Virtual Patent Gateway, LLC

Turns out AI didn't just speed up how we work, it sped up how fast a brand can be born. 

In a conversation with Aparna Watal, we discussed how AI is shaking up the world of brand protection. Her take: the fundamentals of trademark law haven't really changed, same rules, same principles, same tests courts have used for years. 

What has changed? The clock. 

Building a brand used to mean weeks of brainstorming, mood boards, focus groups, and consultations. Now? AI can create a name, logo, and a whole brand in seconds. 

The rules haven't changed, but the speed of the game absolutely has. Trademark law is essentially trying to referee a match that just got a lot faster, with a lot more players showing up at once. 

Conversations like this make it clear that as fast as AI moves, there's real value in slowing down and thinking through the implications. More good conversations like this to come. 

I'm curious to hear from others in this space, are you seeing AI-generated brands creating headaches on the trademark side? Drop your experiences below 

Legal Disclaimer: This video is posted for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.

🎤 "THIS. IS. HOW. WE. DO IT." 🎶

I don't know what came over me, one second we were catching up, the next I was full-on bursting into song with Alexian Wines, MBA (Ali) sitting right across from me. No warning. No shame. Just pure, unfiltered joy. And Ali responded, I could be your back-up. That's the energy Ali brings.

Ali isn't just a guest, she's one of the ideators behind the "Letters to Lilly" Movement alongside Melissa Cohen. Funny enough, Melissa is the reason Ali and I ever crossed paths in the first place.

Last week, Ali and I sat down to dinner and what started as catching up turned into a real, thought-provoking conversation about leadership, the kind we give, and just as important, the kind we receive when we're the ones following. That conversation is the heartbeat of her episode.

Ali's episode drops as EP. 116 on August 17, 2026 at 9:00 A.M. EDT. And here's my own commitment coming out of that dinner: I'll be submitting my letter to Vol. 2 of Letters to Lilly. Deadline is July 24, 2026, submission details in the comments. 💌

A huge thank you to Gezelin Cantuba for helping me pull together these Sound Bites in true Virtual Patent Gateway, LLC fashion.

Coming up on Virtual Water Cooler Chat: Alexandra Lin Holden (EP 113), Aparna Watal (EP 114), Stephen Shedletzky (EP 115), Alexian Wines (EP 116), Phil Eklem (EP 117), Karina Karn (EP 118), Ronelle Geldenhuys (EP 119), Megan Raymond (EP 120), Vanessa Bailey (EP 121), Michelle Heisner (EP 122), Arivee Vargas Esq (EP 123), Andrew Ting (EP 124), and Dawn Yu (EP 125) — full dates in the comments 👇

Season 4 is closing out strong, and Season 5 is already shaping up to be one for the books. 🥂 We have over two dozen YESES already, and recording begins in October.

Special thanks to the Podcast and social media team, Caitlin Nelson, Gezelin Cantuba, and our alumni Ella Bump and Brenna Holland.

PTAB WomenInIP Podcast

Say the Hard Thing: Leadership Lessons from a Virtual Water Cooler

I had a conversation with Michelle Heisner that stuck with me. Yes, I was at Park City, Utah at the hotel recording this podcast with Michelle Heisner and Gabrielle Murtari, as a multigenerational collab for the Virtual Water Cooler Chat (VWCC).

Michelle is a M&A Partner at Baker Donelson and a Board Member of How Women Lead. She is a great supporter of women who wish to level up, and I have been a beneficiary as she discussed the credos of HWL.

In this Sound Bite, Michelle shared that her job isn't always about telling people what they want to hear, it's about giving them the best advice she can, even when it's uncomfortable.

I agree with Michelle’s observation that people often respect us more when we are willing to be transparent for the sake of the collective good.
In a world where it's easy to avoid difficult conversations, there is real value in thoughtful honesty. Not the kind that's blunt for the sake of being blunt, but the kind that comes from experience, care, and a genuine desire to help someone make the best decision.

The truth isn't always the easiest thing to deliver, but leadership often means being willing to have conversations others are afraid to start.

People may not always like what you have to say in the moment, but they'll remember that you were honest enough to say it.

Have you ever had to deliver a difficult truth that ultimately helped someone? Or has someone given you advice you didn't want to hear, but needed to hear? I'd love to hear your experience in the comments.