Laws Archives - TODAY INDIA

7 Laws of Uncommon Success for Entrepreneurs

In order to be successful one must use wisdom. In order to be wise one must have or show experience, knowledge, and good judgment. Wisdom brings success. Without wisdom, the trustworthiness of an action or decision with regard to the application of experience, knowledge, and good judgment, you cannot experience success. Being successful depends on the time you use effectively. Have you ever wondered how the next person became successful? What did the person do specifically that made success come their way? I have and if you be honest so have you. Success has more to do with the state of the being who believes they can do what they choose.

I woke up early this morning because my TV was on and I hate sleeping with the TV on. However, what was on my screen captivated me. So I pulled out my note-book and pen and began to write what the man was saying on the screen. This man was Mike Murdock he is a world-renowned televangelist, and he wrote a book called The 7 laws to Uncommon Success. He began to talk about success and explain that success is governed by laws. Implementing this system of rules governs whether you will experience uncommon success or not.

Let me reiterate here that we are speaking about an unusual kind of success. These laws govern those who are courageous and will go above and beyond. Those who are willing to take the initiative themselves work hard and achieve greatness are the people who experience uncommon success. I want to share how we all can experience uncommon success as entrepreneurs, using these 7 laws of uncommon success.

1. The Law of Difference- Our differences brings our value and our value brings our reward.

All though we are all humans and basically the same there is something different about each and every one of us. We were all created to do something that the other person is unable or willing to do. IF you do not know your distinct differences, you will never know what value you bring to others. As an entrepreneur align your business idea with your passions. Your passions are those strong and barely controllable emotions that you have about subject matters, people, places, or things. You can find your passion in your pain, information, desires, and those you honor.

2. The Law of the Mind- Every battle in life begins as a mind battle.

You should always protect what goes into your mind. It is important to guard your mind because it is the breeding ground for everything you do. It either solves problems or creates problems for your future. In order for entrepreneurs to be successful they must be willing to invest in their mind. Fill it with knowledge by preparing it as an environment for learning. Your mind needs a goal or focus, pictures, conversation and meditation. Your mouth should tell your mind what to think about. It is the place where you can create and produce faith in your ability to be confident in your dreams and visions. The mind is a muscle that moves your imagination into reality. Your mind should inspire you into action.

3. The Law of Recognition- What you fail to recognize will exit your life.

There is always a life lesson to be learned. Every moment is a learning moment. Often times we can fail to see what has always been right there in front of us the entire time. Something we don’t know about that can be harmful to our future is near us. As entrepreneurs, we must ask ourselves what God is hiding in someone or something that I can’t see. If you don’t believe in God then you can start right there. Recognize that God is and he will always be!

As entrepreneurs we can take on more than we should too soon and then when it doesn’t work out we will consider it as not profitable or a scam, when many times it is as simple as doing too much too soon. We should focus on the one idea before moving to the next. Too many things going on at one time can be a distraction and distract you from recognizing the next step that could change your financial future.

4. The Law of Two- Two is necessary for multiplication.

Two is always better than one. Relationships with others matter. We all need each other. Yes! Sure you are great alone but you need others. The book of Ecclesiastes, which is a book filled with wisdom, states “Two are better than one… the threefold cord is not easily broken,” (Eccl 4:9, 12). When God wants to bless you he brings a person into your life.

Entrepreneurs must recognize who those people are. In order to experience financial freedom you will need to depend on others to buy your products and/or services. Your willingness to strengthen your relationship with your target audience or customer depends on your ability to become financially independent.

5. The Law of Place- Your geographical location matters.

Your assignment or purpose in life is always to a person or group of people. When you are where you are destined to be no one can compete with you. Never stay where God has not assigned you. You will not be honored for your differences if you are in the wrong place. As entrepreneurs we must know that our money is in the place of the problem God has given you to solve for others. Remember that money is anywhere God wants you to be.

