Bullying Entrepreneurs
                 Are You Next?


Most of us have heard the story of David and Goliath.
Goliath is a large bullying giant who uses intimidation
tactics and brute force to try to squash the young, humble
David.  But, alas, David leaves victorious through pure wit
and faith.

What an inspiring story.  Thank goodness in today's world
there are no large Goliaths that pick on the small Davids
like you and me.  Or are there?

It would appear that we have a Goliath alive and well in
our midst who is preying on the small and weak at this very
moment.  And, many of you who are reading this article
probably read Goliath's publications on a regular basis. Who
knows, perhaps you will even be Goliath's next victim.

I'll tell you who this Goliath is in this article and why
I don't plan to purchase another copy of (hint) Entrepreneur
Magazine for quite some time.

Entrepreneur Media, a California-based corporation that
publishes Entrepreneur Magazine and Business Start-Ups, among
others, is currently also the registered owner of several
dozen Internet domain names.  Here are a few: entrepreneur.com,
entrepreneur.org, entrepreneurmag.com, entrepreneurmedia.com,
as well as variations and possible misspellings such as
entreprener,com, entrepener.com, entrepenor.com.  Strangely,
they also own soyentrepreneur.com.

Like any respecting, proactive entrepreneur, they are
attempting to dominate the market for their audience on and
off the web.  However, Entrepreneur Media has taken this
several steps too far.  No question they have crossed the line.

Now, according to entrepreneurS.com (my own emphasis placed on
the "S" to distinguish them from entrepreneur.com), this
media Goliath is "attempting to control the use of a common
dictionary word in its generic sense through harassing legal
threats and intimidating lawsuits."  And, who's their target?
Ernst & Young's well-known and prestigious "Entrepreneur of
the Year" awards program?  No.  Well then, certainly they are
going after CNN's "Entrepreneur Only" television program?
Think again.

Then, who are they going after?  Would you believe the little
guys?  It's unbelievable, but yes, similar to the story of
David and Goliath, small, weak, under-funded entrepreneurs
like you and myself are this Goliath's targets.

I don't know about you, but this scares the pants off me.

But why would they go after us?  Why does a bully go after
the small and weak?

We're an easy target.  Were under-funded and easily bullied.
We're often forced to put our tail between our legs and
retreat while the bully sits there and gloats.  While 
Entrepreneur Media may not be able to win against the 
CNN's, it certainly can gather up assets from us little
guys through intimidating tactics.

Some who are fighting this bully with all the resources they
can muster are managing to hold on.  Nevertheless, there are
victims, plenty of them that Entrepreneur Media is either
ceasing or leaving lifeless in its wake.

One of their targets was the above mentioned site
entrepreneurS.com, owned by Greg McLemore, CEO of WebMagic,
Inc.  On May 25, 1999, a federal lawsuit was filed by
Entrepreneur Media against the WebMagic site.  When
Entrepreneur Media found out the backing that Greg McLemore
had, they decided to back out, reserving the right to file
another lawsuit at a later time.  In bully talk it would go
something like this, "Okay, I'll let you go this time, but
I'll get you later.  You better watch out!"  Oh, by the
way, Greg McLemore built and sold Toys.com to eToys.  He
also founded Pets.com, which went public in February,
raising $82.5 million.  Hey bully... wrong guy to pick on!

Those that have been forced to surrender or change their
names include, among others, Young Entrepreneur (now Y&E),
Asian Entrepreneur (now Asian Entreprise), and Publishing
Entrepreneur (now Independent Publisher).

Of those that seem to be hanging in there and holding on for
dear life are those that own desirable web-based domain names.
Entrepreneur Media is green with envy and wants those domains.
If you have one that resembles any form of the word
"entrepreneur," watch out!

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word
"entrepreneur" has been an active part of the English
language since 1828.  The meaning it retained then and
the meaning it retains today have not changed -- "one who
undertakes an enterprise; one who owns and manages a business;
a person who takes the risk of profit or loss."

The spirit of entrepreneurship is alive and well and has
become a reality for many of us who have chosen to be home-
based.  Entrepreneurship and free enterprise are realities of
a healthy economy.

Now, don't you find it ironic that the very concept that 
Entrepreneur Media is supposedly encouraging, is the same
concept that they are attempting to squelch?  Hmmm.  As Jeff
Busche who acquired entrepreneur.net in 1997 laments,
"They're stomping on the new entrepreneurs.  It's totally
ironic."

Has your trust level for their publications both on- and
off-line been tarnished?  I suppose their bullying tactics
will cause many of us to not hold them in such high esteem
as perhaps we once did.

Now, for another bombshell.  Did you know that the words
"home business" are also trademarked?

Who holds this registered trademark?  Richard Henderson of
Home Business Magazine (homebusinessmag.com).  I know Richard
personally.  We were the ones that helped him get his website
going in the first place.  I was amazed several years ago when
he told me he owned the trademark for "home business."  "No,"
I thought, "This couldn't possibly be.  How could the patent
office grant such a common phrase that has been in use for so
many years?"  You might equally ask how the patent office could
grant a common dictionary word such as "entrepreneur."

Hmmm, the wheels in my entrepreneurial head begin to turn.  If
the sky is the limit on outrageous patents, why not register
the words "opportunity," "home-based business," "work at home,"
"business opportunity," "home office," or "golden opportunity."

On second thought, I don't want to be a part of unfair practices.
After all, I believe in the spirit of entrepreneurship and free
enterprise.

So, count me out of such bullying and outrageous practices.

Resources:
- Read an article about this at Forbes site
  http://www.forbes.com/forbes/00/0320/6507272a2.htm
- Also find more facts and figures at
  http://www.EntrepreneurS.com

P.S. If you've been a victim or believe you may become a victim
of any of these patents, please let the author below know.

Note:  You are invited to copy this article in its entirety and
pass is along, so long as you include this entire note.  This
article was written by Heidi Perry, editor of HomeBizBytes,
( mailto:Editor@HomeBusinessOnline.com ),
http://www.HomeBusinessOnline.com . Home Business Online
believes in and supports entrepreneurship and home-based
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