Why IP Matters for Everyone: How to Turn Your Ideas Into Income and Protection

Intellectual property (IP) isn’t just a legal formality in today’s fast-paced, AI-driven, and idea-hungry world — it’s your livelihood, your leverage, and your potential legacy. If you think IP is only for large corporations like Apple or Tesla, think again. Whether they know it or not, individuals and entrepreneurs are IP companies, according to bestselling author and Instant IP™ founder Kary Oberbrunner.

That said, here’s why protecting your IP is more important than ever before — and how it’s never been easier or more affordable.

You Don’t Protect IP When You’re Big—You Become Big by Protecting Your IP

There is a common misconception among entrepreneurs that they will worry about trademarks, copyrights, and patents “once they make it big.” Yet as Kary points out, big brands like Tiffany, Play-Doh, and John Deere became industry titans by protecting their IP early.

• Play-Doh trademarked its scent.
• Tiffany trademarked its signature blue boxes.
• John Deere trademarked its green color.

It’s simple: you grow by protecting what you have, not the other way around.

Your Most Valuable Asset Might Be Unprotected

Your IP is anything that you have created and is unique, including blog posts, podcasts, courses, logos, processes, negotiation styles, and even scents. Without protection, someone else could take advantage of it.

Kary shares a compelling story: A business owner developed a technology for keeping babies safe around fireplaces, but didn’t want to protect it. Someone then asked, “What if your competitor patents it first and locks you out? ” It suddenly occurred to him that he may not be in business for six months.

In other words, protecting IP isn’t about selfishness; it’s about survival.

Why IP Is the New Currency of Business

When the S&P 500 was created in 1975, tangible assets such as buildings and equipment represented 83% of its value. By 2020, IP will account for over 90% of the company’s value. As part of today’s knowledge economy, your brand, systems, and creative work are your most valuable assets.

This is something even Taylor Swift understands. From song lyrics to her cats, she has over 300 trademarks. She’s more than just an artist; she’s an IP empire. If you’re creating content or developing ideas, you have similar potential.

How to Protect IP (Faster and Cheaper Than You Think)

Patents, trademarks, and copyrights are traditional ways of protecting IP. However, they can be slow and expensive to establish and maintain. It may cost $30,000 to file one patent and take 1–3 years, with an initial rejection rate of 86%.

It’s here that blockchain comes in.

Kary’s company, Instant IP, allows creators to upload their work (logos, courses, videos, processes, etc.) within 24 seconds. In any IP dispute, this creates a time-stamped, tamper-proof document proving your invention was first.

It’s also affordable. It only costs $97 for one smart contract, and it gets even cheaper when you order in bulk.

Blockchain as the Digital Fence Around Your Property

According to Kary, IP protection is like a fence. It’s possible for anyone to take your laptop if you leave it on the front lawn without a fence. When you add a fence, a camera, and a guard dog, thieves think twice.

The blockchain operates in a similar manner. It’s a public digital ledger that can’t be altered by anyone, not even the owner. By placing your idea on the blockchain, you create a digital fence around it. You’ve proven you were there first. By securing your work, you have made it less likely that others will steal it or accidentally copy it.

For trade secrets, Instant IP even offers the option to keep certain entries private.

Publish. Protect. Promote.

Kary’s core framework is simple yet powerful:

• Publish your ideas.
• Protect them via blockchain or traditional methods.
• Promote them confidently, knowing they’re secured.

The majority of people skip step two and pay a high price when their ideas are stolen, duplicated, or commercialized.

From Book to Business: The 18 Streams of Income

Kary challenges the outdated notion that a book is merely a business card. He says business cards are thrown away. Books, however, change lives.

In addition, books, and any form of original content, can become a full-fledged business. With just one idea, you can generate 18 different income streams, such as:

• E-books
• Audiobooks
• Hardcover and softcover editions
• Courses
• Membership communities
• Keynote speeches
• Licensing
• Apps
• Smart contracts
• Masterminds
• Affiliate partnerships
• Live events
• Consulting frameworks
• Merchandising
• Theme experiences
• Software tools
• Subscriptions
• Sponsored content

IP is the root of each stream. It must be protected, though.

What to Do Now

Start with awareness. Because most people don’t realize they have IP, they don’t protect it. Kary refers to these hidden masterpieces as “Rembrandts in the attic.” These hidden treasures can significantly increase your business’s value-but only if you can identify, protect, and utilize them.

Final Thought: You Are an IP Company

The brand you build is not the only thing that defines you, whether you are a coach, a founder, an artist, or an investor. You’re an IP company. As speed, creativity, and proof of ownership become more important, protecting your ideas is a necessity.

Key Takeaways

• • IP is your new currency. Today, more than 90% of a company’s value comes from intangible assets, such as trademarks and copyrights.
  • Protection drives growth. You don’t have to wait until you’re big to protect your ideas. Since Tiffany and John Deere protected their unique IP from the beginning, they became industry leaders.
  • Your ideas are IP. Whether it’s a unique course name or a phrase you coined, everything you do is intellectual property. It has value if it’s original and you created it.
  • Survival, not selfishness. IP protection isn’t about being greedy; it’s about surviving as a business. If someone patents or trademarks your idea before you, then you are shut out of the market.
  • Blockchain is a modern solution. It can be expensive and slow to protect IP using traditional methods. By using new technologies, such as blockchain, you can quickly create a tamper-proof, time-stamped record that proves your claim to originality.
  • The “Publish. Protect. Promote.” framework. Before promoting your ideas, make sure they are secure. With this simple framework, you can leverage your IP confidently without worrying about it being stolen or duplicated.
  • Your content is a business. One piece of content, such as a book, can generate dozens of revenue streams. To unlock their full potential, each is a form of IP that needs to be identified and protected

Featured Image Credit: Pixabay; Pexels: Thank you!