Most founders obsess over product, funding, and growth. Very few think seriously about trademarks—until it’s too late. In this episode of Scouting for Growth, Sabine VanderLinden sits down with Andrei Mincov, Founder and CEO of Trademark Factory, to demystify one of the most underestimated—and most expensive—blind spots in entrepreneurship: intellectual property protection. Andrei’s journey into IP law is deeply personal. When his father, a renowned composer in Russia, had his music stolen and repurposed for a global advertising campaign without permission, Andrei was still in law school. With no established IP framework in post-Soviet Russia at the time, he learned the hard way how creators can lose what they’ve built—simply because they didn’t protect it early enough. That experience shaped a lifelong mission: helping entrepreneurs defend what they create. In this conversation, Andrei breaks down what trademarks really are—and what they are not. You don’t own a word or a logo, he explains. You own the mental association between your brand and the products or services you sell. That distinction matters. A lot. One of the biggest myths he tackles head-on: “I came up with the name first, so I’m safe.” You’re not. Trademark protection isn’t about who thought of the idea first—it’s about who files first. And in a world where brand names travel globally at digital speed, waiting can cost you everything from your identity to your ability to raise capital or expand internationally. Andrei also exposes the darker side of the trademark industry: low-cost promises, misleading guarantees, and firms that prey on founders’ lack of knowledge. The trademarking process does take time. And the success rate, he argues, is directly linked to one thing: your willingness to understand the basics before delegating the rest. Why does this matter so much for growth? Because over time, your brand becomes your most valuable asset. It attracts better talent. It lowers customer acquisition costs. It builds trust with partners, investors, and customers. And unlike patents or copyrights, trademarks—if renewed—can be owned forever. For founders planning to scale, exit, or build something that lasts, trademarks aren’t a legal checkbox. They’re a strategic growth lever. 🎧 This episode is essential listening for entrepreneurs, scale-ups, and corporate innovators who want to protect their upside, avoid costly mistakes, and build brands that endure. Because in business, ideas are easy to copy. Protected brands are not.