# Wanting to "rebrand" my company . . . Should I and Can I?



## swannn32 (Sep 1, 2006)

I have an existing screen printing business "Vivid Creations". This is my 4th year . . . woohoo!

Anyway - my name is not memorable, but okay for the custom printed side. 

I want to start selling shirts of my design. My delima is . . . if I get a new domain name,business cards and logo with a memorable name, what do I do when someone wants to pay me under the new name & not my existing company name.

Do I have to get a new bank account, new DBA , new Tax ID, new accounts with wholesalers, or is there someway to have the new cool name, yet keep the credit history from the old name. I only want to do the paperwork and taxes once.

I have no problem keeping the old name for everything else I do.

Advice please!


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## mshakir (Jul 7, 2006)

First, what do your customers think about your brand?

I would be scared to do it, I have a good brand name.

I sell SAAD brand t-shirts. The manufacturer made the same shirts under a different brand name. He even lowered the prices, but the shirts did not move. I had the same problem selling his new brand to my customers. So Brand name is important, if customer has a trust in it.

If you business uses your Social Security number, you can just open a new account. Your bank may not allow you to deposit checks on a new business name to your old account with your old business name.

If it is a business and has its own tax id number, then not sure if you can change the business name only and still keep the same fed tax id number.

If the business is incorporated, you may have some flexibility. You can add your new business as DBA. For tax purpose, you will use your incorporated name. You could still deposit checks under both old(inc. name ) and new dba name. You do not need a new fedex id as you will be using that id and old name for tax purposes. This probably is the best approach.


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## swannn32 (Sep 1, 2006)

Well that is good to hear . . . I am going to go talk to the bank and see what they say!

Thanks.


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## TeeMinus (Jan 10, 2008)

Just use a DBA/Trade Name. We're actually setting up several, which all funnel back into the main LLC, so that we can take several different unique marketing approaches.


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