“I have an unfair advantage,” Kellow revealed. “I’m autistic, and I don’t accept the answer no. I obsess over solving a problem like this. Our patent attorneys were good, but they’re used to thinking inside the box, not outside the box… otherwise they’d be inventors themselves.”

His trademark is in the process of issuing. He also went to the trouble of securing GreatPlate.com, which he bought for $5,000 from someone who beat him to the punch.

4. Don’t stop innovating. Instead, keep improving your product! Capitalize on trends. Beat your competition by staying ahead of the curve.

5. Create a remarkable customer service program. Think of ways to reward your customer that your copycat will not bother or be able to do. Discount codes and add-ons come to mind. Outstanding customer service isn’t easily replicated.

6. Reach out to the media. You have a story to tell, so tell it well. Embrace the fact that you are the original by documenting your journey with photos and text on your website. Be willing to discuss your struggles and successes on podcasts and in the news media. Reach out to bloggers and YouTubers too.

When you share your story, you allow your customers to identify with you and your product. That’s important, because loyal customers will come to your defense.

The GreatPlate has been featured on The Today Show, Food Network, and Rachael Ray, among many others.

7. Take the high road. Refusing to talk badly about other products and companies speaks volumes. Sometimes, it’s not what you say but how you react to a situation that cements your brand as one of integrity. Keep the focus squarely on what you’ve done and how you’re giving back instead.

8. Reach out to all major retailers quickly. Getting a product into major retailers takes months at least. But you should reach out to them early anyway, so they know who you are and that you’re the original. Make sure to share news that showcases you and your product with them, and remind them of your intellectual property commitment.

9. Build your brand as quickly as you can. Sell first and sell fast! Come up with a clever trademark and start the process of filing it. (Getting a trademark to issue doesn’t happen overnight.) Start crafting your story. Collect and display testimonials and images of people using your product, because they speak volumes.

I also recommend making great use of social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn) to tell your story.

Becoming the market leader in your particular category will take time; plan ahead.

10. Take the competition out. Does the market leader in your category do any contract manufacturing? If so, you might investigate whether they can manufacture your product for you. I made use of this strategy with my guitar pick company Hot Picks; we had Dunlop, the market leader, manufacture our product for us.

This way, there’s no incentive for them to come up with a copycat or attempt to work around you because you’ve aligned your interests.

11. Knock yourself off first. Try to come up with a variation. Maybe a smaller version. Maybe one that requires less material. Could you package your product differently? Get creative! Here’s an example of what I mean. On QVC, GreatPlate plates and cups are sold in a set of 12. To meet the needs of his customers, Kellow could decide to sell smaller sets — thereby preventing a copycat from entering the market and siphoning business away.

I also recommend determining the most inexpensive way of manufacturing your product. In my experience, you never want to compete on price going head-to-head. It’s a lose-lose situation.

12. Cultivate an army of raging fans. Their collective voice is capable of forcing giant companies to listen to you. Companies that want to protect their public image simply cannot ignore thousands of angry comments. There’s nowhere left to hide! Let your customers speak on your behalf.

Sometimes, poking someone in the eye and threatening a lawsuit just creates more problems. Try being reasonable and polite instead. You’ll be surprised how much you can accomplish without a disagreement, argument, or fight. Trust me: I learned this lesson firsthand the hard way.

Inventors, you have a huge advantage. Never forget that! You’re capable of thinking of how to overcome obstacles. You are geniuses at workarounds — not only when it comes to providing solutions for your inventions, but also in your business.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com.