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You know those business lessons you usually do not learn until you are already deep in it?
This is one of those.
Helen is the designer and maker behind Three in Kind, a Pacific Northwest-inspired brand filled with original prints, stickers, magnets, greeting cards, and paper goods that celebrate wonder, whimsy, adventure, and the outdoors.
But before Three in Kind, Helen built a business called CAVU Creations.
And that name meant something.
CAVU is an aviation term that means “clear above, visibility unlimited,” and for Helen, a former U.S. Navy jet pilot who served for 20 years, it was not just a catchy business name. It was part of her story. It connected her creative work to her aviation background, and it created this instant hook with customers who understood the reference or wanted to know more.
But after years of building that brand, Helen received a letter about a trademark issue.
And suddenly, the business name she had poured herself into became the center of a decision no small business owner wants to face.
Fight it.
Rename it.
Or close that chapter and start again.
. . .
In this episode, we talk about Helen’s path from Navy pilot to creative business owner, what the early days of CAVU looked like, how she involved her kids in markets and making, and why the trademark issue became a turning point in her business.
This is not legal advice, but it is a real and important conversation about the things many of us do not know to think about when we are naming a business, launching products, or building a brand.
Connect with Helen:
Website: https://threeinkind.com
Instagram: @threeinkind
From Navy Pilot to Creative Business Owner
Helen has always been creative.
She grew up surrounded by making. Her grandmother taught her how to sew and crochet, and her mom worked as a calligrapher, with Helen and her sister creating at their own little art desk nearby.
Even while serving in the Navy, creativity stayed with her.
On deployment, she would crochet afghans and baby blankets for friends. She loved having something to do with her hands, and when she eventually transitioned off active duty and started growing her family, that creative pull turned into something more.
In 2013, she started CAVU Creations.
At first, it was crochet.
Then she moved into sewing.
Then blankets, burp cloths, children’s clothing, custom fabrics, and eventually original designs.
Like so many creative businesses, it did not start with a perfect plan.
It started with curiosity, creativity, and the willingness to figure it out as she went.
The Early Days of CAVU Creations
Helen started on Etsy, back when Etsy felt smaller and more community-driven.
She learned from forums, asked questions, watched what other sellers were doing, and began to understand pieces of the business she had never been formally taught — pricing, marketing, applying for markets, and how to actually sell what she was making.
Eventually, she moved into local markets, and that became a big part of her business.
Her kids came with her, too.
And not just in the “sit behind the table and hang out” kind of way.
They helped tag products, organize inventory, talk with customers, run checkout, and experience what it looked like to build something from the ground up.
One of my favorite parts of this conversation was hearing Helen talk about why that mattered so much to her. She wanted her kids to see the work. She wanted them to understand that if you want something, you can work toward it. And she also wanted them to learn the confidence that comes from talking with people, showing up, and being part of something.
It was not always easy.
But it was intentional.
When the Brand You Built Has to Change
The heart of this conversation is Helen’s experience with CAVU and the trademark issue that eventually forced her to make a major decision.
When Helen first chose the name CAVU, she did research.
She looked it up.
She checked what else existed.
She registered her business name with Washington State.
And at the time, she did not see anything in her specific lane that raised concern.
So she moved forward.
For years, she built the brand.
Then, nine years into business, she received a letter from a lawyer saying she needed to stop using the name because of another company with a similar-sounding name and a registered trademark.
And what made it especially painful was that CAVU was not just a random name to Helen.
It was personal.
It was connected to her aviation background.
It helped customers understand a unique part of her story.
It gave her a way to talk about being a Navy pilot, especially with kids and families who came into her booth.
Losing that name meant losing a piece of the brand’s identity.
The Practical Side of a Trademark Issue
One of the most valuable parts of Helen’s story is how honestly she talks about the practical side.
She spoke with lawyers.
She looked into her options.
She learned that even if she fought the trademark issue and won, recovering legal fees would be extremely difficult.
She estimated it could cost at least $10,000 to defend herself.
