The Working File 005 | Trademark the Dream: The Protection Your Brand Deserves

Why we trademarked our studio—and why you might want to, too.

It’s easy to treat your studio like a container. A place where the work gets done, where the invoices go out, where the files are delivered. But at some point—and we remember this moment clearly—it hit us: Lucca Lily isn’t just the vessel. It’s the brand.

We had poured ourselves into it. Every word, every proof, every late-night deck. Over time, we’d built trust, earned recognition, and shaped a way of working that felt distinctly us. And then one day we looked up and realized: we’d tell any client to protect that. So why weren’t we protecting our own?

Naming Is High-Stakes

In branding, names carry weight. They represent identity, values, vision. But they also come with risk if not legally protected. When we chose the name Lucca Lily, it felt natural and intuitive—personal in a quiet way. What we didn’t fully grasp at the time was the IP (intellectual property) implications tied to it.

The truth is, when you put something out into the world—especially a name—you’re staking a claim. And if someone else stakes that same claim first (intentionally or not), the consequences can be messy: cease and desist letters, expensive rebrands, or worst of all, a brand you’ve built that you legally can’t keep.

From Intimidating to Empowering

When we finally decided to trademark Lucca Lily, it felt intimidating at first. The legal language, the paperwork, the “what ifs.” But once we got into it, it quickly shifted—it felt empowering. Like drawing a boundary around something meaningful. Like saying, this matters enough to protect.

It wasn’t just a legal step. It was a mindset shift. A moment of honoring what we’d built and imagining what it could become.

A Cautionary Tale, Now a Common Conversation

We bring this up with clients all the time now. Because if you’re investing in a brand—visually, verbally, strategically—it makes sense to ask:

• Is this name legally available?



• Can it grow with you?



• Can you own it in a real, enforceable way?



It doesn’t matter if you’re a solo founder or a scaling studio—if it matters to you, it’s worth protecting. We've seen clients fall in love with names only to discover too late they weren’t viable. We've seen rushed launches turn into urgent pivots.

We always advocate for due diligence early in the process—not to slow things down, but to set the foundation right.

If You’re In That In-Between Space

Not sure if you're “big enough”? Wondering if it’s too soon?

Ask yourself this: If someone else started using your brand name tomorrow, how would that feel?

If the answer makes your stomach turn a bit, that’s your cue. Protection isn’t just about legality—it’s about longevity. It’s about stepping into the role of founder, not just creator. And it’s about treating your brand like the business asset it truly is.