The Day I Became Mrs. Brax

How I accidentally started a business, chose a name on the freeway, and got married all in one weekend.

It was a Friday around noon in September 2005. I had just stepped out of the Fullerton Jewelry Mart, a little scared, a little excited, and honestly… shocked. I had just signed a one-year lease to start my own business.

I had no money.

No business plan.

No real experience.

And absolutely no idea what I was doing.

It was me, my husband (who was my fiancé at the time), and his friend Farzad, who was visiting from Texas. We were just going to check out the place and get his opinion. But after talking with the building manager, something shifted. Right there in the moment. No planning, no hesitation, we signed the lease.

I looked at Farzad in disbelief and asked, “What if I can’t pay the rent?”

He smiled and said, “Call me. I got you.”

What Do I Name This Thing?

As we drove from Fullerton back to Orange County, I was still processing everything.

That’s when I turned to them and asked, “So… what should I call it?”

I thought about using my last name. To honor my father’s legacy. But Farzad said, “No. You need something catchy. Something short. Something people can remember and pronounce easily.”

“Like what?” I asked.

“Something like… Brax.”

That was it.

We were heading to my sister’s house for lunch, and when we walked in and told the family what had just happened, they asked what the name would be. I told them we were thinking about Brax, and for the rest of the day, everyone was calling me “Mrs. Brax.”

The City Hall Story, and the Surprise Wedding

That Monday morning, my fiancé was off work. I told him, “Let’s go to City Hall and register the business.”

It was September 22, 2005.

We walked into City Hall and officially registered the name: Brax Jewelers.

And as we were finishing up, he turned to me and said:

“Since we’re here, let’s get married.”

Classic him.

And me being me? I said, “Sure, why not.”

We walked into the next room and told the clerk we wanted to get married. He asked if we had a witness. My husband said, “Our witness is God.” The clerk laughed and replied, “Then I’ll be your witness.”

We got married right then and there. No guests, no plan. Just us, our papers, and the same spontaneous spirit that built Brax.

After we left, we called our families to tell them the news. They were shocked, a little mad, but mostly excited. That day became the beginning of everything.

This year, 2025, marks 20 years of marriage… and 20 years of Brax.

A Sign in Germany, and a Lesson in Protection

In 2019, while visiting a friend in Germany, I was walking down a street and saw a store called BRAX. My heart stopped. I couldn’t believe it. The name I had lived with for over a decade, in giant letters across a store window.

I took a photo, did a little digging, and discovered it was a well-known European clothing brand.

When I got back to the U.S., I took action. I filed a trademark for Brax in jewelry under my business, just in case. One year later, that trademark saved me. All my ads had suddenly been shut down due to copyright claims, but I had proof. I had the paperwork. And because of that, everything was resolved and restored.

So Where Did Brax Come From?

It came from instinct. From chaos. From a passing idea in a car ride.

It came from a leap of faith and a little help from a friend.

It came from a woman who didn’t have it all figured out , but showed up anyway.

This is the story of where Brax came from. And just like that day in City Hall, it was never just about business , it was about becoming.

Thank you for reading,

Mrs. Brax