06 – 00:47:24]
So can we talk a little bit about, you know, the basics? This is going to go to the legal part. Legal wisdom for entrepreneurs. Can you explain that? I know the differences, but many people don’t. What’s the differences between a patent, a trademark, and a copyright? And why should entrepreneurs listening care?
[00:47:25 – 00:56:36]
Well, for some, I mean, I think every entrepreneur should just be aware of the different types of intellectual property and, you know, see if there’s parts that could be applicable to their business. So the three types of intellectual property we talk about most often are patents, trademarks, and copyrights. Like you mentioned, patents protect inventions, products, ideas. They, it can be processes, it could be a software program, it could be any kind of, you know, technology. And so, you know, medicines, exercise equipment, really anything under the sun that’s created by a human could potentially be patented if it’s, if it’s new and novel and it meets the other requirements, you know, you know, as set forth by the, by the patent office. Right. And there’s a patent office in Canada where you’re at. There’s another one in the United States. They’re really not that different. They look at the same kinds of things. We file patents in first in the US and then we’ll file that same patent through a Canadian attorney in Canada. And they, we don’t have to change the documents because all of that is pretty much standardized internationally. But in any case, patents protect inventions and technology. Trademarks protect brand names and product names. So Coca Cola in the US Is the famous trademark, of course, and it protects the name of the company, the Coca Cola Bottling company, but it also protects the name of their brand product. And what that means is that somebody can go to the store and they can look at a bottle of Coca Cola and they know what it’s going to taste like and they know where it’s from. And so that Coca Cola Company has a certain reputation for quality, whether it’s good or bad or whether you like it or you don’t. But having a trademark is, means that it’s a source identifier. And people, people can rely on the fact that when they buy something, they, that they, they know what company it’s coming from, and that’s really the purpose of the trademark. And you can trademark a lot of different things and people don’t appreciate knowing. Most people think of it as just words or a, a logo. You can trademark logos, but you can also trademark smells. There are perfumes that are trademarked. You, under the right circumstances, you can trademark colors. So for example, I didn’t know that, for example, in the U.S. owens Corning, which is a construction company that made insulation for buildings for years, sold pink insulation, and they had all of these advertisements with the Pink Panther. They were able to get a trademark on the color pink that they use for their Advertising because for their product. Because so many people associated the pink color with the Owens Corning name that they were able to get a trademark on it. And there’s a big, you know, heavy equipment company in the U. S called John Deere and they, they make all their tractors bright green and yellow. And so they got trademarks on the bright green and yellow colors. And so if somebody sells a tractor with that bright green and yellow, they could be infringing the John Deere trademark. You can also trademark jingles. Like for example, in the US we have the NBC jingle. It goes bum, bum, bum. Right? That’s trademarked also. You know, I think it’s Metro. Golden Mayor has the lion that roars at the beginning of the movies. That, that’s also trademark. You can trademark the way a store looks. Apple has trademarks on the, the way that there’s the layout and the color scheme and the materials. And that’s called trade dress. You can, you can, you can, you can trademark those things. So most of the trademarks are names and logos, but you can also trademark other stuff too. And then the last, the last category of IP that we’re going to talk about are copyrights. And they protect original works of expression. So movies, books, music, architecture, dance moves, all of those can be, you know, protected with a copyright. And copyright does not protect the concept. You can, you know, you cannot copyright the idea of a love story because it’s been done, but you can copyright the words that are used to talk about the, the love story. So you can, you could copyright the, what the writer writes. And so if somebody copies that text and uses it somewhere else, they could be guilty of copyright infringement. So those are the three areas of intellectual property for entrepreneurs. You want to make sure that you protect what can be protected. Copyrights arise out of, as a matter of law, you don’t have to do anything. You do get copyright protection. So if somebody takes your something off your website and puts it on social media without your permission, you know, you can, you can have them take it down. Trademarks, I think for entrepreneurs are probably the most important thing. You want to make sure that when you’re starting a business, you don’t take somebody else’s name. Right? And so you want to do a trademark search before you invest heavily in a business name or product name to make sure that somebody else doesn’t already have a trademark on that. Trademark searches aren’t super expensive. Usually they’re less than $1,000. And before you go to the trouble of starting a business and