This guy names billion dollar brands for a living, here’s his exact 3-step formula.

March 13, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

David Placek has named some of the most recognizable brands of the last three decades: Swiffer, BlackBerry, Impossible Burger, Sonos, Pentium, and Microsoft Azure. On My First Million, he explains why most founders get naming wrong, what the right name actually does for a business, and the exact process he uses to generate names that create asymmetric advantage.

Why "Comfortable" Names Fail

Placek argues that the biggest mistake founders make is choosing a name that feels safe and comfortable. This happens because of a common origin story: a lawyer needs a name for the incorporation documents, the founders spend a few hours brainstorming, and they settle on something descriptive and forgettable. The result is a name that blends into the category, creating what Placek calls "invisibility."

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What you'll learn

1 (00:00) **The Challenge: Is a Name Really That Important?** - Guest David Placek is challenged to prove why a company name is a high-leverage strategic asset, not just a label.
2 (03:43) **The Swiffer Case Study: Pro Mop vs. Swiffer** - A direct comparison shows how a name can create a multi-billion dollar difference in outcome.
3 (07:55) **The "Right Name" vs. The "Good Name"** - Placek explains the core distinction and the biggest mistake founders make: choosing comfort over originality.
4 (10:42) **Step 1: The Treasure Hunt - Category & Landscape** - The first step in the naming process is a deep, divergent exploration to avoid the obvious.
5 (13:53) **Step 2: The Treasure Hunt - Exploring the "Deep Blue Sea"** - The process of generating raw material is a massive, quantity-driven treasure hunt.
6 (18:12) **Why Brainstorming Sucks and How to Manage Creatives** - Placek reveals his team structure and a crucial management insight for fostering creativity.
7 (25:14) **David's Personal Creative Flow** - The master names shares his personal routine for getting into a naming flow.

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Show Notes

Get Sam & Shaan's pro-level biz resource vault (free): https://clickhubspot.com/kgcm

Episode 805: Sam Parr ( https://x.com/theSamParr ) and Shaan Puri ( https://x.com/ShaanVP ) talk to the branding genius behind BlackBerry, Sonos, Vercel and Swiffer about how to create a billion-dollar brand name.

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Show Notes:

(0:00) Nothing will be used more than your name

(2:01) Windsurf

(3:50) Swiffer

(10:06) Naming game: Fiber startup

(17:14) quantity leads to quality

(29:46) Problem solving propositions

(32:40) Power letters

(35:04) How Sam names a company

(40:48) Rate this brand (1-10)

(47:50) Blackberry

(48:24) When to change a name

(50:47) Presidential slogans

(51:43) Recommended reading

(53:39) How David thinks about AI

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My First Million is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by HubSpot Media // Production by Arie Desormeaux // Editing by Ezra Bakker Trupiano /