6. The Law of Honor- Your future is determined by who you have chosen to honor.

Honor is your ability to highly esteem someone by recognizing their difference. Honor is the seed for access into any environment on earth. Adaptation is the proof of honor. It takes humility to honor another person for their differences. Honor is something that people should be taught who they should honor. Humbleness is a modest or low view of one’s own importance. What is important to know about honor is it is a choice.

Entrepreneurs can shorten their learning curve by learning from the best. This can be done by studying an individual, reading a book, doing online research, or connecting with someone you chose to celebrate their distinctive differences instead of weaknesses. Honor will decide who accepts you, desires you, and rewards you. Honor qualifies for a different kind of relationship one that is closer, growing and long-term.

If you succeed in life it can be tracked to those you chose to honor. If you fail, it can be tracked to those who you chose not to honor. Above all you must honor the God of the universe to be successful at anything. All blessings come through the chain of authority.

7. The Law of Seed- Give and it shall be given back to you.

Seeds are anything that has value. When you sow a seed rather it is words, honor, mercy, money, love, kindness, gratitude etc… Your seed must be wrapped in expectation. You must have a motive for why you are doing something. For entrepreneurs this law simply means something you have given will create for you the harvest you dreamed of having.

Remember that the seeds you sow can contain life or death. What you make happen for someone else God can make it happen for you. The future of your seed is hidden in you daily routine. Successful men do daily, what unsuccessful men do occasionally.

These 7 laws are guaranteed to create uncommon success in your life as an entrepreneur. It is important that we maximize the time given to us to solve other people problems and become the beacon of light in another person life or situation by providing the proper products and/or services. The ingredients for success are: creativity births your future, structure sustains your future, and habits create your future.

Be Inspired and Be Successful

The Online Entrepreneur

Farm Safety – Workers Compensation Laws

Workers compensation laws are designed to provide some degree of financial protection or help, in the event that any employee of a business and injured at work, no matter whose fault the injury or fatality may be.

These laws were introduced over time, as part of measures to help protect workers against employers, who often did not give them the protection they needed in terms of workplace health and safety.

Nowadays, most employers are more responsible, and not only comply with these laws willingly, but it is both a moral and ethical responsibility to look after the people they employ.

The nature of workers compensation laws, how much someone is entitled to, what the definitions of injury and fault are, and other considerations will vary from state to state, and country to country, but there are a number of basic principles that will underpin all these types of legislation.

These laws are particular relevance to all types of agriculture and farming businesses, given that there are significant risks the normal day-to-day work, some of which can be quantified and dealt with, other risks that are inherent in the nature of the work itself.

Workers compensation rules are designed to provide compensation to an employee or their family, and that employee becomes unable to perform the duties due to an injury or accident sustained during the course of employment.

There may be certain conditions as to how long an employee has to have been with a company or business before such policies come into effect, but even these will normally be fairly minimal, quite often round 30 days or so

Normally both an employer, and the employee, will make the contribution into the workers compensation fund that will be set up by a local authority. This is a contribution, akin to an insurance premium, and although not technically an insurance policy, workers compensation normally acts in a similar manner.

The main element of these laws is essentially to provide no-fault financial compensation to alleviate significant distress at the time of injury or accident.

There as will normally be some conditions implicit in any claim, again similar to an insurance policy.

These conditions will normally apply to the length of time within which a claim has to be notified, how the accident was reported or managed, and what the employee may be required to do by way of medical examination or assessment.

Payouts made through a worker’s compensation act normally done as a weekly wage, as apart from a lump sum. This in some ways is to keep the process in check, and provided ongoing compensation whilst injury or accident prevents employee working.

In the event of a fatality, then there could possibly be a lump sum payable, depending upon the terms of the scheme.

There is a normal requirement for businesses to have posters up detailing the nature of the scheme, and the fact that the scheme exists for the benefit of employees. Businesses may also have other obligations as to how to publicise the scheme, depending upon the nature of the company or the workplace.

This obligation extends itself to agriculture and farming businesses, although how the publicity and acknowledgement of the scheme works may differ depending upon local authority regulations.

The main obligation on an employee st normally to notify the employer of any injury or accident as soon as is reasonably practical. This is really relevant, even if the injury does not seem particularly serious at the time. Even a minor injury may get more serious over time, and if not immediately notified may invalidate any future claims.

