” But Kristy showed tenacity, deciding to move forward from her mistake and rebrand Lush Puppy, leaving no intellectual
property stone unturned along the way.
“I had to think of a new name really quickly so I could get my stock redesigned and manufactured,” Kristy said. With the
pressure on, Kristy came up with Puppy Phat—a name that she thought her customers would be able to identify with. Once her
lawyer conducted trade mark searches for her, the first thing Kristy did was apply to register the Puppy Phat name as a trade
mark.
“I’ve applied for ‘Puppy Phat’, and have also applied for a couple of other names that I’m thinking of expanding with in the
future,” Kristy said. “At the time I didn’t understand what the big deal was, but through this experience I’ve become very
protective of my own brand, and I know that if anyone else used my name, I’d go after them as well.
” Kristy has learned a lot about intellectual property from her experience, and she admits that it has forced her to make changes
for the better. Her advice to others is to be IP smart from the start and to make sure that all checks are done before applying for
a business name.
“A business name is a legal requirement which is in place more to protect the consumer than the business owner,” Kristy said.
“Business owners need a business name to operate, but to protect yourself, your business and your brand; a registered trade
mark is the important thing.