investing in advertising and brochures and packaging and websites, you want to make sure that, you know, not only can you get the URL that’s important, you know, the domain name, but you also want to make sure that somebody else doesn’t already have trademark rights in that name. Because what will happen? I’ll tell you a story I had a long time ago. I had a client who came to me after he purchased the business and, and he spent three or four million dollars on the business. And the previous owner was old school. He never had a website. So as soon as the guy bought the business, he put the, he put together a website and he started advertising it. And within a couple of weeks, he got a cease and desist letter from somebody in Maryland who had exactly the same name for the business, and it was the same kind of business. And he had a federal trademark registration on and sent him a cease and desist letter. And he said, I don’t want you to use my name. Well, this was devastating to the guy’s business because, you know, the previous owner had built the business based on all the goodwill that he had generated over the years. And everybody knew his store by this name. And now he was going to have to change it because somebody else had a trademark and the other owner never knew about it. The guy in Maryland never knew about it because he didn’t. The, the original owner didn’t have a website. Right. And so what happens in these situations is that you become successful or you start doing something and, you know, somebody’s customer, somebody else’s customer calls you and they think they’re calling somebody in California and they have a trademark and they, they call the owner of the, the other store and they say, you know, that guy is, there’s a guy in New Jersey who’s, you know, selling the same stuff and he’s got the same name as you do. And then the guy with the trademark says, well, we can’t have that. I’m losing business. And they go and they contact the person and send them a cease and desist letter and you get into litigation, right. Or you have to change your name. So if the person starting the business just checks before they, you start using the name and make sure that there aren’t going to be any issues, you can avoid all of that trouble. So for 700, you know, for less than a thousand dollars, you can get a trademark search and you don’t have to worry about it again. Right? So I think for entrepreneurs, that’s the biggest message that I can make is when you’re selecting your business name. Make sure you’re not going to run into any problems or be willing to change it if a problem does come up. But who wants to do that, right?
[00:56:36 – 00:58:13]
So nobody. That’s why I went through everything you talked about. My, my logo name or trademarked. It took three years though because my last name is considered slang and slander or like not slander but you know, people use it as swear word. So and, and I applied for it in 2020. So that was the pandemic years. I never got official paperwork work for three years because I had my, my intellectual, my lawyer here, he’s been a friend of mine since the 80s. He does trademark stuff in Canada. He specializes in it plus he does some corporate law stuff and we went through all this stuff. I had the website URL already. I had, I’d gone through all this stuff. He says, you did all that already? I said, yeah, now. He says, what’s your logo? So my logo is trademarked and underneath it says how to live life on purpose, not by accident. It says give a heck. I live life on purpose, not by accident. And then my logo. So they, they trade. It took three years to get that trademarked. But that’s mine. The Name’s mine. The logos 9 in Canada. I haven’t done it yet in the US because I don’t do a lot of business. I’ll speak down in the US I’ll get invited to do different things. I time I get people wanting around the world that want to utilize my services and I’ll coach them because everything I do for people here, I do for people outside of Canada. I just can’t help with the final end result of the products and services that involve with their. But sometimes the most important thing they needed was that back to that origin and holistic coaching. Right. So I do, I do appreciate you talking about the trademark and it makes me smile because I’ve done it as an entrepreneur. Right.
[00:58:14 – 00:59:31]
Well, you made a right, you made a right choice and it’s, it’s, you know, it’s money well spent. You know, the other, the other part of it and people don’t appreciate it. It’s not just a matter of litigation and finding it out in court. If you have a trademark, Dwight and somebody else wants just independently decides that they’re, they want to use your name, they go to their trademark lawyer and their trademark lawyer does a search and he says, I’m sorry, you can’t use that name. You know, Dwight’s already got it. And the Guy says, oh, darn, well, I guess I’ll have to think of something else. And so even though you never went to court to fight over it or send anybody a nasty letter, just having it registered prevents other people from also using that name. Right? And so that’s where the protection really comes in. You will never know if that, you’ll never know. A person came, came and asked that attorney for that search and searched your name. You’ll never know it. But I know it because I do these searches all the time and I find names. You know, my clients want to use a name and it’s already taken and I have to tell them, no, you have to change your name.
