In these times, many people are starting up their own businesses, having been downsized from corporate jobs. As I participate on professional forums, I notice that choosing a name for your new business is a serious and scary challenge for lots of people. Some spend weeks on this one issue.

The first advice for people in such situations is explained by Australian VA leader, Kathie Thomas, in a recent post. Definitely don’t stall on getting your business started just because you can’t think of a good name.

Another blog post suggests various tricks and tips for brainstorming a name.

What’s in a name? You want it to be memorable, catchy, meaningful; you want it to say “you” in a nutshell. You want to really like it, and you want your customers to feel the same.

But wait a minute. Did Google or Twitter or Adobe come up with their business names ...Click here to read the rest of this post at the Virtual Assistance and You Blog.

The Virtual Assistance and You Blog is authored by VAF member Mary of Virtual Writing and Communications Solutions.


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I agree with you on both counts Mary - I think the biggest struggle I see new VAs come in there with is actually naming their business. I think because so much rides on the final choice - and it also means it's 'real once it has a name.

And, it makes good sense to wait to name your biz - even if that means you can't print up 'official' cards or fliers, etc. just yet. The story of naming your little dog Gustav is a great analogy, because now every time you say his name, there's a tinge of regret, a hint of 'not quite right'. And when it comes to business, we can't afford even the slightest twinge of anything short of confidence when someone asks us what we do and we say the name of our business.

I think the conversations here on VAF in this very section are a great exercise to help brainstorm and narrow down ideas as well.

Thanks for a great post!

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I am definitely guilty of struggling to name my business. I have even woke up in the middle of the night b/c I thought of a name and had to write it down. I have a list of 5-6 potential names that I like. I am not letting it hold me back from moving forward with everything else though. I have plenty to keep me busy and I will know the perfect name for my business soon enough.

Thanks for the info!