How to Start a Brand from Scratch: Part 1

The Idea, The Name & The Research

Over the past several months, I’ve been developing a concept for a new hospitality brand I hope to launch over the course of the year (depending on factors like timing, real estate markets, and life in general.) At this point, after several start-ups, helping clients build their brands, and many passion projects later, I intuitively move through the initial building phases, going from a seedling of an idea, diving into research mode and creating tangible roadmaps.

If there’s one thing I know how to do well, it’s turning big ideas into realities, and for once, I thought it would be helpful to document the process here.

I am not only writing this series, but am also creating a collection of services to help you with start, refine or grow your own brand. If you’d be interested in learning more, join the waitlist here and I’ll be sharing details soon! (P.S. those who join the waitlist will get first access + beta pricing on certain offerings.)

While I’ve tried my best to deliver tangible and specific insights, my goal is to share foundational tips that will be valuable no matter what you’re building. With that being said, please feel free to leave any questions you might have and I’d be happy to answer and workshop with you in the comments (or via email.)

The Idea

I’m sure there are hundreds of “formulas” for thinking up fool-proof business ideas, but in my experience, ideas come at the right time, in the right place (as long as we’re open to receiving them.) I’ve learned that as much as I’ve tried to endlessly search for a new and novel idea, you simply can’t force these things. Or maybe you can, but that doesn’t mean you should. There are many qualities that make an idea worth pursuing (or not pursuing,) and while this post won’t be a crash course on vetting your concept idea, I will leave a few questions here for self-inquiry:

• Is this something I can dedicate myself to for the next several (to potentially many) years? (P.S. don’t let the longevity scare you. Remember there’s always room to pivot and course correct.)

• Is this something I feel like I should do or is it something I truly want to do?

• Do people want what you’re thinking of offering? (Ask them!)

• Is the timing right? Based on my personal capacity and the market?

• Who else (if anyone) is doing something similar? (Caution if no one is doing it, or everyone seems to be doing it. Even if “everyone” seems to be doing it, remember there’s still ways to differentiate your business; more on that later.)

• When and how will I make money? And is this feasible with my current phase of life?

• How much will it take in upfront investment to start? Is this something I can personally afford or will I need outside funding?

• Should I start this alone or with a partner/co-founder?

Personally speaking, the idea for this new venture has been a long held vision. While I’ve dreamed of having a hospitality brand of some kind for years now, elements like timing, personal capacity and other factors hadn’t quite aligned. I didn’t have the specifics figured out (I still don’t,) yet the essence of the idea is enough to act on.

Note: Don’t wait for the idea to be fully fleshed out. It will inevitably take (and change) shape as you go.

The Name

Ahhh…naming. I quite honestly find a lot of joy in naming businesses, even though the process can feel like a black hole of sorts, especially in 2025 where it seems every name (and domain name) on planet earth has been taken, so it does inevitably require some creativity (unless you’re using your personal name, of course.)

I put this section as the second point below “The Idea,” but this can come later in the building process. Naming is one of those tasks that’s easy to get hung up on, and can become a massive, unnecessary time suck. Don’t put on a pause on all of your other to-dos while you find the “perfect” name.

Naming is a form of storytelling. What can your name represent about your brand’s story or values? Influences and inspirations can be key to finding an amazing name. For example, if you have a physical location, drawing inspiration from your surroundings, or if you’re starting a cookware brand because of your grandmother’s influence during your childhood.

If you’re at a loss for ideas, my favorite way to brainstorm names is to browse coffee table books, magazines, etc and simply jot down all of the words I love/that are speaking to me. I really don’t edit myself. Anything that jumps out at me I write down. I also try to break down the concept itself into keywords. What are the elements that compose the concept? For example, if you’re starting a retreat company it might be: gather, community, wellness, serenity, exploration etc.

I will mix match and combine various words until I find something that sounds good (and most importantly, is easy to pronounce.) Then double check that the name is available (i.e. not trademarked and has an available domain name and social handles.)

This is a personal tidbit of mine, but I love alliteration when naming things. Our last start up was Hosted Here and this new business will be called Postal Projects (sly name drop.)

Why Postal Projects? “Postal” ties into travel/hospitality without seeming too on the nose. Drawing inspiration from stationery, postcards and the postal service, I know I want print materials to be an important aspect of the brand world. I chose “projects” because the brand will be more than one thing: a combination of stays, experiences and potential products. Plus, like I said, I just love alliteration and at this point, it’s a signature of sorts.

The Research Phase

A hefty amount of research will take place when you’re vetting your idea, but the research has to continue to confirm that:

1. This is indeed a solid and feasible idea.

2. To begin to develop the concept and give form to the idea in your head.

3. To gain a more solid understanding of where you could potentially stand in the market.

4. To get at least a loose roadmap of where you’re going.

The “Research Phase” never truly ends in business, although it’s critical not to get stuck here without taking action. Depending on what your venture is, where your research begins, and what you need to research will differ.

Research should be a combination of digital inquiry, expert insights and personal conversations.

For tangible reference, here are some research efforts I’ve been doing:

• Talking to an international real estate agency who specializes in the type of property I’m looking to invest in.

• Researching the short term rental market in Paris.

• Doing market research on direct and indirect competitors.

• Defining who my ideal audience is.

• Running my concept by potential collaborators, friends and community.

Note: do not rely solely on your personal experiences/ideas and the internet to validate your idea and build your brand. It’s so easy (especially nowadays with resources like ChatGPT,) to create things with tunnel vision, without knowing what your customers actually want and need.

This not only applies for building a new business/brand from scratch, but also anytime you’re launching a new offering. Sometimes something as simple as putting Instagram prompts/polls on your stories can provide some basic insights, however the more in-depth and personal your efforts are, the more successful (and accurate) your research will be.

As “cringey” as it was, when we were building our first tech start-up and going through an incubator program, they made us go into the streets of Paris and tell people about our start-up. Did people easily understand it? Were they interested in it? Although not every person was an ideal customer, gaining these insights were very valuable (regardless of it feeling like my worst nightmare as an introvert with minimal French skills at the time.)

While I could ramble on here for hours, I’ll wrap up part 1 of this series and turn it over to you with any questions you may have. Also, if you’re building something new (or have built something in the past,) I’d love to hear about it!

Until next week,

---

Have a new project, brand, or business idea and need help shaping it into something real? Feel stuck or overwhelmed and want a clear roadmap to take the next steps? Book a Roadmap Session designed to help you gain clarity, define your direction, and map out the next steps for your project. I’d love to work with you to turn your big ideas into reality!

More details on our fall Paris retreats coming SOON! Join the waitlist for first access to details and booking. These retreats will be crafted with creatives and (aspiring & established) entrepreneurs in mind.