All notifications should ideally be done or confirmed in writing, either by letter or e-mail, as would be the case in a normal insurance claim. This can make a significant difference if there are any problems further down the line by way of delaying or deferment of payment obligations.

There should also be an accident or incident book located in the workplace, where all accidents and incidents should be physically recorded. This is normally an obligation on the employer.

Trademarks, Service Marks and Copyrights – How The Laws Have Changed As Of October 2010

When clients engage us to create a logo for their brand, we are often asked whether they need to register the logo as a trademark or service mark. While it is not a requirement, doing so provides broad-reaching legal protection for the use of the mark in commerce.

Whether a trademark attorney should handle the registration is another common concern. Our advice is that you may attempt to do the registration yourself for a maximum filing fee of approximately $375 but the involvement of an attorney who would conduct formal searches and submit acceptable proofs of use in the registration process may prove to be a wise decision when considering the liability, inconvenience, expense and negative outcome of conflicts of rights or flawed filings.

What is a trademark?

According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), “a trademark is a word, phrase, symbol or design, or a combination of words, phrases, symbols or designs, that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods of one party from those of others.” That means that logos, taglines and slogans may be eligible for trademark registration if they meet all qualifying parameters and are approved by the registrar.

What is a service mark?

The USPTO defines a service mark as “the same as a trademark, except that it identifies and distinguishes the source of a service rather than a product.” The terms “trademark” and “mark” are used equivalently to refer to both trademarks and service marks.

What is a copyright?

The United States Library of Congress’ Copyright Office, which is the registrar for copyrights, describes a copyright as “a form of protection provided to the authors of ‘original works of authorship’ including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works, both published and unpublished.” Protecting the form of expression rather than the subject matter of the writing, a copyright would only prevent others from copying the description. It would not prevent others from writing a description of their own.

When to use the superscript symbols: TM, SM and ®

Another question we are often asked to address involves when it is appropriate to use the superscript trademark, service mark or registered trademark symbols: TM, SM and ®. The use of the first two symbols is a way to formally claim eventual intent to register either the trademark or the service mark but such registration is never a requirement. Furthermore, if use of the trademark or service mark can be adequately shown with dates of use clearly evident, the inclusion of the superscript symbols TM or SM in conjunction with such usage is not a requirement as proof of ownership. The symbol ® can only be used after formal trademark registration has been completed and approved by the United States Patent and Trademark Office and doing so without approval would be noncompliant with federal law.

When to use the Copyright Notice

To protect your “original work of authorship,” it is recommended by the Library of Congress Copyright Office that a copyright notice be placed on copies of the work “to inform the world of copyright ownership that generally consists of the symbol or word ‘copyright,’ the name of the copyright owner, and the year of first publication, e.g., © 2008 John Doe. While use of a copyright notice was once required as a condition of copyright protection, it is now optional.”

What the Copyright Protects

It is important to note that documentation from the United States Copyright Office states that “a copyright does not protect ideas, concepts, systems, or methods of doing something. You may express your ideas in writing or drawings and claim copyright in your description, but be aware that a copyright will not protect the idea itself as revealed in your written or artistic work.”

According to this office of the U.S. government, “your work is under copyright protection the moment it is created.” Such “work” now includes websites, but not domain names, which are registered and protected as such through The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a nonprofit organization responsible for domain name system management and administration through accredited registrars.

Why Register a Copyright

Copyright registration is strictly voluntary but will be required in the event that you wish to bring a lawsuit for infringement. It is helpful to have your certificate of registration a matter of public record, possibly making your work eligible for statutory damages and attorney’s fees in successful litigation. Proving copyright infringement requires skillful understanding, interpretation and defense of the frequently changing copyright laws which contain many gray areas of application and usually deter legal pursuit due to inordinate expense.

