All episodes

While technical legal knowledge remains fundamental, the piece argues that abilities like communication, empathy, and clear explanation are becoming increasingly vital for success, framing IP as a fundamentally people-centric business. Boicova-Wynants suggests that developing these skills early, understanding client needs beyond the technical, and strategically leveraging digital communication are key to building trust and demonstrating value in a competitive landscape. The discussion also touches on the psychology of IP decision-making and the role of mentorship in honing these essential capabilities.

In this second episode of the Personal Growth series, we explore why business development has become a core skill for IP professionals—and what it really means in practice. Today, success in IP requires more than legal or technical expertise. Professionals must know how to position themselves, attract the right clients, and offer services that align with strategic business goals.
This episode explains how relationship-building, clear market positioning, and client-centered innovation are shaping the new IP career path. It offers insights into how business development turns expertise into trust, visibility, and long-term opportunity—while helping you shape your independent profile or grow...

This episode highlights how the industry background significantly enhances the ability to understand clients' needs and craft effective IP strategies for patent attorney Bernd Boesherz. The episode emphasises the importance of bridging the communication gap between attorneys and businesses, moving beyond technical specifics to grasp broader strategic goals. Ultimately, it argues that contemporary patent attorneys must function as strategic partners, viewing patents as valuable business assets and embracing the ongoing digital transformation in the IP field.

The episode explains the difference between standards and frameworks, highlighting six widely adopted initiatives: CDP, SASB, TCFD, GRI, CDSB, and IIRC. It outlines difficulties such as confusion, inconsistency, implementation obstacles, and varying interpretations of materiality. It concludes by calling for greater clarity, collaboration, and coherence to improve ESG reporting and comparability.

Verganti highlights that radical innovation, or "epiphanies," come from challenging assumptions and reframing purpose, not just solving problems. He suggests that the rise of AI presents an opportunity to create new forms of expression, rather than replacing human creators. The text posits that true design is about creating meaning and advocates for inside-out innovation, driven by the innovator's vision, over traditional user-centric methods. Ultimately, Verganti stresses the need for creators, critics, and industries to reframe their thinking to navigate technological disruption and shape a meaningful future.

This episode explains what constitutes a trade secret, highlighting its differences from other IP like patents, and notes recent legal developments globally. The text further discusses the numerous management challenges associated with trade secrets, including risks from employees and collaborators, and proposes best practices such as documentation, layered protection strategies, and using metadata. Finally, it characterises trade secret management as a process that companies mature through, stressing the necessity for active management to fully leverage these assets.

This marketing approach, which evolved from the 1980s, uses push and pull techniques to target both B2B and B2C markets. While it offers benefits like price premiums and market power, it also poses risks such as dependency on OEM quality. This episode distinguish ingredient branding from co-branding and highlight the importance of material relevance, consumer visibility, and strategic labelling for success. It also dives into the concept of inverse ingredient branding where the OEM promotes the component.

Drawing upon a 2015 academic study on brand identity and a 2024 legal analysis of trademark risk using examples like Nescafé and Tate & Lyle's Golden Syrup, they explain how elements such as packaging, messaging, and logos contribute to consumer perception. This episode stress the importance of trademark clearance and retaining distinctive brand components to avoid legal issues and loss of equity. A five-step roadmap is offered, integrating identity audits, legal screening, design testing, phased rollout, and IP protection, demonstrating that successful rebranding requires coordination between marketing, design, legal, and consumer insights.

This kickoff episode of our Personal Growth series explores how intellectual property experts can use digital marketing to build visibility, credibility, and influence. In a world where professional relevance is increasingly shaped online, having a strong digital presence is no longer optional—it’s essential. You'll learn why platforms like LinkedIn matter, how to position your expertise, and what tools and techniques help IP professionals stay visible and valuable in a digital-first environment.
Whether you're just getting started or looking to refine your strategy, this episode helps you understand the mindset and methods behind effective digital marketing—tailored specifically for the IP field....

It emphasises that a robust IP portfolio, encompassing patents, trademarks, and trade secrets, acts as a competitive advantage, or "moat". The text explains how to showcase market exclusivity, brand loyalty, and innovation leadership through IP protection. Using Stripe as a case study, the author illustrates how a combination of different IP types contributes to a defensible market position and secures investment. Ultimately, the piece advises startups to strategically leverage and clearly communicate the value of their IP to potential funders.