How many interpretations are there for the sentence: “Time flies like an arrow”? ChatGPT says 6. Turns out you can be literal, imperative, metaphorical, comparative, descriptive and nonsensical. Look it up.
How many interpretations are there for the sentence: “We are happy with our current Patent Attorneys”? Eran says…, well, let’s count together.
On my continued journey to raise awareness to IP and contact as many innovation executives as possible, perhaps the most abundant, most polysemous reply I get is “We are happy with our current Patent Attorneys”.
Now, I am aware that that Israel was ranked fifth in the 2024 World Happiness Report (WHR), but I talk with people all over the world, how come even they are all so happy?
With time (and follow-up questions), I have learned there are several interpretations to this sentence:
- They do not fully grasp the distinction between my role as a fractional IP director and that of a patent attorney.
- They think my service overlaps with or duplicates their current patent attorney’s work.
- They doubt the added value of hiring a fractional IP director compared to relying solely on their patent attorneys.
- They assume hiring me would be an additional, unnecessary expense. In truth, I save them money AND make them more money.
- They are wary of upsetting their current patent attorneys by engaging with an external IP advisor. To them I say that my work often helps patent arrrorneys.
- They believe their patent attorneys are already fulfilling all their IP-related needs.
- They truly value their current patent attorney’s work and see no need for additional support.
- They are not interested in my service (check out my services for VCs) but want to avoid confrontation or explaining their reasons.
Conclustion: How to treat the phrase: “We are happy with our current Patent Attorneys”
- “We’re happy with our current Patent Attorneys” is rarely literal.
- It can mean hesitation, misunderstanding, fear of change, or a polite brush-off.
- There are at least 8 distinct interpretations—each hiding a different barrier to engagement.
If you are an inventor or an investor and ever used this line, let’s talk. Some opportunities are just too good to pass on.
