Calling myself out + a little legal news

My toxic trait, I've realized, is my impulsiveness.

I need to be busy to stay focused and on task. I need to remove distractions from my life - not just during the work day but in general so I can focus more on myself and what will benefit me, my goals, and my business.

Habit stacking, time blocking, and to-do lists help tremendously. 

However, the next challenge I face is differentiating between important and urgent.

Because time is money and we’re all time poor. This is the attention economy now, and with our attention split amongst a million platforms, clients, and projects, it can be really hard to step back, take a breath, remember I’m not performing brain surgery, and that everything will be ok.

That it's ok to take five or answer tomorrow.

My updated morning routine, as I discussed a few weeks back, has been a lifesaver, but now I want to be better about doing the hard/time consuming tasks first thing in the morning so I can enjoy my day as it unfolds and be able to log off at a reasonable hour.

Then, I can make time for myself, with friends and family, and for my hobbies (traveling, yoga, walking, reading, and more to come, I hope).

Several close friends have had to stop and remind me the last few years that it's ok to have these hobbies or “dates with myself” and that I should find something I don’t monetize, so that's the next battle.

But for now, giving myself the space and time to focus on what's actually important to me is the mountain I’m climbing… any suggestions?

LEGAL NEWS!

"Hot Girl Walk" is about to be registered as a trademark for organizing walk meetups in the US.

We all remember when this phrase became part of the zeitgeist and might recall when they sent cease and desist letters to similarly named groups across the country. I even had one of these groups reach out to me for help handling the C&D.

When a mark is registered, it means the owner of the mark is the exclusive owner, and no one else can use it, requiring competitors to rebrand, which means a lot of people might have to change their group names now. 

But here’s the good news: the owners of this particular mark had to disclaim the word “girl,” meaning they can’t claim exclusive rights to that part of the trademark. In other words, you can absolutely call an organization “NYC Girl Walks” or “Pilates Girl Walks” or another variation.

Keep in mind that they also own or are pending ownership of "HGW" and "Hot Girl Walk" in various categories, so it appears they absolutely are planning to expand and enforce their rights. Just remember the USPTO standards are same or similar and a likelihood of confusion to the consumer… so don’t go getting ideas.

Be sure to do your research before investing in branding and marketing for your brand/business. And remember, the LLC isn’t enough. Trademark law is the only way to exclusively own your name. See this IG post for more on the benefits. 

This update in an ongoing and high-visibility trademark battle is a great example of how trademark law can open up opportunities while protecting rights.

This is a great example of how trademark law can open up opportunities while protecting rights. The best trademarks are unique and creative, so keep that in mind when brainstorming for your new mark. 

If you’re navigating similar trademark questions or want to protect your brand, schedule a call with me below!

1. Beauty/Hair Faves lately - social season is in full swing in Miami so lots of glam

   1. Its a 10 blowdry line

   2. My Dyson Airwrap

   3. Full coverage CC cream

   4. Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel Pads - My skincare holy grail

   5. The best bronzer

2. Cozy earth bedding - I’m finally getting a good nights sleep

   1. Bamboo sheets and a down alternative duvet, sign me up

3. Fall fashion Faves

   1. New balance sneakers on major sale - my new everyday shoes

   2. My go to fall bag - JW Pei suede tote

4. Chocolate covered almonds - Publix makes the best (and cleanest)

5. Having my phone on DND and time limits on apps on my phone - on theme of this newsletter, its annoying to get the screen time notification but man it helps

I do make a small commission from some of these links

Thanks for reading!

Talk soon,

Kayla