To Save His Company, This Founder Turned to Congress (and Won!) No matter how big the fight, don't underestimate the power of making your voice heard.
By Jayme Smaldone •
This story appears in the January 2020 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »
In 2009, I knocked over a mug of coffee and destroyed my computer. In 2011, I launched a product to prevent that from ever happening again: the Mighty Mug, a travel mug that clings tight to any surface and is nearly impossible to knock over but seamlessly lifts up when you're ready for a sip. I knew it would be a hit.
And it was. We closed deals with Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Office Depot. When I started noticing knockoffs on the web a couple of years later, I wasn't scared. But when Bed Bath & Beyond canceled a $5 million annual program -- one they replaced with a knockoff -- I went to my lawyers. They said I had two options: Fight it in court (at a likely cost of $2 million), or send a complaint to the International Trade Commission (at a far more reasonable price). I chose option B.