[00:59:32 – 00:59:32]
Right.
[00:59:32 – 00:59:54]
But the owner of that trademark never knows that we had that conversation. So it, it doesn’t just protect you if somebody blatantly steals, protects you because other people will avoid it. And there’s no way to measure that. But I can tell you, you know, we tell people to choose a different name all the time if that name is already taken.
[00:59:55 – 01:00:41]
So that’s good though, that, that, you know, this conversation is coming up. Those listening, if you have a business, please take it serious. It is something that is very serious. And I’m to going glad that, you know, Richard talked about some of the, you know, problems and issues and challenges that can come up. Do you have time for a couple more questions before we wrap up? Okay, that’d be great because. And then we won’t take too much more time. But one of the things I wanted to talk to you about in regards to, you know, empowerment through action, right. A lot of people listening have ideas but are stuck in that fear and uncertainty. What would you say, someone who is on the fence about pursuing their idea, what would you talk to them about if, when they come to you, how does your conversation start?
[01:00:43 – 01:04:18]
Oh, well, I mean, I, I go back to what I said before that I. Whatever you do, I mean, ultimately you have to choose what you want to do, but don’t worry so much about the results. Obviously, if you’re investing in a new business, it’s a big time commitment. But think of it in terms of education and you know, it may work out. I mean, I left a corporate job, my wife suggested that I start my own practice. And it turned out to be the best, you know, professional decision I ever made in my life. But it may not work work out. And so, you know, you have to be ready for that. You know, I think where people sort of get challenged is that they think it’s going to be simple and, you know, people will come and say, I’ve got this million dollar idea. And I’ll say, well, it’s a great idea, but there’s a lot more to it than that, you know, and you need to, you need to educate yourself about the entrepreneurial process. And if you’re not an experienced entrepreneur, I think it helps to be open to receiving coaching from other people who have been down this road. And so one of the things that we try to do is if, like, say there’s somebody who has an invention in the fitness industry, we’ll try to find a client who, who also has an invention in the fitness industry and can talk with them about, well, what is it like to, to, to build a business in the fitness industry? What are the things that you have to do and what are the commitments like? And it helps if you, you, you have a lot of commitment to the process, you know, passionate about your idea and, you know, willing to stick with it long enough to see it, you know, work out. And then there’s another part of it too, which is having the financial means to pursue it. Right. I’ve had people come to me and they say, well, I’ve got $10,000 left in my retirement savings account and I want to put it into this business. And I say, well, are you really sure you want to do that? Because, you know, that’s, you know, I mean, I appreciate you’re, you’re an adult and you get to make the decisions that you want to make, but you may need more money than that, right. And you may need, and, you know, are you willing to risk, you know, so much of your future, you know, on this project? So, you know, those are all considerations. But at the end of the day, I really feel it. Everybody’s an adult. And I, I don’t try, you know, I tell people I can’t predict whether your idea is going to be successful. I, I walk into a Walmart or a department store and a lot of the stuff that they have there I would never buy. Not that there’s anything wrong with it, but it’s just, it’s not my taste or I don’t need it, but somebody’s buying it, right? So otherwise it wouldn’t be in the store. They’d get rid of it. Right. They don’t keep stuff around that doesn’t sell. So, you know, one person’s opinion on a product is not going to make or break your, you know, whether or not you can be successful.
[01:04:18 – 01:04:45]
It’s back to that education. And that was the I said it’s back to that word education that you mentioned and that’s what I want everybody to hear. It even trails back to knowing whether or not you can have the URL, whether or not you can trademark what, you know what I mean? Education put some effort in people. You had that, you have that passionate drive to even want to do it. Don’t stop there. Get somebody to help you. Like Richard, right?
