What happens when your brand outgrows you?

Negotiation expert Alex Carter joins Erin Austin to share how she evolved from a one-woman powerhouse to the Ask For More Group expanding her impact while protecting her intellectual property. From hitting the limits of her own time to realizing “me, me, me” isn’t sustainable, Alex opens up about the real decisions behind building a legacy brand.

If you’re still winging it with your contracts or ignoring your IP, Alex’s insights and cautionary tales will have you rethinking how you safeguard your business for long-term success.

Key Takeaways

• From Personal Brand to Group Impact — Alex shares how she moved beyond a solo practice to build the Ask For More Group, expanding her impact while protecting her name and legacy.
• The “Me, Me, Me” Branding Trap — Learn why sticking to a personality-driven brand can limit your reach and why it’s crucial to shift to a scalable business model.
• Think Like a Scientist — Alex explains how adopting a testing mindset helped her experiment with new formats and offerings without fear of failure.
• When Capacity Hits a Wall — Hear the moment Alex realized she couldn’t deliver more without a team and systems to multiply her expertise.
• The Hidden IP Clause That Hurts — Erin and Alex unpack how seemingly small contract clauses — like recording or licensing rights — can cost you control of your work.
• AI & Protecting Your Voice — They discuss the rising threat of AI cloning your content and what steps you need to take now to safeguard your voice and likeness.
• Lessons Even Lawyers Learn the Hard Way — Despite being a negotiation expert and lawyer, Alex admits the missteps she made early on with her IP and contracts.
• Scaling with Integrity — Together, they highlight how to grow your impact without sacrificing your values, your sanity, or the unique value you bring to your clients.

Alexandra Carter is the Everett B. Birch Innovative Teaching Clinical Professor of Law at Columbia Law School. She is a world-renowned negotiation trainer for the United Nations, Fortune 500 companies, civil rights agencies, and more. In 2019, Professor Carter was awarded the Columbia University Presidential Award for Outstanding Teaching, Columbia’s highest teaching honor. Her first book, Ask for More: Ten Questions to Negotiate Anything, was published by Simon & Schuster in May 2020 and became an instant Wall Street Journal Business bestseller. Professor Carter is a frequent media commentator on negotiation and pay equity for women, with appearances on Good Morning America, MSNBC’s Morning Joe and MSNBC Live, Hardball with Chris Matthews, the CBS Early Show, and NPR Marketplace. Professor Carter’s TEDx talk, entitled “How to ask for more – and get it,” was released in July 2024, designated as an Editor’s Pick and then promoted to TED.com, where it has been watched by more than a million people worldwide.

Connect with Alex Carter:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Instagram

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/erinaustin/

Think Beyond IP YouTube Page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVztXnDYnZ83oIb-EGX9IGA/videos

Music credit: Paphos by Mountaineer

A Team Dklutr production