"Growth Coach" - trademarked, but can I use it as a job title?

[eb63]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Colorado


Hi there, I am a business coach and marketing strategist. I have been evaluating my offerings and settled on a description for my services that feels very much like it describes what I do: Growth coach. I help small businesses & the entrepreneurs behind them grow, in a monetary and emotional sense.

Sounded very generic to me and I assumed it would be a common job title, like "life coach" or "success coach". Then I looked it up and saw that "Growth Coach" is a trademarked business name for business coaching & consulting.

My business is 100% operated under my own name. Is it illegal for me to put "Growth coach" next to my name as a description of who I am and what I do? Would I be infringing on their copyright if I use it generically like that?

Thank you for your help.

 

[quincy]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Colorado


Hi there, I am a business coach and marketing strategist. I have been evaluating my offerings and settled on a description for my services that feels very much like it describes what I do: Growth coach. I help small businesses & the entrepreneurs behind them grow, in a monetary and emotional sense.

Sounded very generic to me and I assumed it would be a common job title, like "life coach" or "success coach". Then I looked it up and saw that "Growth Coach" is a trademarked business name for business coaching & consulting.

My business is 100% operated under my own name. Is it illegal for me to put "Growth coach" next to my name as a description of who I am and what I do? Would I be infringing on their copyright if I use it generically like that?

Thank you for your help.

You can use the word growth, or you can use the word coach. Using "growth coach" together, however, could confuse consumers into thinking you are connected with G.C. Franchising Systems. And it is consumer confusion that drives trademark infringement suits and can spawn unfair business practice suits.

You can sit down with an IP attorney in your area for an assessment but I think you would be smart to avoid using the trademark "growth coach" as a descriptor for the services you offer.

 

[adjusterjack]

I help small businesses & the entrepreneurs behind them grow, in a monetary and emotional sense.

Then you are a "business consultant" which says exactly what you do and sounds a lot more legitimate than an esoteric euphemism like "growth coach" which means nothing.

As to the legal issue you risk a very expensive lawsuit.

 

[quincy]

Then you are a "business consultant" which says exactly what you do and sounds a lot more legitimate than an esoteric euphemism like "growth coach" which means nothing.

As to the legal issue you risk a very expensive lawsuit.

Calling yourself a business consultant instead of a growth coach is not only a more accurate description of what you do, it also sounds more professional.

You need to avoid giving to consumers the appearance that you are affiliated with another company when you are not. If it appears you are trying to trade off the reputation of a known company to bolster yourself and your own company - through the use of the other company's slogans, logos, symbols, colors or names (or something substantially or confusingly similar) - the other company whose marks you are using may be moved to take legal action against you.

A cease and desist letter, a settlement demand letter, a lawsuit, or even the threat of a lawsuit, are always bad starts to a new business.