What's in a Name?

It started with a death.

Not in the way you’d expect — no blood, no body, no detectives dusting for prints. But dead, nonetheless. The victim? A golf apparel brand.

Cause of death? Unabashed naiveté.

First the obvious: A brand needs a name and a logo. But, let’s not get it twisted: a brand is not merely a visual representation; it’s a comprehensive embodiment of a company, what it stands for, its distinctiveness, its audience and the tone it sets. Debunking the common misconception that a brand is only a logo and name, it’s critical to recognize that logos and colors are the visual facets, while the essence of a brand lies in its emotional resonance.

That said, it’s important to get the name and logo right. In this case, the name of my golf apparel brand had to reflect everything about the lifestyle, the game, the grind. I wanted golfers, real golfers, to see themselves in it, to feel a part of it. To intrinsically understand it. To get it.

I constantly scribbled brand names on sticky notes. Stickies turned into index cards. Index cards evolved into digital notes on my iPhone. Ideas came to me at all times of the day, in the middle of the night, while driving, during a Zoom call, etc.

I was flipping through a golf magazine when I came across an article about the importance of building a golf swing from the ground up with balance in mind. The minute I saw this photo, it came to me.

Fulcrum.

It’s more than a word — it’s the epicenter of the swing. The fulcrum is the pivot point of balance, the thing that makes leverage possible. And isn’t that what golf is all about? Balance. Leverage. Precision.

The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Fulcrum wasn’t just a name, it was a metaphor. The point where focus meets performance. It had edge. It had meaning. And most importantly, it had soul.

I took the plunge. Designed the logo, built the brand strategy. Even had technical samples made with Fulcrum branding. It looked right. It felt right. For a while, it all seemed to click. I was lining up marketing strategies, talking to suppliers, envisioning launch day.

But, I skipped a critical step. I didn’t trademark the name or logo.

TM.

In a future edition of ‘Builder’s Blueprint,’ I’ll dive deep into the trademark process. But for now, here’s the short version. A trademark protects your brand’s identity — its name, logo, even its essence. You submit your application to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), they review it and if it passes, there’s an opposition period. If no one challenges it, your trademark is registered. Seems simple, right? It’s not. It's a meticulous process.

When I searched the USTPO database, it appeared as though the word Fulcrum (in the apparel category) was free and clear. I pressed forward thinking that I could trademark the name later in the process.

Turns out, another company in the Nederlands owned the trademark for Fulcrum. I didn’t see that on the USTPO site because it was classified in a different category (shoe technology to be exact). Had I gotten legal advice on the front end, I would have learned that it was also classified in the apparel category. That’s why you hire a lawyer or use a service like Legal Zoom. (Real talk: this is the part of the story where I screamed FUUUUUCK!)

Cause of death.

Fulcrum didn’t die because the concept was weak. It died because I didn’t take the time to protect it on the front end. The truth was as simple as it was brutal: I cut corners by not hiring a trademark attorney to look into it deeper and now I was paying the price.

Fulcrum was dead. I had no choice but to walk away.

So, what now?

I won’t sugarcoat it: losing Fulcrum stung. But it’s part of the journey. Every setback is an invitation to rethink, refocus and rebrand. Every dead end offers a new path forward. As with any round of golf, you adjust. When the wind shifts, so does your strategy.

Fulcrum is not the brand’s final identity, but the essence behind it remains alive. And what’s coming next is, dare I say, more focused, bolder — more niche. Watch this space.

Onward!

RAZ