What’s In a Name?

Creating a business name can be complicated.   

When I decided to leave law and pursue coaching full time, I immediately evaluated what legal structure was best suited for my new practice. I chose to incorporate and hired an attorney. I gladly pay for services that I could do myself but prefer not to. I hired a business attorney to ensure that the incorporation would be done efficiently with very little effort on my part. 

The type of entity you choose for your business determines the name, as a corporation has a different philosophy than a sole proprietor business. I wanted my business to be professional, expansive and creative. Since it is a coaching business, I wanted the word “coaching” in the name. I wanted people to find it easily in web searches. The name had to be solid, so that it could support growth, both in terms of size and services offered. The business name had to function both nationally and internationally. 

The first name “Designlife Coaching” came to me on one of my daily walks. The logo would have been a tree. I explored the viability of that name for one week and decided it was too small. 

The next name, “Coaching for Balance, “ came to me on another walk.  That logo would have been a tree leaning out over water. I considered that name for three weeks and bought the domain name for it. That name was also too small, as it limited the types of clients that I would work with.  

The final name “Expedition Coaching Inc.” came to me while hiking. I bought domain names for my name and various forms of the business name, so that I could reserve them until my practice was up and running. 

I am most creative while moving. I got my ideas in my law practice while gardening, walking and swimming. I now get my clarity around coaching in the same way.  

How do you best generate ideas?  

After choosing my business name and purchasing the domain names, I explored the concept of an expedition and researched word origins. An expedition is a “journey taken for a particular purpose.” An expedition can be a mountain climbing trip, exploring a new place, starting a business, taking an existing business to a new level, getting a divorce and starting a new life as a single person, or determining what your purpose is for being alive. 

Whatever the expedition, there are a few essentials that are useful.  

Great equipment is a must. If you are starting a business or expanding an existing one, purchase or lease reliable office equipment. Get a fast computer with appropriate software. What specific software do you need for billing, planning and the technical aspects of actually doing the work?  

Get a good map. How do you plan things out? Some people make outlines, some create mind maps, some create art and some write in journals.  Once you figure out what system works best for you, stick with it. Make a record so that you can use it to make the expedition engaging, dynamic and lasting. 

Using this map, plan out your expedition. What steps will you take? When will you take them? Who will be there to support you along the way? 

Most expeditions are done with teams. Who is on your team?  If you are getting divorced, get an attorney you trust and assemble your support team. If you are starting a business, talk to an attorney, CPA, bookkeeper, and computer consultant. 

Once I got clarity on the name, I started thinking about how people would feel about it. I ran the name by my team. At first glance (or hear in this instance), men respond more positively than women did. Once I explain the roots of the name to women, they liked it. “It sounds too hard” one colleague told me, “you personally are not hard and that is confusing. Where are you in that name “Expedition Coaching Inc.?” 

She was right. The name “Expedition Coaching Inc.” does not contain anything about me in it, except that my life has been an extraordinary expedition. The business may grow to a point where I will not run the corporation. My office manager will run the business and I may have a board of directors who oversee the corporation. I may choose to focus on presenting at conferences and working with my clients. I may have employees who tend the corporation and keep it thriving. I chose a business structure that could remain flexible and carry on with business no matter who was actually running it.

My presence, life experiences and views on life and work bring softness and personality to the seemingly vague name.

What is the name of your business? How does it appeal to prospective and current clients? What does it reflect about you? What is its meaning and significance? Does it have longevity? Can it sustain a transfer of ownership?  

If you would like to talk about naming your business and designing it to support growth, contact me at 206.855.0612 or email me at karen@karenhallis.com to hire me as your coach or evaluate my coaching style with a complimentary coaching session.