Eyes Ahead: Trust the Pivot and Keep Moving

by Ashley Cheung, Principal & Founder of VPG

As 2025 draws to a close, I am grateful for the many ways Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) has expanded in its fifth year. Completing five years as a startup is no small milestone. I’ve thought about the different ways we would grow, but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine how much fun we would have learning as we went and pivoting as needed. This is my reflection for 2025, and I want to share it before Mom and I head to Disney World to have some fun for a holiday season.

VPG specializes in assisting patent practitioners with Inter Partes Review (IPR) and Post-Grant Review (PGR) petitions. In 2025, these areas experienced significant changes, with instituted cases dropping by two-thirds as it shifted from three-judge panels to director reviews. Three years ago, I recognized the need to support Ex Parte Reexaminations to protect my business interests, highlighting a crucial truth: entrepreneurs must be adaptable.

Call it foresight, or what you will, we have now carved out a new growth market in training and supporting practitioners in the ex parte reexam space.

In a recent podcast with Jackie Bonilla, Director of an IP firm, Sterne Kessler Goldstein & Fox, PLLC, and a former Deputy Chief Administrative Patent Judge at the PTAB, USPTO, we discussed pivoting from a place of trust rather than fear. As we approach 2026, my message is clear: trust yourself, trust your community, and move forward with intention and joy.

First, let’s talk about fun. I was inspired by Jaime Siegel during our podcast interview when he mentioned that he tries to make sure he has fun whenever he can. I knew Jaime from my time working as a patent litigation paralegal for Sony. Jaime is the Founder of Cerebral Assets, which focuses on teaching companies to treat intellectual property as an asset class. Our talk was about reinventing oneself, being open-minded, and having fun. That word didn’t belong in my professional vocabulary previously. Growing up as an immigrant with English as my second language, I was deeply self-conscious about my accent and my non-attorney status. I absorbed my parents’ lessons well: choose stability, don’t challenge the status quo, and play it safe. For a long time, I believed work and fun could not coexist. That belief quietly dissolved over the course of 2025. Looking back, the year flew by—three podcasts (Virtual Water Cooler Chat, FEMTECH LIVE Lounge, and IP Talk: Brand Insights), live LinkedIn events, in-person speaking engagements, book launches at Times Square, and countless conversations that stretched my leadership muscles. I learned to trust my team, to encourage creativity, and to create space for innovation. I began hosting impromptu one-on-one huddles and inviting candid feedback from the VPG team. It wasn’t perfect, but we learned together. Psychological safety—giving people permission to speak up—is a skillset I hope to grow in 2026.

Second, and equally important, has been building a tribe rooted in trust and service. I believe we are most powerful when we serve the person we once were. That philosophy, inspired by Dr. Anna Yusim, has guided my work. Through podcasting and panels, I’ve learned alongside incredible thought leaders—Deepa Purushothaman, Lisa Sun, Eva Kalivas, Melissa Cohen, Julie Michelle Morris, Sasha Strauss, McNeal Maddox, and many others. Together, we translated ideas into action through initiatives like IP Talk: Brand Insights, ADAPT Voices, and live recordings at industry conferences. Moderating panels—from the PTAB Bar Annual Conference to conversations with Dr. Rory Cooper, an inductee from the 53rd class of National Inventor Hall of Fame (NIHOF) and senior legal and technology leaders—reinforced a powerful truth: when you focus on service, confidence follows.

Finally, pivoting. Saying “no” to what no longer serves you creates room for what does. I am proud that I leapt into entrepreneurship, even when I was insecure and inexperienced. I made mistakes as a business leader—but I learned that resilience is about how quickly you recover. Speed matters. Change is the only constant in business, and entrepreneurship has allowed me to define success on my own terms without compromising my identity.

As we enter 2026, VPG is investing in a podcast studio, launching Urban Raccoons Creative Hub, developing a mindset-transformation workbook, and expanding social media services. This next chapter is about fun, courage, and empowerment. Leadership starts from within. Learn from the past—but don’t dwell there. Move forward with confidence, trust yourself, and keep going.