Are there any steps that I need to take in order to use my company name as a brand name without the LLC attached to the name?

You will need to take steps to protect you busiess name as a trademark. While it is possible to have trademark rights in an unregistered ("common law") mark, as a general matter protection will consist of a combination of use of the mark in commerce followed by registration with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. An attorney can assist you in doing this.