You have a legal recourse. This is called passing off and it is a brand and copyright infringement.

A letter from an IP solicitor should help.

Personally – if she is using your brand then obviously that’s copyright infringement and you will have some legal recourse no doubt. In some ways its very flattering however your customers come to you because of your reputation – having someone else do this in an underhand way is not your style. I guess I might try meet with her and challenge her approach. Failing that – a legal letter – which seems a shame, and against your sharing nature!

When I read the headline, I thought you were referring to stalkers such as myself, who are actually just interested in hearing your thoughts so follow your blogs from time to time!

In answer to your question:

try this

My friend solved a similar problem in one 30 cent telephone call.

After noticing her personalised candle and wedding invitations were being copied and paraded on her competitor’s website, she put an end to the copying by making direct contact with the business owner.

Business owner denied it, said she couldn’t prove it etc…but funnily enough, removed all the copied items the next day.

She was sufficiently scared by the threat of legal action, as most people would be.

Naomi, perhaps get your lawyers to draft a Letter of Demand.

I would be surprised if the stalking continued after this.

All the best – look forward to hearing the outcome of this.

Regards Shiraz.

When I was in primary school a little girl took my drawing home to her mum to pass off as her own … she did this a few times, and it was quite sad when I think back about it. (and not just because I was a pretty ordinary drawer!)She was so keen to please her mother ..anyway, after a while she gave up trying to pass off my work as hers and no doubt went on to copy someone else – perhaps she is your stalker?!

I applaud you for putting yourself out there and sharing your ideas with the world. As a new business owner (www.designerlives.com.au) I too worry that someone will ‘steal’ my ideas or worse do something better with them!

But I suppose there is comfort in the fact that no one else can get inside your head and no one else can know what you will do next and as copiers of originals, they can never excel as they don’t know what to do next anyway.

More power to you for being an inspiration to so many. I can’t add much more to the terrific above comments as they covered it all off so well – just keep on zagging!

You have a great reputation and you are well known, and people trust you and your business therefore

I would say keep making a noise about it. Continue to use the viral benefits of social networking, blogging etc. Make a huge noise about the fact you are being copied. I know you write for a few online publications, include this in your articles or write one up on being copied. Let Australia know that you are being copied.

Don’t keep quiet about it. Public humiliation is very effective.

This is a bit off topic but tha analogy will be useful. Once a few years ago a customer owed me a sizable sum of money. After exhausting all avenues I employed the services of a debt collector and a lawyer, it was a very drawn out process. I also published a newsletter to all my clients in the industry I used to work in. As I was frustrated and against legal advice

I published the fact that I had not been paid by this client and that the industry should be wary. It was wonderful, all his suppliers stopped supplying him and switched him to COD only. I also eventually got paid.

I’ll even invite you to publish an article on our website about the topic, you have my contact details if you’d like to take up the opportunity.

Regards

Mark

Gee, what a piss-ant!!!

Anyway, you have received great advice already but I suggest that you should think of this in two categories:

1. The impact to your business.

If you think it will have a detremental impact then as the head of the business you have an obligation to take action or at least investigate options.

This could be legal, or business tactics but as with any potential threat, it needs a cool headed assessment and you should involve your team.

2. The impact to you as a person.

If you are trully spooked by the behaviour and think there is a personal issue going on here then you should deal with that separately and with different goals and approaches in mind.

Passionate etrepreneurs like yourself can find it difficult to separate the business from the person, but I think you will find the best response is in doing exactly that.

Of course you could always send a RedBalloon gift of a cream pie in the face…

Good luck!!!

I hate reading stuff like your blog below, it really riles me up!

You are an inspiration, you are an amazing person and I would be really sad if you stopped sharing because of one measly copy cat who doesn’t have their own idea’s!  I know I get alot from your blogs and really appreciate the collective learning mindset.

I have had people blatantly copy our programs – right down to terms and conditions, the same program names and leaving our trademarks on their seminar handouts!  What a cheek! I used to get upset and for a while we pulled back and stopped sharing as much as we had, in the end our customers and loyal followers disrespected the other parties for copying, they are no longer around – but we are.  I have a whole lot of grrrr on this!

Have fun in Barcelona and from me anyways – stand strong – you’re the real deal!