Dear Lovely Human,
We often have a rigid archetype for lawyers. We picture them in courtrooms, buried in paperwork, fighting over what has already happened. We see them as the people you call when you are in trouble, or when you need to put a fence around an idea.
But Sanjaykumar Patel is dismantling that archetype.
As the Founder and Principal IP Attorney at EXCELON IP, Sanjay has done something few legal experts dare to do: he has stopped looking at Intellectual Property as a defensive shield and started treating it as an offensive asset.
As many of you know, I started my own professional career as a lawyer at 21, and to be honest, I hated it. It felt like a profession focused on conflict rather than creation.
But over the years, as I have come to meet more and more patent lawyers, I have had a change of heart. I honestly feel that if I could go back, patent law is exactly where I would be. It is the sweet spot for those of us who truly want to help others build their dreams rather than just argue over their mistakes.
That is why I resonate so deeply with Sanjaykumar Patel.
We are fascinated by the moment a professional realizes that their "expert trap" is actually holding them back. Sanjay’s story is about that exact moment—the pivot from being a service provider who bills by the hour to a visionary creating a marketplace that generates wealth.
Beyond the Billable Hour
For years, Sanjay operated where most attorneys live: in litigation and enforcement. In fact, if you ask his peers today, many still believe his primary work is fighting infringement cases in court.
But they are looking at the old version of him.
Sanjay realized that the "conventional service business"—where you trade time for defense—lacked innovation. He didn’t want to just be the guardian of the gate; he wanted to be the architect of the vault.
He is currently building something entirely different: an IP Marketplace and Valuation Platform. This is a profound shift from "lawyer" to "tech-enabler," helping founders not just own their ideas, but understand exactly what they are worth on a balance sheet.
The Vulnerability of Expertise
It takes a lot of courage to admit that being an expert isn't enough. When we asked Sanjay what scares him, he didn't mention losing a client or a case. He spoke about the "fear of not scaling exponentially."
He recognized a painful truth: having all the expertise in the world means nothing if you lack the infrastructure to deliver it.
His journey this year has been about rewiring his own habits—specifically tackling procrastination and time management. He realized that to serve his clients ethically and transparently, he had to stop being the bottleneck. He had to replace "busy work" with "bold, clear communication" and invest heavily in networking and automation.
The Cyclist’s Mindset
There is a reason Sanjay approaches business with such endurance. Off the clock, he is a Randonneur—a cyclist who completes grueling 200km rides.
He applies that same long-distance stamina to his clients. He isn’t interested in the quick win of a lawsuit; he is interested in the marathon of legacy. He wants to be the "one-stop solution" that connects the dots for entrepreneurs, ensuring that their reputation—and his—remains pristine.
His superpower isn't just knowing the law; it is:
"Realizing the value of IP in the growth of a business."
He is the bridge between the confusing world of international patents and the tangible world of revenue.
How to Connect with Sanjay
If you are a creator or founder who feels like you are sitting on a goldmine but don't know how to mine it, Sanjay is the partner you need.
He specializes in:
IP Valuation and Strategy (Turning ideas into assets)
Global Due Diligence (Navigating international markets)
Patent Drafting and Portfolio Management
Startup MentoringA final thought:
Sanjay teaches us that we don't have to stay in the boxes our industries put us in. You can be a lawyer who hates litigation. You can be an expert who loves automation. You can stop protecting the status quo and start inventing the future.
Warmly,
Sal
