I do not wish to hi-jack this thread about business names, BUT one caveat to be aware of is the use of registered trademark names within your business name, especially professional team names or school mascot name (at all levels) of their sports team within your area. Even high schools are now legally registering their team logo and name, since sports has become a "marketing entity" in larger school districts. It is in your best interest if you do choose to identify your business name with such a team that you check with the team or school to do so and get their O.K. and a letter from the organization authorizing you to do so, or you may a have to pay a royalty fee to the organization that allows you and your business to use the name. It makes little sense to start a business, say in the Dallas area, and call it Cowboy Detailing, and have business cards printed up with the name, only to find that Jerry Jones wants you to pay $500 a year in royalties to the Cowboy organization (IE, him) for the use of the "Cowboy" name in that area.
I only say this because I live in Green Bay, home of the National Football League team Packers. We have business names with the term "Packerland" in them, some that have been in the area long before naming royalties were invoked. Even the use of the term "Frozen Tundra" and "Titletown" are used in business names, even though they are NOT registered names, they are associated with the Green Bay Packers. And don`t even THINK about using a team logo and associated colors in your business cards, as this constitutes copyright infringement. Teams are very protective of their names and logos and can (and most likely will) prosecute your business because you are profiting (IE, free-loading) from their teams` marketing expenses associated with and identified by that name and logo.
I say this because someone may want to use Optimum Polymer Detailing or Polish Angel Detailing or Mirror Brite Detailing as a business name. The first part of the name in all three cases are registered trade names. If you see a trademark superscript, registered trademark, or copyright symbol after a name, be wary about using it.
I am not the resident Autopia legal-eagle or lawyer (although on business issues I end up talking like one!). It is just something to be aware of these days.
I only say this because I live in Green Bay, home of the National Football League team Packers. We have business names with the term "Packerland" in them, some that have been in the area long before naming royalties were invoked. Even the use of the term "Frozen Tundra" and "Titletown" are used in business names, even though they are NOT registered names, they are associated with the Green Bay Packers. And don`t even THINK about using a team logo and associated colors in your business cards, as this constitutes copyright infringement. Teams are very protective of their names and logos and can (and most likely will) prosecute your business because you are profiting (IE, free-loading) from their teams` marketing expenses associated with and identified by that name and logo.
I say this because someone may want to use Optimum Polymer Detailing or Polish Angel Detailing or Mirror Brite Detailing as a business name. The first part of the name in all three cases are registered trade names. If you see a trademark superscript, registered trademark, or copyright symbol after a name, be wary about using it.
I am not the resident Autopia legal-eagle or lawyer (although on business issues I end up talking like one!). It is just something to be aware of these days.
