Does Your New Business Have a Unique Name?

It’s essential to pick the correct name when starting your new business.

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When thinking of business names, it’s essential to start by looking at the state’s business entities to see what is available and what is not available.

In Michigan, even if you are not ready to create your business, you can save names with the state. This way, you can ensure that no one takes your business name in the meantime.

Once you register your business with the Secretary of State in Michigan, you protect the business name through multiple ways.

Once registered, other businesses cannot make similar names to unlawfully confuse customers.

Other business owners are prevented from using a name that is confusingly similar and that have actually led to confusion previously or are likely to do so in the future.

Similarly, other names are also protected so you need to do thorough searches online and on state databases to make sure that your name is not similar to an existing entity.

When you are ready to protect and reserve your name with the state, you may want to consider protecting additional names or nicknames. You can even trademark your company’s nickname.

What if someone comes along with a similar name in the future?

If you find that someone else created a business with confusing similarity and that similarity has or is likely to cause confusion, you can seek legal action and ask a court to prevent the entity from using the similar name.

You may also want to ask for damages if you lost money due to the confusing similarity.

If you need help setting up your business, reserving a name, or taking action against a competitor with a similarly confusing name, contact Rickard & Associates today!

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