I’m looking to start a small handmade jewelry business on the side, since this is a hobby I’d be doing anyway, I see no harm in trying. I have my brand name, etc. down, but I keep getting stuck in this loop:

I feel like I need to trademark my name before registering an LLC or establishing an online presence, but then I also don’t want to waste my money on trademarking the name if my business doesn’t do well. I keep thinking I should start a website + social media accounts for the brand first to establish a presence and audience, but then I get concerned that someone will steal the brand name for themselves if it’s not already trademarked. This has led to complete decision paralysis.

I don’t have a ton of money to pour into this business other than for materials, so trademarking would mean navigating that myself without a lawyer. I’m mostly just confused on where to start.

  • xieyschaan@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    11 months ago

    Hey. You are thinking too much into it. Let me tell you what exactly you need to do.

    1. Make a basic logo yourself.
    2. Set up social media channels for the brand. (ideally instagram, tiktok and pinterest).
    3. Click decent images, make engaging videos of stuff and just post them.
    4. Get friends and family involved in sharing content and spreading the word for initial impetus.
    5. See if there is enough traction for the products before investing. If no, think of other creative ways (in content creation) to validate. If yes, then awesome.
    6. Once the business is validated, then you can register trademark and LLC and invest in website and social media management.

    Just do this and it will save you good money. Also, if you can’t make a logo let me know I will make you one for free.

    And don’t wait for a perfect time. It is already it. Just start. No brand is big on day one. And don’t let this loop stop you from starting something that can change your life.