We were lucky to catch up with Charles Ivy recently and have shared our conversation below.

Charles, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. One of the toughest things about progressing in your creative career is that there are almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?

Today’s unexpected problem is a Trademark issue with my corporation name. An individual attempts to appropriate my corporation name, EnvyInk, Inc., through a Pending Trademark with the [USPTO]. I’m consulting with a legal firm to understand my options for resolving this matter. That said, I am appalled by how morally wrong individuals are, as I created the name in 2008 and incorporated EnvyInk, Inc. in April 2021. The feeling I have because of this scenario is unreal. I want the ambush on my corporation to stop so I can continue to earn a living with the corporation EnvyInk, Inc., which I labored diligently to create.

Charles, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Charles W. Ivy II. I am 47 years old and was born in Houston, TX, on August 3rd, 1977. I attended college at the following institutes of higher learning. The Art Institute of Houston, Lone Star College, and continued my education at The University of Texas Permian Basin. My craft focused on the oil and gas industry when I became a creative professional. As I continued, I found work within the billboard industry. I worked with several companies around the great Houston area until I secured work with a property management/automotive/real estate marketing corporation for 19 years. This corporation will go unnamed as they’re a significant part of my journey. That said, I was singled out and terminated because I desired a better life than a dead-end company where advancement was impossible. Why do I stay so long? The comfort of the benefits and good people until they showed their true colors. I gave them 95% daily while I gave myself 5% off hours to pursue my passion, working for myself. At EnvyInk, Inc., an Advertising & Marketing Agency, our mission is to provide top-notch marketing services to businesses of all sizes. By helping our clients succeed, we are positively impacting the world. EnvyInk, Inc. solely catered to the automotive industry on a subscription base. Still, we have since transitioned into different areas and become a full-scale agency helping many other companies develop and execute their marketing needs. EnvyInk, Inc. offers Video Production, Search Engine Optimization, Google Business Profile Setup, Creative Content, Website Management, Email Marketing and Social Media Management. At EnvyInk, Inc., I am most proud of our ability to take little to no direction from our client base and continuously hit the mark or hit a home run for them.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

My story is nothing special. I’ve been up and down. I am down on my journey, making my way back to the top. Every day, I am working hard to improve myself with my daily work as a Ranch Foreman and Marketing Manager for another corporation while being a CEO for EnvyInk, Inc. during my off hours until I can return to full-scale operations due to personal reasons. My story has taught me about resilience: you must show up every day to succeed in life and be your best version, not only for you but your family, neighbors, and colleagues. You also need to be able to identify the individuals who are out to manipulate you because you are a good person. That is what I have learned along my journey in 2023 & 2024.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Society can best support artists and creatives by trusting their process. Many of us have been doing this for a long time, and when hired, we take significant pride in shining for our neighbors and society. When a client hires us and hijacks the project by not letting the creative process work, they are shooting themselves in the foot and not benefiting from the primary purpose why you hired us. And that is, we know what works and what doesn’t. Too many cooks in the kitchen is a sure way to kill a project.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://envyink.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/envyinkinc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/envyinkinc
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/envyinkinc