A Big Win for Small Business Owners

When Wendi [Levy] and Kim [Etheredge] were asked what lessons they would pass on to other entrepreneurs facing trademark infringement Wendi asserted, “If you think you’re right, you stand up for yourself at all cost.”

Kim added, “Don’t be fearful … When you are starting a business and you’re passionate about it, you have to put the fear aside and just go for it. When you’re being attacked, or challenged, you have to do the same thing …”

Looking back both co-founders agree that they would not have done anything differently.

“We did everything by the book. We were taking our time with distribution,” Kim explained. “We wanted to learn … to crawl before we began to walk and walk before we began to run. A lot of companies I think want to get out there and just sell, sell, sell. We wanted to learn the ins and outs of the business,” she said.

Moving Forward in Business After Winning a Legal Battle

As a result of the lawsuit the co-founders decided to speed up their distribution approach. “We have to distribute to the masses so that there aren’t other copycats coming,” Wendi declared. Kim acknowledged that their plans for growth and serving their current customer base will be a balancing act, but they are up for the challenge.

“We are an accessible company. We are able to go out and listen to our customers, because we always say we are not just a hair product, we’re a revolution. We’re a community.”

Today their real-life David and Goliath story resonates with small business owners across the nation.

“We were the underdogs and the obstacles were stacked against us, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t make it — you don’t give up,” Kim exclaimed. “You may have a disadvantage and you may have challenges, but you just move forward. You don’t complain, you just handle it.”

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Photo: Mixed Chicks Founders

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