Coach Smith here, commenting on recent posts about similar-sounding business
names (specifically "Pharmasoft Medical Publishing" and "PharmaSoft of
Sweden.")

 

It may be helpful to explain what I went through when I registered my
business name in Ohio in 1989:

1.	I was required to search Ohio databases of registered businesses to
avoid conflicts as part of submitting my business application. 
2.	An Ohio official carefully explained (and referred to pertinent
laws) how similar (or dissimilar) my business name had to be in order to
register my company name. Similar names are NOT illegal, but identical names
are. "Bright Future Lactation Resource Centre Ltd" is my official business
name. 
3.	Today I searched "registered businesses in Ohio" for "Bright Future"
and found the following companies. Note that 6 other Ohio-registered
businesses have similar names, yet have absolutely NO affiliation with me
whatsoever. 

*        BRIGHT FUTURE BRANDS, LLC

*        BRIGHT FUTURE DAYCARE & PRESCHOOL, INC.

*        BRIGHT FUTURE FOODS INC.

*        BRIGHT FUTURE FOODS, LLC

*        BRIGHT FUTURE LACTATION RESOURCE CENTRE LTD (this is me)

*        BRIGHT FUTURE PARTNERS, INC.

*        BRIGHT FUTURE PRODUCTS, INC.

4.	Although not required to do so, I also searched a national database
of business names. 
5.	After I formed my business, a US Federal program "Brighter Futures"
began its work. There is a local office of this program, and we both get
calls for the other business several times a month. Neither entity is
connected to the other in any way. The business names are "separate enough"
to meet legal requirements; besides, the "Brighter Futures" program is a
federally-based program, not an Ohio-based company. 
6.	At no time was I required to search, nor even considered searching
international business-name databases. It's possible that some company,
somewhere, has a business name similar to (or even identical to) mine. 
7.	I have never had any connection whatsoever to the federal "Brighter
Futures" program or any other business with a similar name in Ohio or
anywhere else in the world. 
8.	If another business with a similar name acted unethically or
violated the Code (for example), it's conceivable that a suspicious person
might wonder if I operate in a similar manner. If such a suspicion or
speculation was aired in a public forum, without any attempt to verify the
facts of the alleged connection, I would be outraged! 

 

Linda J. Smith, BSE, FACCE, IBCLC

Bright Future Lactation Resource Centre Ltd

6540 Cedarview Ct, Dayton OH 45459

937-438-9458 / fax 937-438-3229

www.BFLRC.com  

 


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