Is it legal to start a business based on techniques learned from a book?

[Steve Scheffler]

I don't mean a textbook from school.

So lets say you learned a trade from a book or some framework for achieving something with very specific techniques and approaches taught by the book, you have applied it in real life, it worked great for you, and now you want to make money by consulting as an expert in teaching those techniques to others.

Is this illegal in any way? Can I use methodologies and techniques I learned in a book and use the tools I got from that book to make money from consulting for people that could benefit from that knowledge?

[rogercbryan]

There is nothing illegal even remotely. You learned from a book.. correct? That is how we all learn... The question is a little confusing that you would need to consider this even. If someone writes a book about 'how to' something then the information is public. It is yours to use. Unless you stole and unpublished manuscript you are fine.

I do consulting for a living so I'm pretty confident in my response. In fact I publish most of my info and tricks as well. You can maybe get more info from my site RCBryan.com - RCBryan.com Provides Business Consulting Services for the Small Business Entrepreneur

Best of luck!

[TelecommutingMom]

I'm no lawyer but I would agree and say that the only illegal line you could cross is by plagiarizing any content found in the book.

[JohnMck3]

Agreed with ^^^, plagiarizing is the only way because you can't copyright ideas.

[jake_russell]

I agree that you are good to go. As long as you are not copying pages from the book and handing them out as part of your "product" then you are ok. Like they said you cannot copyright an idea just the text that explains an idea. If there is a ten step process or something that you are wanting to exactly copy then that is different. Come up with your own spin on those ten steps and you should be good.


Jake Russell
Power Promotions
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