And even though there were arguments that could have been made in her favor, it was not a guarantee.
For Helen, the risk, stress, and emotional weight were not worth it.
She also discovered that her business insurance did not cover this situation, even though she had solid insurance for liability and her products.
That was such an important reminder: business insurance matters, but it does not automatically protect you from every possible business challenge.
Again, this is not legal advice - but it is such a good thing for small business owners to ask better questions, do deeper research, and understand what protections they do and do not have.
Choosing Not to Fight
Helen could have tried to keep going under a new version of CAVU.
She could have renamed the same business.
She could have fought.
But by that point, she was already feeling a shift.
Her kids were getting older. The handmade production side had started to feel less joyful. She was sewing more to keep up with inventory than because she loved the process.
And markets, while still something she enjoyed, were taking place during evenings, weekends, and summers - the exact times she wanted to be with her family.
So the trademark issue became a forced pivot, but it also pushed forward a change she had already been feeling.
That part of the story really stood out to me.
Because sometimes we know something needs to change, but we do not choose the timing.
Sometimes the pivot comes before we feel ready.
Creating Three in Kind
Out of that season came Three in Kind.
The name is a play on “two of a kind” or “three of a kind,” and it is an homage to Helen’s three kids and their kindness.
This time, Helen wanted a name that gave her room.
Room to grow.
Room to change.
Room to create different types of products without being boxed into one category.
That was a lesson she carried from CAVU. Her business had evolved so much over the years, and she did not want the next name to limit what could come next.
Today, Three in Kind includes prints, stickers, buttons, magnets, greeting cards, and other paper goods inspired by the Pacific Northwest.
It still carries Helen’s creativity.
It still carries her love of the outdoors.
It still carries the heart of what she built.
But it fits this new season better.
The Lesson for Small Business Owners
If there is one big takeaway from this conversation, it is this:
Your business name matters.
Not because it has to be perfect.
Not because you need to have everything figured out from day one.
But because a name can become part of your identity, your customer connection, your product story, and your future options.
Helen’s advice is simple but important: research.
Research your name.
Research product names.
Talk to other makers and business owners.
Look for artist resources in your area.
Ask questions before you assume you are protected.
And remember that what worked for someone else may not work for you.
So many creative entrepreneurs start with the fun parts - the product, the design, the market table, the website, the Instagram account.
And those things matter.
But the behind-the-scenes pieces matter, too.
Finding Your Community
Another thread that came up again and again in this conversation was community.
Helen talked about how much she learned from other artists, makers, and vendors - not just people making the same type of product, but people in completely different categories.
Woodworkers.
Digital artists.
Sewists.
Jewelry makers.
Market vendors.
Everyone had something to teach.
And when you are a small business owner, especially a solo creative, you do not have an HR department or a legal team or a marketing department sitting down the hall.
You have to build your own circle of support.
That might be fellow makers.
Local artist organizations.
Market friends.
Business mentors.
People who have been through the thing you are trying to figure out.
The more you talk to people, the more you realize you are not doing this alone.
Starting Over Does Not Mean Starting From Scratch
What I loved most about Helen’s story is that closing CAVU did not end her creativity.
It changed the path.
It forced a decision.
It came with grief and frustration.
It was not the way she would have chosen to close that chapter.
But it also led her to ask better questions.
What do I want this next business to feel like?
What products do I actually want to make?
How do I want to spend my time?
What works for my family now?
What kind of brand gives me room to grow?
That is such a powerful reminder for any business owner.
A pivot does not mean you failed.
Sometimes it means you are paying attention.
Sometimes it means you are protecting your peace.
Sometimes it means you are finally building something that fits the season you are actually in.
Helen’s story is honest, practical, and generous - and I think every small business owner will walk away with something to think about.
Especially if you are naming something right now.
Do the research.
Ask the questions.
Find your people.
And build something that has room to grow with you.
Connect with Helen:
Website: https://threeinkind.com
Instagram: @threeinkind
