In the program "Disruption Interruption," Mary Guzman, founder and CEO of Crown Jewel Insurance, explained why companies may overlook valuable trade secrets and how assigning defensible value to proprietary knowledge impacts asset protection, financing, and enterprise value.
Tampa Bay, Florida, October 29 /PRNewswire/ — According to data from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the global total of intangible assets held by businesses exceeded $97 trillion in 2025, a 23% increase from the previous year. The same analysis also revealed that accounting standards result in an estimated 79% to 83% of intangible asset value going unrecorded on corporate balance sheets. Mary Guzman, founder and CEO of Crown Jewel Insurance, recently joined host Karla Jo Helms (KJ) on the podcast “Disruption Interruption” to explain where these unacknowledged values may be hidden. Trade secrets can include confidential processes, data, strategies, and internal know-how that allow companies to maintain a competitive edge without public disclosure. “The key is in the processes—how these things work—that’s what constitutes the trade secret,” said Guzman.
Hidden business value may be difficult to protect.
Guzman stated that the decades-long focus on patents has left many companies unprepared to identify proprietary knowledge that never became registered intellectual property. Trade secrets may originate from research and development (R&D), as well as from logistics and supply chain processes, pricing models, product strategies, consumer data, software workflows, and knowledge accumulated through trial and error.
Problems become more apparent when employees leave, other internal personnel take proprietary information, or such information is shared without authorization. Guzman says that cyber insurance has expanded to cover risks such as ransomware, privacy claims, and business interruption, but the financial value of intellectual property is often still not included in such coverage. Insurers also face challenges in identifying and valuing these assets before courts have determined whether the information meets legal protection standards. “The cyber insurance market has essentially said, ‘We won’t cover the value of any of this R&D or intellectual property assets—at all,’” says Guzman.
This uncertainty becomes critical when employees leave with proprietary information. Companies seeking an injunction may need to quickly demonstrate what constitutes a trade secret, what reasonable measures the company has taken to protect it, and that the individuals involved knew the information was confidential. Guzman says many companies only realize after suspecting a theft that they don’t have readily available evidence. “Most companies find it very difficult to do this easily, so they spend too much time—and, frankly, too much money—on reverse forensics, trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube.”
Price your assets before a loss occurs.
Through Crown Jewel Insurance, Guzman focuses on identifying and assessing proprietary information that may qualify for trade secret protection before disputes arise. She says this evaluation can include the costs the company incurred in developing the asset, including failed iterations, and “negative know-how”—lessons that allow competitors to avoid making the same mistakes.
The review process also documents how this information is protected. If later there is suspicion of misappropriation, Guzman says this evidence can support attorneys in seeking an injunction, while insurance can cover legal and forensic costs. She says, “Basically, with the click of a button, we can prove they had trade secrets and that we took reasonable measures.”
Guzman believes this has broader implications for founders, CFOs, lenders, and investors. She offers a hypothetical example: a technology with future contracts, after its underlying trade secrets are valued, could become a $60 million off-balance-sheet asset. She argues that this residual value may become relevant in discussions around financing, investment, and exits. Guzman says, “If the company goes bankrupt outright and cannot repay its loans, you still own an asset that can be sold or licensed.”
Link
- Disrupting the Billion-Dollar Secret: Why Your Most Valuable Asset Isn't on the Balance Sheet with Mary Guzman
- Disruption Interruption is a podcast where listeners can hear the voices of today’s most influential industry disruptors, learn what motivates them to drive innovation, and discover how they overcome resistance to adopting new ideas.
- https://omny.fm/shows/disruption-interruption/disrupting-the-billion-dollar-secret-why-your-most-valuable-asset-isn-t-on-the-balance-sheet-with-mary-guzman
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-guzman-49183b29 Company website: https://crownjewelinsurance.com
About Disruption Interruption TM
Disruption is occurring on an unprecedented scale, impacting industries such as health tech, finance, IT, e-commerce, shipping, and logistics—and the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated these timelines by a full decade or more. But who are these disruptors, and when did they finally say, “Enough—I’ve had it!”? It’s time to join host Karla Jo “KJ” Helms, a seasoned communication disruptor, as she “Disrupts and Interrupts.” KJ interviews the bold players dismantling outdated economic networks resistant to progress due to entrenched interests. She uncovers the secrets of industry rebels and quiet revolutionaries, identifying the common—and not-so-common—traits transforming our economic markets… and our lives. Visit www.disruption-interruption.com to learn about the pioneering trailblazers who press forward toward success, even with arrows in their backs.
About Mary Guzman
Mary Guzman is the founder and CEO of Crown Jewel Insurance, with 30 years of experience in the insurance industry specializing in brokerage and underwriting. Her work has covered technology, media, cyber, and intellectual property risks, and she has held positions at Marsh, WTW, and McGriff. Guzman currently focuses on trade secret risk management, valuation, and insurance.
About Karla Jo Helms
Karla Jo Helms is the Chief Evangelist and Anti-PR® Strategist at JOTO PR Disruptors™. Having personally witnessed how cutthroat the business world can be in the face of massive capital—and how舆论 control often determines whether a company is embraced or rejected—Karla Jo, a seasoned veteran in crisis management, has collaborated with litigators, private investigators, and media outlets to help businesses rebuild public trust. Helms speaks globally on public relations, how the PR industry has lost its way, and how companies can harness the power of Anti-PR to drive markets and shape public perception when placed in the right hands.
References
Brown, A., Garnham, A., Grewal, A. K., Bonaglia, D., Rivera Leon, L., & Wunsch-Vincent, S. (March 31, 2026). Global corporate intangible assets valued at nearly $100 trillion in 2025; the United States leads among high-income economies; Morocco, China, and India top among middle-income economies. World Intellectual Property Organization. wipo.int/en/web/global-innovation-index/w/blogs/2026/the-value-of-corporate-intangible-assets-worldwide
Media inquiries: Karla Jo Helms, JOTO PR™, 727-777-4629