Podcast Summary

Podcast: Intrusive Thoughts by Adam Rippon
Episode: Naming a Med Spa Is Way Harder Than You Think
Date: March 12, 2026
Host: Adam Rippon
Main Theme: The comedic, unpredictable journey of branding and naming Adam’s soon-to-launch med spa—now called "Atami Aesthetics Club"—including logo design, the behind-the-scenes decision-making, legal hurdles, and the personal chaos of building a business from scratch.

Overview

In this episode, Adam Rippon invites listeners into the behind-the-scenes chaos of founding and branding his new med spa. Broadcasting right from the unfinished spa, Adam humorously chronicles the challenges of choosing a name, collaborating on a logo, battling trademark law, struggling with décor, and incorporating personal history into the brand's story. The episode is candid, self-deprecating, and sharply witty, revealing just how much goes into every little branding decision most people never think about.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene & Podcast Style

• Adam records in the soon-to-open spa, aiming for a relaxed, "ASMR style" atmosphere due to the tranquil med spa setting.
• He describes the logo poster behind him, outlining his love of listening to (rather than watching) podcasts.
• The episode is filled with self-aware tangents, relatable gripes about the costs of business, and a casual, comedic tone throughout.

Notable Moment:
"[00:08] I'm a podcast listener. I'm not like a podcast watcher. You know, I love to watch videos...but sometimes, you know, I'm more of like a throw it on in the car kind of guy."

2. The Branding Journey: Poster, Décor, and Budget Reality Checks

• Adam details the process of creating a logo poster:
  • Worked with a recommended branding team from Minneapolis ("they were amazing").
  • Describes framing costs as unexpectedly high—jokes that professional framing is “anywhere between $5,000 and $10 million.”
• Shares practical tips (i.e., tape the picture down in a frame so it doesn't "manual crop" itself).
• Briefly bemoans business startup costs and how every item, including signage and framing, is pricier than expected.

Quote:
"[06:40] Framing things is anywhere between $5,000 and $10 million. I don't make the rules…I’m exaggerating, but not much."

3. Business Origin Story: Partnerships, Passion, and Timing

• The med spa began with Adam and his injector/friend Tamar, after they discovered they were neighbors and realized their skills and passions aligned.
• Reflects on his drive to find something with daily structure (unlike the unpredictable entertainment industry), inspired partly by conversations with friend Wes from "The Challenge."
• Adam is also motivated by the entrepreneurial energy of the Kardashians (“They all have, like, a business.”).

Quote:
"[19:20] I was trying to think what could I do...I loved skin care. And I'm passionate about...aesthetics, and you know, things like that. It marries very nicely into being an athlete..."

4. Naming Woes and Legal Loopholes

• Original working name: Pasadena Aesthetics Club, inspired by heritage skating clubs (e.g., Skating Club of New York).
• Had to change to Arcadia Aesthetics Club after securing a location in Arcadia, not Pasadena.
• Discovers that words like “the,” “aesthetics,” and “club” can’t be trademarked; can only try to trademark “Arcadia,” but it’s heavily used.
• The process is complicated by legal hurdles, trademark categories, and the advice of a trademark lawyer, who prefers invented words.

Memorable Quote:
"[57:40] The law takes the joy out of literally everything. Regardless. You need law, you know? You do. You really do."

5. Inventing a Name: From "Atamy" to "Atami"

• Adam’s husband JP, who is Finnish, provides the translation of "Adam" (“Atami”) in Finnish—potentially trademarkable, but lawyer raises issues as it's a "real" word.
• Adam and Tamar play with spelling, ultimately creating "Atami" (A-T-A-M-I-I), a brand-new word that combines Adam’s name and Tamar’s nickname (her family calls her "Tommy").
• This new name passes the trademark lawyer’s scrutiny and feels unique, personal, and easy to say.

Quote:
"[01:07:52] What if we change the spelling around...add the two is at the end, right? So A-T-A-M-I-I...and then it's our own word. And I looked high and damn low and could not find any other Atamis."
"[01:08:48] She was like, perfect. It's easy. I don't think you're gonna have any problems. We do it, we're the Atami Aesthetics Club. That's how we got the name."

