From Big Law to Big Impact

[02:15]

Erin started her career in corporate law, helping large companies close deals and scale operations. But something shifted when she began to reflect on wealth distribution. “I wanted to see what I could do to get wealth in the hands of more people,” she said. Her answer? Helping women-owned businesses protect and monetize their intellectual capital.

“I realized I had the skills contracts, IP, and deal-making. So I started working with women founders of expertise-based businesses to help them scale smarter, not just work harder.”

What Is Intellectual Property—and Do You Have It?

[03:40]

If you’ve ever asked: Is what I do protectable?—the answer might surprise you.

Erin explains that anything you create—frameworks, training content, strategic processes, recorded conversations—can be protected under U.S. copyright law, as long as it’s captured in a tangible format (like a PDF, video, or recording).

💡 Quick Tip: Ideas alone aren’t protectable. But the expression of those ideas—what you’ve written, recorded, or produced—is.

The Power of Copyright in Your Business

[05:00]

Copyright protects your expression—the unique way you bring your ideas to life.

Erin shares, “The moment you write it down, speak it into a mic, or publish it, it becomes eligible for copyright protection.” That means your workbook, your podcast episode, your webinar slides—they’re all forms of IP.This makes documenting your process not just smart—but strategic.

The Mistakes Women Entrepreneurs Make With IP

[06:15]

Erin points out a common issue: entrepreneurs don’t realize they’ve given away their IP—until it’s too late.

Maybe you signed a client agreement without reading the IP clause. Or maybe you built a training program for a corporate client, only to find out later that they now own the content.

"If you’re not proactively protecting your IP, someone else might already be claiming it,” Erin warns.

How Contracts Can Quietly Undermine Your IP

[08:00]

Contracts aren’t just formalities—they determine ownership.

Erin shares horror stories of entrepreneurs who created original deliverables, only to unknowingly give full ownership to their clients. “Many corporate contracts include default language that says the client owns everything you produce,” she explains.

Her advice?

✅ Review the IP clause.

✅ Specify what the client is licensing, not owning.

✅ Limit use to specific purposes, timeframes, or teams.

Licensing vs. Ownership: What You Need to Know

[10:00]

You don’t always need to give it away—you can license it instead.

"Licensing gives your client the ability to use your material, but you still own it,” Erin says. This is how creators scale: by allowing clients access to your frameworks without transferring full ownership.

She encourages entrepreneurs to think about the long-term value of their IP—especially if it’s something you could later turn into a book, course, or membership.

How to Build a Protectable Framework

[13:00]

Don’t have a formal framework yet? That’s okay—you’re probably building one already.

“Your process becomes a framework once you start seeing patterns,” Erin says. As you serve more clients, you’ll start to notice common steps, tools, and phases in your work. That’s your IP taking shape.

And the best part? Once it’s unique and original to you, it’s protectable.

The AI Dilemma: What Happens to Your IP?

[14:30]

If you’re using tools like ChatGPT, Zoom, Canva, or Otter.ai, you need to understand how they handle your content.

"Whatever you input into an AI tool can become part of their training data,” Erin says. That means your strategy documents, frameworks, or client notes could technically be reused in future outputs by the platform.

🔐 Pro Tip: Never input confidential material into AI tools unless you’ve reviewed their terms of use.

Can You Copyright AI-Generated Content?

[17:45]

Short answer: Not really.

AI content isn’t created by a human, which means it’s not eligible for copyright protection. But if you significantly transform AI output into something original (what Erin calls “humanizing the content”), then you may be able to claim ownership of your final version.

Still—don’t use AI for your “money-making” content like full courses or books. If you want it protected, make sure it’s your work.

The First and Easiest Step to Protect Your IP

[21:00]

So where do you start? According to Erin: record it. Write it. Publish it.“When your ideas live in your head, they’re vulnerable,” she says. “But when you turn them into tangible work—like a podcast, blog, or ebook—you gain legal standing.”And don’t be afraid to share. Erin’s final reminder: “You can’t keep your greatness a secret. Visibility and protection aren’t enemies—they work together.”

Erin’s Final Advice + How to Connect

[22:30]

Erin runs monthly LinkedIn Lives and is launching a workshop to help entrepreneurs create AI usage policies tailored to their tech stacks. She also shares legal insights weekly through her newsletter at ThinkBeyondIP.com.

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