Steps to a Successful Start
It is very important when starting a new business that you gather all available information and stay current in your field by maintaining memberships in industry specific associations.
Tips for Starting a Nanny Agency
The INA has developed a resource for those starting a nanny agency or considering this leap.
Steps to a Successful Start
INA Members can get Steps to a Successful Start for free on our Estore. Not a member yet? You can still get a copy for $39.
We also encourage you to utilize our Resource Library for Agencies and these articles on our Blog.
- Leveraging Technology to Improve Relationships with Clients and Nannies
- Developing an Action Plan to Encourage Small Business Growth
- From Nanny to Entrepreneur: How Nannies are Using Their Skills and Experience to Build Successful Businesses
- Strategic Planning Tips for Your Business
- Entrepreneurial Bravery: What it looks like and how to use it
- Traits of an Inclusive Workplace
- How to Create a Mission Statement that Resonates
- Nanny Taxes & Payroll
Importance of Copyright Laws and How To Avoid Violating Those Laws
We have become aware of several recent incidents in the nanny agency community involving copyright infringement. Several agencies, some new, some in business for quite a while, have been charged with the use of materials developed and published by other agencies. Two of the more recent incidents were settled in accordance with copyright law when the offending agencies withdrew the expropriated documents and website format.
Copyrights are intended to protect all creative expressions that are not slogans, names, titles and short phrases (these items are covered by trademark law). A copyright comes into existence as soon as a creative work or idea takes a tangible form, such as the establishment of a website or the printing of a document.
Other examples of creative works that take on copyright status as soon as they are made public include the language and graphics on website pages, forms, questionnaires, guidelines, tips, advertising, catalogues, price lists and speeches. Many other forms of creative expression are similarly protected.
Since an agency’s documents are an expression of its philosophy and method of operation, and since an agency owner knows how his or her business operates better than anyone else, it makes good sense for an agency to create its own distinctive documents. Doing so will provide that agency with its own set of copyrights. If possible, the agency should enlist the help of an attorney or other expert consultant. That strategy will help avoid disputes and exposure to legal fees and damages for infringement, which could be a lot more expensive.
The copyright owners referred to above were very protective of their copyrights and aggressive in their responses. Our advice to those thinking about infringing upon another’s copyright is DON’T DO IT!!!