DEAR HARRIETTE: A few months back, I decided to start my own business. It is similar to other businesses on the market, but I think I create the best products. It is an online hair bow shop with a name that has a pun. Admittedly, the name is similar to other businesses out there. However, I never thought this would be considered anything to worry about until my friend accused me of stealing my company name from another bow company! I thought long and hard about the name of my company, and it was my own idea, so I got very defensive. Just because the names are very similar doesn't mean I couldn't have thought of it myself! My friend took this as me admitting my guilt, and this falling out was a lot to deal with.

I am now thinking about potential copyright issues and my online reputation. Is it too late to change the name of my company? I don't know if this would damage future sales because customers will look for me and find the other company. -- Too Similar, St. Petersburg, Florida

DEAR TOO SIMILAR: What you need is a trademark attorney who can do a proper search for you to help you determine what makes sense. Regardless of your creative process, the search will reveal whether you are infringing upon copyright laws based on the similarity of your name to any others. It is wise to figure this out now before your business has established too large of a presence, so that if you need to change the name, it won't be too difficult.

While your friend's way of communicating concern about your company name rubbed you the wrong way, it may have been a blessing in disguise, as it woke you up to potentially serious challenges down the line.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I gave birth eight months ago. I see all of these women on social media getting back to their skinny frames so quickly after giving birth; they attribute it to breastfeeding and stroller exercise. I try to do this, but I cannot shake off the last 25 pounds. When I was at a family cookout, my mother-in-law mentioned that I was obviously not at my "ideal weight" yet. That totally stung. It's one thing to feel bad about your weight, but when other people bring it up, it hurts more. The worst part is that I comforted myself with ice cream and brownies later that night.

I don't want to get stuck with this baby weight on me, and I want to feel good about being a mother in control of her eating habits. Where do I start? I feel like this isn't just regular weight loss, it's baby weight! -- Extra Around the Edges, Jackson, Mississippi

DEAR EXTRA AROUND THE EDGES: Schedule an appointment with your doctor. Get expert advice on the next steps toward your optimal health. You already know that eating ice cream and brownies will take you in the wrong direction. Find out what you can do to be as healthy as possible. Your doctor may want you to work with a nutritionist or a trainer. As challenging as it will be, follow the guidance. Your health is worth it!

(Lifestylist and author Harriette Cole is president and creative director of Harriette Cole Media. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm dating my first white guy. So far, it's been a completely different vibe and experience. A lot of issues I've had with past relationships have been nonexistent in my relationship with him. However, there is one issue: his parents. I've met them a few times, and we do not relate well to each other at all. Aside from the typical cultural gap, they give off the vibe that they're not really too keen on me dating their son. I really like this guy, but I'm not really willing to put up with nasty parents. Should I let this one go, or should I try to make his parents come around? -- The Unwanted, Cincinnati

DEAR THE UNWANTED: Slow down. This is a new relationship. Before you walk away due to unwelcoming parents, figure out if the relationship is worth cultivating. Even in 2016, dating across cultures can be prickly for some family members. His parents' reluctance to welcome you could be because of race, but it could also be that they are simply cautious. Who knows who else he has brought home to meet them? Or what vibe you gave off?

Don't give up just yet. Figure out if you two want to be together. If so, talk about his parents' treatment of you, and work together to win them over.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I attended a fairly intimate housewarming party recently. A co-worker I am very close with just moved into a new home with her husband and invited over a dozen people. My husband and I came with a basket full of housewarming gifts, including homemade bread, and were greeted by the housekeeper at the door. I thought this was very rude. The hostess didn't even open the door at her own housewarming party! She was simply mingling, and we had to seek her out to give her our presents. This made me uncomfortable and made it seem like she didn't care about her guests as much as she cared about showing off the square footage of her new home. Is greeting guests at the door going out of style? I used to think it was standard etiquette. -- Surprised at the Door, New Haven, Connecticut

DEAR SURPRISED AT THE DOOR: It used to be commonplace for the hostess to greet each guest at the door as people arrived. These days, it is not considered to be in poor taste if someone else opens the door, even a housekeeper. By allowing another person to handle that responsibility, a host or hostess can mingle with guests. That doesn't automatically mean the person is showing off their house (even though it is a housewarming). It can simply mean that the person is free to engage everyone at the party, not be bound to the door each time it rings.

I doubt that your co-worker meant for you to feel slighted in any way. I do understand that the contrast between how things used to be done and how much more relaxed the rules can be today can be confusing. What's most important is for the host to make guests feel welcome and comfortable.

(Lifestylist and author Harriette Cole is president and creative director of Harriette Cole Media. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: I graduated from college a couple of years ago, and recently, an old friend came back into my life. After catching up over the next couple of months, we discovered we wanted to do the same thing. We agreed to go into business together.

Fast-forward six months, and we still haven't gotten anything off the ground. We haven't been moving forward due to creative differences and not being able to decide who is going to take on which responsibilities. It's gotten exhausting, and while I know that all businesses don't start off with an easy launch, I fear I might be wasting my time.

When do you know that it's time to let something go and pursue something different? I don't want to press through this only to find out I made the wrong decision, so any input would be helpful. -- Sinking Like Rocks, Atlanta

DEAR SINKING LIKE ROCKS: Schedule a business evaluation meeting with your friend. Talk frankly about your concerns. Address specifics that you believe are standing in the way of your success. Ask to get professional counseling. You can get free support from the U.S. government, through its SCORE program, score.org. Before you give up, find out if your idea is viable and what you can do to get on course.

DEAR HARRIETTE: My husband got laid off about six months ago from his job working at a successful architecture firm. At first, we thought it would be only a short time until he was back on his feet, but after a few close calls, we had to make other plans. I've been working full time the entire duration of our relationship, so working is no problem for me. And my husband has turned his hobby of videography into a stream of income, but it's not enough to cover his portion of our finances.

Recently, I've been starting to see some chinks in his armor, and I think his inability to handle the finances the way he used to is starting to get to him. How can I be supportive of my husband during this difficult time? I want to make sure he knows I'm in his corner. -- Supportive Wife, Detroit

DEAR SUPPORTIVE WIFE: It is important for you to talk to each other about what's going on. You can remind your husband of how much you love and support him. Also ask him about out-of-the-box ideas that might help to bring in income. What else is he good at? What ancillary skills might be perfect for your community? As far as the videography goes, since he's already making money at that, can he do more? Check out event spaces, wedding facilities and other businesses that regularly need videography support. If he takes that idea seriously, maybe he can build it out to be lucrative.

Tell your husband that you know something great is going to happen. Together, you two can dream up ideas and see which ones stick. As long as you work together, you should be OK. Be mindful, though, not to nag. It can be tough to feel empowered when you have no job. There's a fine line between being a cheerleader and being overbearing.

(Lifestylist and author Harriette Cole is president and creative director of Harriette Cole Media. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)