Let Them Copy You

Image from Unsplash by Ave Calvar

When people copy your work, it means you inspired them to do something in your field. When I say “Let them copy you!” I don’t mean that you should not take action against those who infringe on your work — sometimes action is required.

Whether you like it or not, others copying your work makes you the leader in the field!

I have often encouraged entrepreneurs to be proud of their ideas, because the more they share, the more people potentially will follow them or be inspired to do something within the information you provide.

Over the years it has become clear to me that while many can copy your footsteps, none of them have your exact footsteps, and many times that allows opportunities for you to step in.

In several cases, organizations for whom we launched programs thought they could have done it without us. I won’t say that they couldn’t, but the difference is the how, the steps, the outcomes.

The big stuff is easy to copy. The details are where things get harder.

While some attempt to do it, the smart ones — from my experience — have asked us to reengage with them. The reason I say SMART is because they acknowledge and understand that while we make it look easy, in reality it is NOT. The reality is that is has taken us decades to get to where we are, to make things look and sound easy.

So those who chose to bring us back usually keep us for a longer time because they learned that we are leading in this space. Those who didn’t find a fit were looking for a cheap or easy or simpler solution — a quick fix. I’m not saying you can’t do a quick fix, because you can, but some things need more than that.

As you continue your entrepreneurial journey — whether you are launching a business or an organization supporting entrepreneurs, know that others will try to copy you, especially if you are really good at what you do! Take it as a compliment!

I hope that recognizing this will help you realize the power of the work that you’ve done!

BEFORE YOU GO

We see our blogs as opportunities for dialogue. Please share your thoughts as comments.

1. What can you do to protect your work legally?

2. What can you do to allow others to experience other services or work so they could be inspired to do something different?

3. What other tools have you used to stay ahead of the curve?

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Faris Alami is Founder and CEO of International Strategic Management, Inc. (ISM). He works internationally, presenting Exploring Entrepreneurship Workshops and other entrepreneurial ecosystem — related ventures.