You Google it. You check the domain. You look up the handle. If everything's available, that feels like a green light, but trademark law doesn't actually work like real estate or domain names, where something's either taken or it's not.

In this episode, I walk through how I actually evaluate whether a business name is taken: including what "class of goods and services" means, why two businesses can share a name and both be fine, and what changes when someone else is already using something close to what you want.

I also share a real question that landed in my inbox the same week I recorded this, plus what you're legally signing when you file a trademark application yourself.

If you've ever wondered whether your business name is trademarked already, this one walks you through how to actually find out.

• How to check if a business name is already taken (beyond Google and domains)
• What "class of goods and services" means, and why it matters
• Real example: same-ish name, same-ish class, different states
• Federal registration vs. common law trademark rights
• What you're legally signing when you file a DIY trademark application
• Coexistence agreements: when two similar businesses can both move forward
• Why a trademark strategy session beats guessing from a Google search

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