[01:04:46 – 01:05:36]
Yeah. I mean I, when I started I, there was a school I went to action business coaching. They’re not around anymore but they had this basic, you know, eight week program and you know, we, one was they’re talking about marketing and then week two they’re talking about financing and then week three they’re talking about sales and week four they’re talking about hr. And I learned a lot. Even though I had, I’d been an attorney for 15 years before that and I’d worked in a big corporation, there was a lot of stuff that I just needed to know about running a business. You know the basics about running a business and it, and it, and it helped a lot. And so I think, you know, just what you said, Dwight, education, it makes all the difference.
[01:05:36 – 01:06:42]
Oh it does, it does, it works, it works with starting the business. And then when you are helping people, educating them, they’re educating you. By sharing for me their origin and their difficulties, they’re educating me so that I can educate them. Education is a, is a two way street. It works. Right. It creates a very solid relationship in my opinion to understand and educate myself about them. They educate themselves about me. And then if they’re looking at a business and it’s a client that I’m sitting down with because I’ve had lots of them, then they’re educating me about their idea and I’m educating them about the things that they have to think about from the URL to trademarks to, you know, doing some research on whether or not, you know, maybe going out. For us, for you it’s zip codes for us postal codes. You can do research, search. There’s lots of companies that you can get data and say here’s my XYZ widget and here’s what it’s going to do. What are the people’s income around this area and what are the, what are your chances that they have this XYZ widget need? Right. So education. Yeah, I love it. That’s great.
[01:06:42 – 01:06:42]
Absolutely.
[01:06:43 – 01:06:45]
Makes me excited to just talk about it.
[01:06:46 – 01:07:33]
Yeah. And I think if you’re selling a product or a service that’s new Or a little different. You know, you need to get some feedback from, you know, some objective feedback about it from, you know, you can ask your friends, but your friends are going to be nice and your family probably is. They’re either going to be very discouraging or they’re going to tell you it’s great. I bet you need, I think you need some, you know, effective feedback and you need to be ready to change course. If what you’re selling isn’t working, then, you know, you may need to, you may need to take another approach and so, you know, you don’t get stuck too stuck on what you’re, you’re doing. You may need to pivot, so.
[01:07:34 – 01:08:20]
Exactly. But at the end of the day, it’s better to know than always wonder. You don’t want to be that person. And I don’t care what age you are, you can become an entrepreneur. I’ve people in their 60s, I’ve had people talk to me in their 70s. At the end of the day, don’t die with your music inside. The music of what you can apply, not necessarily listening music, but you don’t want to be that person going, oh, I regret taking that. You don’t want to be on your deathbed, last breath one, Geez, why don’t I just take a shot, right? Why didn’t I just look out for some mentorship, some coaching, somebody that can not be, that can be impartial initially and then can grow into a relationship with me and, and tell me those tough truths because they care about me.
[01:08:21 – 01:09:08]
Yeah, I think, you know, that’s, that’s amazing advice and I feel the same way is that if you, if you have the urge to, to go out and I mean, a lot of people find their, express themselves through their work. I mean, I certainly, certainly do. So that’s part of how I express myself as a person is what, what do I create in the workplace, you know, as part of our society? And, and, and so if you have an urge to do something like that, it would be a shame if you never, if you never tried it. Right. Because I do think they, they say at the end that, that, that you regret that the things that you didn’t do more than the things that you did. And fortunately, I’m not at that point yet.
[01:09:08 – 01:09:13]
Thank, thank goodness. Thank goodness. I don’t want us, I don’t want this to be the last time somebody.
[01:09:13 – 01:09:27]
Talks to you, but I mean, it is, you know, I, it’s something to think about, you know, and if it is important to you then it, I think it’s, you know, it’s, it’s, you owe it to yourself. So.
[01:09:28 – 01:09:30]
To give a heck. Absolutely.
[01:09:30 – 01:09:31]
Yeah.
[01:09:31 – 01:10:03]
So, Richard, this is going to be our final guest question because I’m going to have to have you on. There were so many other things that I’m intrigued to ask you. So we’ll have to plan something in the next short while, the next, you know, maybe 60, 90 days and get you back on and just have a continuing conversation if you’re interested. And so, Richard, if you had to give our. Leave, our listeners, part of me with one mass, one last message, something that proves it is always worth to give a heck about your life and never give up. What would that be?
