08/25/2026
💭 A little business talk today…
Like so many people, I was incredibly saddened to hear the news about Dolly Parton today. She was an icon, an incredible businesswoman, an entertainer, a philanthropist, and someone whose impact reached far beyond country music.
But as I scrolled Facebook after hearing the news, something else really stood out to me.
Within HOURS, I was already seeing small businesses launching Dolly Parton shirts, tumblers, jewelry, signs, transfers, and all sorts of other products using her name, image, likeness, and recognizable branding.
And I think this is something worth talking about as business owners.
There is a difference between honoring someone and immediately trying to monetize someone’s death.
When the first thought after hearing that someone has passed is, “What can I make and sell while everyone is talking about them?” — I think we need to stop and think about what that says about our businesses.
Beyond the ethical side of it, there is also a LEGAL side that small business owners need to understand.
Just because someone is famous does not mean their name, photograph, likeness, artwork, logos, song lyrics, or other intellectual property suddenly becomes free for us to put on merchandise and sell. There can be copyright, trademark, licensing, and right-of-publicity issues involved — and someone’s passing does not automatically make those protections disappear.
I know trends sell.
I know we are all trying to make money.
I know jumping on something while everyone is searching for it can feel like smart marketing.
But not every trending moment needs to become a product.
Sometimes the best thing you can do as a business owner is simply say, “This isn’t mine to profit from.”
Dolly spent decades building her name, her image, her music, and her legacy. If you loved her, share your favorite song. Share a memory. Talk about the impact she had on you. Celebrate what she gave to the world.
But maybe we don’t need to have the T-shirt listed for $24.99 two hours after the news breaks.
There are a million ways to grow a business.
Someone else’s death doesn’t have to be one of them. ❤️
