Helping new founders turn trademark heartbreak into a brand built for growth
Nestor Moreno and Thomas McMillin had spent months building a coffee-and-cocktail concept inspired by their travels—a space designed for pause, story, and connection. But just as they were ready to move forward, they discovered the name they’d been using was already trademarked. With an LLC established, email accounts set up, and their entire identity wrapped around a name they couldn’t use, they were stuck.
The trademark issue wasn’t just a legal problem—it was blocking financing and capping their growth before they’d even opened. They could stay small and accept the risk, or find a new direction that wouldn’t limit their future. After months of creative investment, every new idea felt hollow and disconnected.
They needed more than a new name and logo. They needed a partner who could understand their vision, work within their constraints, and build a brand flexible enough to grow from day one to expansion—without losing what made their concept special.
What we did
We approached Storysmith as a strategic partner. Our work included:
Discovery sessions
Naming workshops
Brand development
Logo design
Brand guidelines
- Deep discovery sessions exploring brand purpose, values, and long-term vision beyond surface-level aesthetics
- Strategic naming exploration that honored their story-driven mission while ensuring legal clarity and scalability
- Concept development across multiple strategic directions, landing on the “bookmark” metaphor that captured their entire philosophy
- Modular brand system design built around “chapters”—a flexible framework that adapts across services, dayparts, and future locations
- Complete visual identity including logo, color palette, typography, and imagery guidelines
- Brand manifesto and narrative articulating who Storysmith is, what they stand for, and how they show up
- Comprehensive brand guidelines providing tools for consistent implementation across all touchpoints
- Structured collaboration process with intentional meetings, reflection time, and space for founder input at every stage
The result
- Delivered complete brand ecosystem: naming, visual identity, manifesto, and scalable system
- Reframed a trademark issue into an opportunity to sharpen Storysmith’s brand story
- Positioned Storysmith for expansion beyond Houston with legally sound, investor-ready brand
- Created foundational brand tools that guide decision-making from opening day through expansion
- Shifted founders from concept paralysis to confident execution
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“Trust Wide Angle with your brand. Not only is their final product excellent, but the whole process is tailored to you. They will listen to what you have in mind, analyze the issue from multiple (wider) angles, and present you with options to move toward a final deliverable. The biggest problem you’ll run into is that you’ll fall in love with every option they put in front of you.”