When people talk about intellectual property in business, it often sounds like an afterthought: first comes the product, then sales and scaling—and only then the trademark. But in practice, things work differently. In many cases, it is the brand itself that becomes the asset generating the most and longest-lasting revenue. And the case of Mykhailo Poplavskyi is very illustrative in this context.
According to his declaration, he owns dozens of trademarks and hundreds of copyrighted works, and royalties alone brought him over 17 million UAH in a single year. This isn’t just news—it’s a case study that every entrepreneur, creator, or business owner should analyze.
How a Name Becomes a Business Asset
Mykhailo Poplavskyi’s declaration lists about 50 trademarks and over 130 copyright registrations. And what’s important is that this isn’t just one brand, but an entire ecosystem. Among the registered designations are:
- his own name;
- stage personas (“Young Eagle”);
- product names (“Rector’s Sausage,” “Hot Chebureki”);
- cultural projects (“Ukrainian Song of the Year”)
This is a classic “umbrella brand” strategy, where a single person or company systematically covers various areas of activity through trademarks.
Legally, this offers several advantages at once:
- a monopoly on the use of names in business;
- the ability to grant licenses (and collect royalties);
- protection against copying and free-riding on popularity
In effect, this is the conversion of reputation into capital.
Royalties as the main source of income
Interestingly, a significant portion of the income comes not from performances or salaries, but specifically from royalties—compensation for the use of intellectual property.
For 2025:
- total royalty income — 17.7 million UAH;
- separately, approximately 8 million UAH was paid by a private university.
This means that trademarks and copyrights are not merely “registered for the sake of it,” but actually play a role in business operations. The most common monetization models are using the brand in one’s own business (establishments, products, educational projects), licensing the brand to other entities, commercializing content (songs, shows, books), and most importantly—without proper legal protection, this revenue would be either impossible or significantly lower.
In other words, the most interesting aspect of this story isn’t the mere existence of trademarks, but how they are monetized. A significant portion of revenue comes from royalties. This is a fundamentally different level of business. You aren’t selling a product or service directly—you’re selling the right to use the brand. And if the brand is strong enough, this can be much more profitable and stable than traditional operational activities. That is why, for many large companies, the core value lies not in equipment or offices, but in the brand.
But along with this come risks that are often overlooked. One of them is brand confusion, when the same or a similar name is used by different entities. This can mislead consumers and create grounds for legal disputes. This is particularly relevant when the brand is associated with public institutions or educational institutions, where the issue of trust is critical.
Another risk is excessive reliance on a specific individual. When a brand is tied to a specific person, any changes in that person’s reputation automatically affect all businesses using that brand. In the short term, this can have a powerful effect, but in the long term, it requires very 
careful management.
If you realize that your business already has a name, a product, a course, a blog, or even a personal brand that has the potential to generate income, you should start by establishing the right legal structure. Register a trademark, secure your rights, develop a monetization model, and protect yourself against copying before it becomes a problem.
In such matters, it’s better not to act “intuitively” but to build a system right away. This is exactly what we do: we help you formalize your intellectual property so that it doesn’t just exist on paper but actually generates revenue and protects your business. Contact us—we’ll analyze your situation and advise you on how to turn your brand into an asset rather than a vulnerability.
