21 Day Practice of Capitalism – Day 15 – What’s in a Name?
Michelle LaBrosse, PMP
In any new endeavor, the name of the effort emerges over time. When I started my first company at 25 – I called it Environmental Requirement Associates. The mission of that business was to help electronics company’s adequately design their systems for the environments they would encounter. Three months later though with no clients for the first mission but having defense contractors contacting me to write their proposals for government contracts, that company name made no sense at all. I soon changed it to EnRA – which enabled me to brand it anything I wished. Another of my businesses, I called Wired for Success. When Wired Magazine sent me a cease and desist and being too naive at the time to fight it, I changed the company name to Success Connections. And before Cheetah Learning was Cheetah Learning – it used to be called Quantum Learning Systems. That was until Quantum Learning sent me a cease and desist. Well I did agree with that one and came up with a MUCH better name for the company – Cheetah Learning. So when we initially hijacked a name from another enterprise I’m setting up called Inspired Eagle for the Bed and Breakfast, and called it Inspired Eagle Bed and Breakfast, I was relieved when our host came up with a better name – the Haines Guest House. I’ve had some pretty bad experiences at Bed and Breakfasts (and some great ones too) – but for the most part it’s somewhat of a crap shoot. Especially when you’re staying in someone’s home – as it can sometimes be just downright awkward. We wanted to convey a sentiment that the home away from home we were setting up was specifically for guests and it is in Haines, Alaska. We also wanted a name that would convey an element of simple elegance, conviviality, and gracious hospitality. Haines Guest House does all this – far better than the initial name of the Inspired Eagle B and B.