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Send in the Clones

Will competitors' knockoffs destroy your products' edge? Not if you don't let them.

By Don Debelak •

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

The Entrepreneur: JaySorensen, 45, founder of Java Jacket in Portland, Oregon

The Product: Sorensen'sproduct, the Java Jacket, is a patented, honeycombed insulatingsleeve that slides over a paper cup filled with a hot beverage.Java Jackets are used in coffeehouses, specialty stores andconvenience stores nationwide. Sorensen's was the firstinsulating jacket on the market, and his first customer was CoffeePeople, a small chain of coffee shops in Portland, Oregon. ThoughStarbucks uses another type of insulating sleeve made by acompetitor, Sorensen's Java Jacket continues to dominate themarket.

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