How to Register a Copyright:

If you choose to file online, registration of your copyright is $35 per work. If you file conventionally, the fee is $50 per work. You are not required to disclose your real name; pseudonyms are acceptable forms of identification. Also, it is advisable to keep in mind that your registration will become a matter of public record so you should be careful about disclosure of your private information. With more than 600,000 submissions received by the United States Copyright Office per year, the registration process can take up to six months if filed online, and up to two years or more if filed on paper. Fees are nonrefundable. You must also submit at least one nonreturnable electronic or hard copy of the work(s) you wish to register subject to an array of other requirements depending on the type of work, whether published and other variables. The length of this process should not impact your plans to publish either the copyright notice or the work itself. Only your need to file copyright infringement may be affected by the date of actual registration. For more information about this, go to http://www.copyright.gov.

How to Register a Trademark:

Before applying for trademark registration, a formal search of existing or pending trademarks is conducted in order to avoid conflict of rights. This can be done for free by the registrant or his attorney via the online federal TESS (Trademark Electronic Search System) database as well as at selected public search facilities nationwide. In the event that the trademark is defined by a unique design, it will need to be searched with the use of a design code available within the government’s Design Search Code Manual. If a possible conflict is detected, it can be checked further by searching the federal TARR (Trademark Applications and Registrations Retrieval) database. In order to conduct this type of search, you will need the serial number or registration number of the conflicting mark.

If no conflict is revealed, the next step is to prepare a “drawing” of the mark you intend to register. There are two formats possible for mark registration: (1) standard character format; or (2) stylized/design format. The USPTO describes the first as a mark that includes “word(s), letter(s), number(s) or any combination thereof, without claim to any particular font style, size, or color, and absent any design element. Registration of a mark in the standard character format will provide broad rights, namely use in any manner of presentation.” The second format would seek to protect a mark having a particular stylized appearance, such as logos we design for our clients. In the past, such a drawing had to be submitted in black and white with a range of patterns to depict differentiation of tones used. Today, the drawing can be submitted in color with precise accompanying descriptions detailing where the colors are used. Such drawings must be consistent with proofs of actual use also required for submission in the application process. These proofs are referred to as “specimens.”

In the registration of a product trademark, as opposed to a service trademark (or service mark), an acceptable example or specimen must show the mark used on the actual goods or packaging for the goods. This includes a tag or label for the goods; a container for the goods; a display associated with the goods; or a photograph of the goods that shows use of the mark on the goods. Actual products are not acceptable examples in the registration process.

When seeking to register a service mark, the USPTO states that approved samples of use can include “a sign; a brochure about the services; an advertisement for the services; a business card or stationery showing the mark in connection with the services; or a photograph showing the mark as used in rendering or advertising the services.” However, it is specifically stated that if the mark does not include terms that describe what kind of service is offered, it would not be an acceptable specimen of use.

It is essential to file the trademark registration form and its required components of application properly to avoid ensuing problems and delays in the process. If filing electronically, an immediate reply with a serial number of the application should be expected. However, the entire process can take up to several years depending on what legal issues arise during the course of the examination of materials. Findings by a federal attorney citing conflict of previously registered or pending rights, or failure to qualify as a trademark are common reasons for delay. These may include use of a surname or determination that the mark is purely ornamental or even deceptive in its presentation. Such criticisms can be appealed but often are unsuccessful and tend to add further postponements and additional expense to the process if you have engaged an attorney to represent you.

If all obstacles are overcome and the mark is approved, the registration remains valid for a period of approximately five years at which time a subsequent Affidavit of Use must be filed, with a Renewal filing due prior to expiration at ten years. Should any of these deadlines be missed, there is a six-month grace period allowance for either filing with the payment of additional fees.

In any case, it seems that the major reason to pursue formal registration of a trademark, service mark or copyright is to provide tangible grounds for suit if unlawful infringement of rights becomes an issue. For some small businesses, the cost to prevail in such a lawsuit would probably be so prohibitive that the decision to bring a case forward would be ultimately discouraged, rendering the effort and expense to submit all trademark or copyright registrations an exercise in futility. Therefore, the value of such registrations is dependent on the circumstances affecting each individual case.

For further information from The United States Patent and Trademark Office, go to http://www.uspto.gov/