[01:10:06 – 01:11:01]
I would say just never give up. I mean, it’s, I would say that I can’t say how many times I thought things weren’t going to work out, but I kept going and it turned out that they did. And I think, you know, persistence and tenacity count for so much. And so if you can, if you can hang in there and sometimes you need support, but if you can hang in there, just hang in there and, and keep going. So I think that, that more than anything else has defined my path in life is just a willingness to not give up and to never give up.
[01:11:02 – 01:12:06]
That’s awesome. And I like that one word, willing. I always tell people that sit with me, you know, I can do all the wondrous works with, with, with your numbers or your, you’re planning from, from living today to dying and dying with dignity. But what I can’t do is make you the willing. Are you the willing? Are you wanting to get help? And I’ve had, and I say it that way, I say it kind like if you’re not in the right headspace right now because you’re going through something traumatic, you’ve lost somebody to a, in a trauma, you know, they passed away or you’ve got divorced and stuff. Let’s sit in this, let’s, let’s sit in your emotions and in your feelings. Let’s work through this so that you can become the willing to escape where you’re currently at. I’d hate to take advantage of you. Right. And it’s so easy to do that as a professional. Right. So I appreciate that that willing thing is so important. So where’s the best way people can reach you? And of course, I’ll make sure this is in our show.
[01:12:06 – 01:12:06]
Notes.
[01:12:07 – 01:12:08]
Notes, sure.
[01:12:08 – 01:12:43]
Well, if you’re interested in intellectual property, you can reach out to us@gerhartlaw.com that’s spelled G-E a R H a R T L a W dot com. Or you can reach out to me on LinkedIn. Love to hear from you there. It’s just Richard Gearhart, Esquire. And of course, there’s the Passage to Profit radio show. You can catch us on stations and across the country. Go to our website to find one near you. Or you can catch our podcast too. It’s the Passage to Profit show with Richard and Elizabeth Gerhardt.
[01:12:43 – 01:13:31]
Yeah, and the website’s the same. I’ve got it written down here. Passage to profitshow.com. right. So I will make sure that’s all in the show show notes. If anything that you’ve listened to people watching or listening has intrigued you, do yourself a favor, go to giveaheck.com, go to the top hit podcast. You’ll see a picture of Richard. You’ll see a breakdown of the podcast, all the links. You will see again the chapter summaries in case there’s something you don’t want to have to navigate through the whole show and you just want to go to a specific topic we discuss. It’s all there for your convenience. And do yourself that favor, go check it out. Anything you’d like to say to wrap up the show before I wrap up the show? Sure.
[01:13:31 – 01:13:56]
I mean, Dwight, it’s been an absolute pleasure. Thank you so much to you and your audience. I’ve enjoyed this tremendously and I’ve learned a lot. I’m going to be maybe asking a few personal questions, you know, for some of my, my clients now going forward and looking ways to, you know, to connect with them on a, on a different level. So thank you for that.
[01:13:56 – 01:15:25]
You’re welcome. So thank you again. So whether you’re just starting out or scaling your business, Richard’s platforms are packed with resources to help you protect your vision and move forward with confidence. But before we close, remember, your ideas are valid, your instincts are powerful, your journey is worth, worth protecting. Whether you’re just starting out or scaling something big. Give a heck. Give it boldly. Because when you honor your creativity and protect your vision, you are not just building a business, you are building a legacy. This has been Richard Gerhardt, a voice of clarity, a defender of innovation, and a trusted guide for anyone ready to return inspiration, inspiration into impact. If this conversation moved you, share it with somebody who is sitting on a great idea. Let them know it’s never too late to start and it’s always worth protecting what you build. Subscribe to the podcast and hit subscribe on YouTube as well. Leave a reviewer rating in your favorite app like comment share on social media. Every review and share helps amplify pardon me voices like Radio Richards and reminds others that their ideas are worth fighting for. Until next time, keep giving a heck about your life. And remember, no matter what stage you are in life, it’s never too late to give a heck.