Feb. 15: Having a lawyer to guide you through paperwork is helpful

The thought of actually starting my own business was a little overwhelming, if not frightening. For four months, I throttled. Working at The Coast and 96X, doing voice-overs for Studio Center and tending to my three children were good defenses to my Poom Poom progress.

But slowly, I continued to plot and plan. I confided in my good friends, who agreed that this was something I needed to pursue and secure before somebody else stole my idea. A lawyer friend suggested I contact Kaufman & Canoles, a full-service law firm with a practice area dedicated to clients trying to start new business ventures. People like me who need to be guided through the necessary steps.

On June 15, 2005, I retained Kaufman & Canoles to serve as counsel for KEM Productions LLC. My initial consultation with Stephen Noona, a principal of the firm's litigation section, was free of charge. He spent about an hour listening to my ideas and offering suggestions about what steps needed to be taken first. He seemed to like my idea.

Next stop: trademark! The first step in the trademark process is to do a search to confirm that the name and logo, or similar ones, are not already in use. In our case, because Poom Poom was so distinctive, my lawyers were able to confirm the availability of my trademark quite quickly.

Next, a formal application for registration of the trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is filed. In many cases, this part of the process can be drawn out and expensive. My trademark was registered in less than 4 months.

It seems like a complicated procedure and that's exactly why you get a lawyer. Believe me, it's worth the money. Kaufman & Canoles took care of everything. Basically, they become part of your business when you employ them to represent you. It's a nice feeling to know that you have professionals filing applications and informing you of what steps must be taken next. They know what needs to be done is done right and on time.

From the moment "Poom Poom Sleep Famously" became officially trademarked, I knew this was no longer a concept, it was my future.

Whether spontaneous or meticulously planned, clever ideas and inventions are born every single day. They also die every day. We've all have had moneymaking schemes. But ideas locked in your head won't take you to the bank. Initial risk and investment is not that much. Dedicating your time and thoughts is the hard part.

In my next entry, I'll tell you about the steps I took to get a prototype of Poom Poom. I figured it would probably be easier convincing John Mayer to let me use his image for my first celebrity pillow if I had an actual prototype to show his management. In order to acquire my first Poom Poom artist, I decided I must become one myself.

Check out my Web site, www.poompoom.net. As you will see, John Mayer is not a Poom Poom--yet! Richmond-based band Carbon Leaf's lead singer, Barry Privett, is my first. Keep reading and feel free to ask me any questions. I appreciate all your comments. We could all use each other's help.