The Chatter We Make

It was the kind of public exposure that most entrepreneurs can only dream of. First, Emma Cohen's company, Final Straw, took off on Kickstarter, ultimately raising $1.6 million on the crowdfunding site. Then, she landed a coveted chance to present her reusable, collapsible straw on ABC's Shark Tank. Two groups of impressed Sharks made her an offer. 

That's when things started to go wrong. Very wrong.

In what has been dubbed the "ultimate boomer power move," Fox has filed a trademark application for the phrase, OK, Boomer. Their filing lays out Fox's intent to use the phrase with a reality, comedy, or game show.

Last week the New York Times published a piece titled “White Collar Quarantine” that struck me as something many in Boulder are experiencing, myself included.

It's an intriguing tale that has garnered a tremendous amount of public attention. A beloved young singer named Taylor Swift is in an epic battle to wrest control of her music back from the intriguingly named Big Machine, now owned by the famed manager, Scooter Braun. 

Inventors are fascinating people.

Every week we have these brilliant people in our offices, and one of the best parts of this job is hearing their stories. Not just about how they've created a business, but how they've innovated and solved a problem.

This fall, a jury ordered Wells Fargo to pay USAA $200 million for infringing on patents relating to mobile image capture technology. Judging by even more recent "Wells Fargo must pay a fine" news, their patent issues may be the least of their concerns, but it will not likely be the end of the story here.

A historic rule change by the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) will create a brand-new playing field for student-athletes by giving them control over the profits they generate.  

Celebrity trademark registration is big business. Just ask the Kardashian family, who between them own nearly 700 marks for everything from children’s clothing, to cosmetics, to jewelry.