Do a Google search to see if anyone is already using the name or something similar.
Check GoDaddy or another domain provider to see if the domain is available.
If both of those fly, then check the Secretary of State’s business search to see if anyone has registered a similar name in the state where you want to form it (usually where you live). If there are other companies using the same 2-3 words and your name could be confusing to the public, the state will reject it.
If all of those are clear, buy the domain for 1 year only until you’re sure this is your long-term brand, and ask us to form your LLC and Viola, you have a new brand!
Don’t form it yourself with talking to us – so you don’t make amateur mistakes that have to be amended (like putting your home address in the public record or naming the wrong person as the Manager or registered agent, or forming it in the wrong jurisdiction).
5 Rules of thumb:
2-3 words are good. Don’t get too lengthy.
Try to use words that mean something to you.
Don’t use words that are hard to spell or pronounce (no-one will remember them).
Descriptive words are good, but they can’t be trademarked. Made-up words can be trademarked.
If you are a real estate investor and plan to buy multiple properties, don’t blow your best name on a single property purchase. For real estate acquisitions, you may not even want to use your brand in the Company name, but you can say “Presented by YOUR BRAND” or “Sponsored by YOUR BRAND.” If you blow your brand on a single property acquisition, you’ll have to think of another one next time.
Should You Really Start a Fund?
We get potential clients who reach out to us every week who want to start a fund. While we could simply take their money and set them up with fund offering documents, we actually talk a lot of people out of doing a fund. Why? Because they don’t have the necessary...