6. Logo Design Inspiration and Execution

• Aesthetic inspiration: Old figure skating club crests, not typical med spa imagery (e.g., no faces or needles).
• Inclusion of a rose motif, honoring Pasadena—the “City of Roses.” The rose icon was developed in collaboration with the branding team and remains as a connection to the brand’s journey, even as the location shifted.
• Adam gives a playful account of tweaking design elements: "Let's add another leaf...rosebud...we made this little, like, rose situation."
• The rose crest is now central to the Atami branding—imbued with “nature, nurture, beauty.”

Quote:
"[01:13:40] I just love our rose in there. So that was because Pasadena, originally, it was like, the Pasadena Aesthetics Club, City of Roses—rose in the logo. You feel me?"

7. Decisions, Tradeoffs, and the Realities of Getting “Ready”

• Poster logo is "cute but bathroom art," but necessary due to budget constraints—“Everyone can deal with the poster, okay? They’ll deal with the poster.”
• Adam stresses accessibility (ADA compliance) and inclusivity as core to the business setup.
• He reflects on the ongoing, ever-evolving process, and the reality that his spa is finally almost ready to open bookings.

8. Call for Listener Help & Final Thoughts

• Adam requests advice for local business advertising and SEO tips, blending humor with genuine outreach.
• Recognizes the unplanned chaos and gratification of building the business with his signature candor.

Quote:
"[01:15:30] If you've ever advertised locally, reach out to the podcast...I'm begging on my hands and knees now. We're going to talk about other stuff. I just needed to get this off my chest. I'm proud of it. Ew."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Professional Framing:
  "[06:40] Framing things is anywhere between $5,000 and $10 million. I don't make the rules…"
• On Friendship & Partnership:
  "[18:34] I was like, would you ever want to do something like this together? Because, like, I feel like we could have a lot of fun. And she was like, oh, hell, yeah."
• On Trademark Realities:
  "[57:40] The law takes the joy out of literally everything. Regardless. You need law, you know? You do. You really do."
• On Making Up a Brand Name:
  "[01:08:50] So A-T-A-M-I-I. And then it's our own word. And I looked high and damn low and could not find any other Atamis."
• On Keeping the Roses in the Logo:
  "[01:13:40] Because Pasadena is the city of roses, and you'd think like, oh, they draw a rose or whatever…we loved. Feels like nature, nurture, beauty, flower, right?"
• On Building the Spa:
  "[01:16:00] It really is starting to look like a real place."

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Topic | |-----------|-------| | 00:08 | Adam sets the scene in the med spa, describes the logo poster and his recording style.
| 04:40 | The brutal cost of professional framing and business decor.
| 10:04 | Where real small businesses get prints and supplies (FedEx!)
| 15:00 | How Adam met Tamar and why they started the business together.
| 19:00 | Inspiration from athletes, entertainment, and the Kardashians to strive for structure and entrepreneurship.
| 25:30 | The legal hellscape of starting a business: LLCs, DBAs, taxes.
| 34:00 | Multiple logo versions: hero logos, watermarks, and why they matter.
| 57:00 | Trademarking: why “The Arcadia Aesthetics Club” is a legal mess.
| 01:07:30 | Adam and Tamar invent the name “Atami.”
| 01:13:10 | Roses, skating club crests, and finalizing the logo silhouette.
| 01:15:00 | Last-minute logistics and a plea for advertising/SEO help.
| 01:17:30 | Signing off: gratitude, laughs, and listener call-to-action.

Final Thoughts

This episode is an endearing, humorous, and highly relatable guide to what really happens when you try to brand a new business, as told through Adam Rippon’s unfiltered lens. He transforms otherwise dry topics—like trademarks, framing costs, and local advertising—into laugh-out-loud moments, while giving an honest account of the stress, pride, and unpredictability that come with turning an idea into reality. Adam’s journey is both informative and entertaining for would-be entrepreneurs or anyone curious about what goes on behind the "grand opening" sign.

For listener input, advice, or intrusive thoughts: Text or call 310-909-9717.