Question: How do you share that great idea of yours while keeping your intellectual property secure? Answer: You use a non-disclosure agreement.
Beer: tool of the trade
But NDAs are way too formal for the modern entrepreneur, who is more likely to meet a potential partner or investor at a conference, in a coffee shop, or over a beer than arrange to meet at the lawyers.
In an informal situation, the most common business exchange is probably handing someone your business card. I’ve been thinking about this, so in the spirit of sharing ideas, here’s what I’ve come up with:
What if your business card could unlock new conversations?
On the understanding that a signed non-disclosure agreement allows for a far smoother flow of communication in the exchange of business ideas, my business card design offers the ability to turn a casual conversation into a pitch scenario, but without the formality.
Take a look at this mockup I created for MOO Cards, who sadly weren’t interested in the exclusive ownership rights!
Click the image to see in fullscreen
My design is a perforated piece of card designed to be ripped in half:
- One half lists the usual business card details
- One half has space for a signature against the statement:
“I hereby agree to treat your idea as confidential in a bond of trust”
(or whatever)
Each party keeps one half of the card in this interactive business exchange. Not legally airtight, of course, but still an innovative means of quickly forming trust with a potential partner.
So then, anyone out there want to help turn this design into a reality?