Audacity is the courage to defend what you’ve built—even when the law, the market, or the moment says you should surrender. I’ve lived that truth on both sides of the table: as an attorney fighting for my clients’ intellectual property and as a founder rebuilding my own systems from scratch while scaling a global firm.
Who is Tareian Alexis King, Esq?
Attorney Tareian King is an international lawyer with over a decade of experience focusing on immigration and business law across the USA, Sub-Saharan Africa, and France. Trained by the legendary George Bizos, Nelson Mandela’s attorney, Attorney King has collaborated with the United Nations and various global embassies. She also served as Chief Compliance Officer for a venture capital firm, overseeing $386 million in tech investments across Africa. A dedicated member of the American Immigration Law Association, she serves on the U.S. Immigration Law Committee for the New York City Bar Association and the African Affairs Committee for the New York City Bar. She founded Global Esquire Law Firm to simplify the processes of securing residencies, visas, and establishing businesses abroad. Having incorporated over 100 companies across the U.S., Africa, and France, and with residencies in the Republic of Senegal and France, Attorney King leverages her extensive international experience to guide clients through complex legal requirements, making her an essential ally for clients pursuing global ambitions.
The Call That Changed Everything
“It’s not over. Not yet.”
One of my clients called me in tears. Someone else had filed a trademark application for her brand name. She thought it was over. She had invested everything—money, emotion, identity—into that brand and was ready to walk away.
Trademark law doesn’t reward the fastest filer; it rewards the one who used it first in commerce. Together we built her timeline: invoices, social media posts, shipping receipts—every piece of dated evidence told the story of her ownership. It was exhausting and uncertain, but when the ruling came, she kept her brand. That mark later became the foundation for her international expansion.
The legal victory mattered, but what mattered more was her courage to fight for her name. Audacity is not just filing a claim—it’s believing your work is worth defending.
Courage Checklist
- Don’t assume a pending application means you’ve lost.
- Gather dated proof of use—every receipt counts.
- Compare your timeline against the competitor’s.
- Assert priority rights where the law allows.
- Once secured, protect your brand in every market you plan to enter.
The First 30 Days: Building the Legal and Systems Stack
When I launched my international law firm, my legal foundation was flawless—entity registered, agreements drafted, trademarks filed. But my systems were not.
I built operations as if I was running a small local practice: one time zone, one payment processor, one phone line. That setup collapsed once clients from Europe and Africa came onboard. Calendly didn’t sync time zones, international cards failed, and GDPR (General Data Protection Rules) turned into urgent fires.
I learned fast that the foundation of an international business isn’t only documents—it’s scalable infrastructure.
Priority Starter Pack (30-Day Timeline)
Estimated Costs: $2,000–$5,000 setup + $200–$800/month systems
Week 1: Register your entity and file your trademark
Week 2: Finalize your operating agreement
Week 3: Create client contracts for multiple jurisdictions
Week 4: Implement scalable systems
Scalable Systems Essentials:
- Multi-time-zone booking platform
- International payment processors (Stripe, PayPal Business, multicurrency accounts)
- VOIP phone system with global access
- Data protection tools for both U.S. and EU compliance
Build Global Business Investments
Global Esquire Law Firm was founded with a mission to simplify and streamline international legal solutions, enabling individuals and businesses to achieve their global aspirations. We specialize in business immigration, international business law, and compliance, offering tailored strategies that bridge borders and eliminate barriers.
Owning the Intangibles
A U.S. client once asked how another company in the U.K. could register her brand name. The truth is sobering—your American registration ends at the border.
She wanted to give up. I refused to let her.
We proved her reputation crossed markets and that the U.K. filing was made in bad faith. It wasn’t simple, but we won. Her brand remained hers—globally.
10-Minute International IP Audit
- Confirm your home-country registration.
- Search WIPO, UKIPO, and EUIPO databases.
- Gather proof of global reputation.
- File oppositions or cancellations quickly.
- File proactively in key markets before expanding.
The Hidden Risk No One Talks About
One of the scariest risks for entrepreneurs isn’t contracts—it’s data.
A U.S. client collecting European customer data thought her U.S. privacy policy was enough. It wasn’t. We overhauled her system in 72 hours, set up proper transfer clauses, and trained her team.
Compliance is invisible—until it’s missing.
The Clause That Saved the Brand
A small business owner signed a deal with a Chinese distributor who later used her brand on knockoffs. The fine print transferred her IP to them. She felt trapped.
We challenged the clause as unconscionable—and won. Her brand, and reputation, survived intact.
Contract Power Move
Before: “All intellectual property under this agreement shall be owned by Distributor.” After: “All intellectual property shall remain the property of the Business Owner.”
Red Flags to Watch:
- “All rights” = you lose control.
- “Perpetual” = they own it forever.
- “Exclusive” = you could be locked out of your own brand.
Protecting the Legacy
One of my clients had built an amazing business and even purchased land in Ghana. But her estate plan ignored her company and IP.
Without intervention, her heirs would’ve faced chaos across two countries. We revised her trust, added her assets, and created a continuity memo for her team.
Legal protection isn’t only about today—it’s about protecting what outlives you.
Who Owns What Map
- Business Entity: Owner or Trust
- Intellectual Property: Assignee or Trust
- Real Estate: Heirs or Beneficiaries
- Digital Assets: Successor Logins
90-Day Continuity Plan
- Days 1–30: Update bank beneficiaries and insurance.
- Days 31–60: Review or create will and trust.
- Days 61–90: Draft a continuity memo for leadership transition.
Closing the Exposure Gap
Not every fight happens in court. Sometimes it’s a late-night WhatsApp message from a founder in Lagos, ready to sign away his company for crumbs.
The investor’s term sheet looked generous—but it was a trap: majority control, IP rights, and the power to replace him as founder.
I reviewed it pro bono and told him to walk away. He did. Three months later, he landed a deal three times larger—with fair terms.
That moment reminded me: closing the exposure gap isn’t only about legal help; it’s about trust. Audacity is believing you deserve better terms, even when the world says you don’t.
Closing Reflection
Audacity isn’t reckless courage—it’s informed conviction. The kind that defends what’s yours, scales what you’ve built, and prepares for the next frontier before anyone else believes you belong there.
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