# "Somebody Stole My Sh*t!" : Copycats, Counterfeiters, and How to Protect What You've Built, with Dani Donovan

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/adhd-ish-1242959/somebody-stole-my-sh-t-copycats-counterfeiters-and-how-to-protect-what-you-ve-built-with-dani-donovan
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/adhd-ish-1242959/somebody-stole-my-sh-t-copycats-counterfeiters-and-how-to-protect-what-you-ve-built-with-dani-donovan.md
Podcast: [ADHD-ish™](https://stenobird.com/podcast/adhd-ish-1242959)
Published: 2026-06-09T11:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://adhd-ish.captivate.fm/episode/somebody-stole-my-sht-copycats-counterfeiters-and-how-to-protect-what-youve-built
Audio file: https://op3.dev/e/episodes.captivate.fm/episode/7da4885d-31b1-464d-944a-ba8d37dfd774.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/adhd-ish-1242959/episodes/somebody-stole-my-sh-t-copycats-counterfeiters-and-how-to-protect-what-you-ve-built-with-dani-donovan
Duration seconds: 3390

## Resource

Building something unique takes time, energy, talent, and a whole lot of heart. For any business owner with ADHD, that can make it especially painful when someone copies your work, sells a counterfeit, or makes you question the value of what you created. In this episode of the ADHD-ish podcast, host Diann Wingert is joined by Dani Donovan to talk about what she learned after building The Anti-Planner and dealing head-on with copycats, counterfeiters, and intellectual property theft. ‍EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS & TIMESTAMPS: 03:10 - The Anti-Planner and Dealing With Copycats 07:00 - How the Anti-Planner Became a Viral Product 14:00 - The Reality of Intellectual Property Theft 21:00 - Counterfeiters and Protecting Your Business 28:00 - Copyrights, Trademarks, and Creative Work 35:00 - Why Successful Brands Target Counterfeiters 42:00 - Perfectionism and Valuing Your Creative Work 49:00 - Lessons on Building and Protecting a Unique Brand Key takeaways for fellow creators and founders: ‍ Protect Your IP Early - Dani Donovan’s story underscores the importance of copyrighting your content and considering trademarks before you reach mass awareness—even an overseas copyright or trademark if necessary. Counterfeiting Can Happen to You - Whether you’re just starting out or have a viral hit, don’t assume your business is “too small” to be targeted. Copycats watch for what’s trending, and success makes you a target. ‍ Community & Transparency Matter - Sharing the messy, challenging parts (like publicly addressing counterfeiting) can activate support from customers and fellow entrepreneurs—and may even lead to further growth and visibility. ‍ Fun Fact From The Episode ‍When the first shipment of the Anti-Planner arrived, people (including myself) literally hugged it to their chest—…

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