Navigating the Startup Maze: Lessons from Connected Cloth

By Na'ilah

Starting a business is an exciting journey filled with dreams of innovation and success.  However, as the team at Connected Cloth LLC has learned, it also comes with a unique set of challenges, especially regarding intellectual property and online security.  Today, we want to share some of our experiences and insights to help fellow entrepreneurs navigate these waters more smoothly.

The Hidden Costs of Starting Up

Launching a business is undeniably expensive.  Beyond the obvious costs like inventory and marketing, hidden expenses can catch new business owners off-guard.  One of the most significant hurdles we’ve faced is dealing with third-party issues, particularly those involving scammers and fraudulent activities.

Beware of Scammers

Shortly after starting our journey, we encountered several scam attempts.  These included US patent impersonators phishing for sensitive information under the guise of needing it to complete our trademark process.  They demanded between $1,200 and $1,400 for each piece of information, claiming we wouldn’t secure our trademark without it.

Alarmed, we resisted providing any details and contacted the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) directly.  We discovered that the USPTO never requests credit card information over the phone.  Initially, this experience left us feeling confused and dejected before receiving the recorded warning when I called the USPTO.  Now, we’re just trying to protect others against these types of schemes by sharing our story and promoting awareness.

The Trademark Tangle

Another key learning point was the importance of thoroughly checking the availability of our business name, slogan, and logo.  This needs to be checked through the business name lookup in your state, the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and see if the domain name is available.  We were eager to trademark our brand elements, only to discover that although we completed the business lookup and trademark search, a business with our chosen name already existed online.  This was a crucial lesson: always check for the three places for an existing business name before settling on a name and spending money to secure it.

Domain Dilemmas

Securing a domain name should be one of the first steps in establishing your brand’s online presence.  We learned this the hard way when we purchased Connected Cloth LLC as our business name and got the trademark for the name.  What we didn’t realize was that a company, I suspect the same one that monitors the USPTO website, that tried to get money from us purchased the domain name quickly.  It disappeared right out of our cart.  This is the reason our domain name is connected-cloth.com.  This taught us the importance of buying the domain before filing for a trademark, as some companies prey on new trademarks to grab associated domains.

Key Takeaways

Through these challenges, the Connected Cloth team has gained valuable insights:

1.  Stay Vigilant Against Scammers: Always verify any suspicious claims directly with official bodies like the USPTO.  They will never ask for payment over the phone.

2.  Thoroughly Research Your Brand: Before choosing a company name, ensure it’s not already used.  Check the business name, domain name, and trademark.  This comprehensive research can save you time, money, and legal headaches, and it’s a crucial step in setting up your business.

3.  Secure Your Domain Early: Before filing for a trademark, purchase your domain name to prevent opportunistic companies from grabbing it.

Starting a business is rewarding but requires diligence, research, and a proactive approach to safeguarding your brand.  By sharing our journey, we hope to help other startups avoid the pitfalls we encountered.  Remember, every challenge is an opportunity to learn and grow.

Stay connected with us at Connected Cloth LLC as we continue this exciting journey, and feel free to share your experiences in the comments below!