What’s In a Brand Name?

I have had several names for my company over the past few years. In college, my company was named Lasting Impression because I wanted to leave my mark. Then, as I was graduating, I kept thinking I wanted to leave a lasting impression outside the crowds of other freelancers entering the market. 

I never named my company after myself because I always wanted to be bigger than myself. One issue with naming your company after yourself when you are female is to be aware that if you change your name because of marriage, you will have to use your maiden name when networking as your name is now your brand. 

How I Decided on My Company Name

I did have a version of my name as my company at one point. If you scrambled my maiden name Brianne King, then it would spell out “Ink Brain.” I always thought I had ink on the brain, both figuratively and literally. We would use ink design in sketching and then ink to paper in the final process of printed pieces.

My current company name came to me after lots of time and journaling and a friend’s help. I had the word authentic repeatedly showing up in my life before “authentic” was really becoming a popular buzzword. My friend Brittany, who named my second born, helped me with “Edge,” as the edge that gives you a leg up. My talented friend Erika interviewed me, and she coined me as the “wing woman,” which I really loved! When you tell your story to someone else, they can help you get out of your head and see the perfect name for your company.

Starting as an Entrepreneur for Authentic Edge Design

After my mom died, I started my company as I was taking a step back to focus on working for myself and the passions I wanted in life that were Authentic to me. I once heard from Cathy Heller that “God doesn’t make duplicates,” and much like the snowflakes from this former gal, everyone is different. Your delivery, tone, take on life, and how you show up ultimately make you and your business go further.

Why Telling Your Brand Story is Important

Once people hear the reason you went into business, they can often remember you. This is the start of building your brand. Telling your story with your name is important to us, as naming your business is a personal aspect for our clients. When I dive in with a new client, I get to know their backstory to help me build their brand. Understanding my client is essential when building colors, themes, tone, and feel of a new or current brand.

How to Find a Unique Company or Business Name

There is nothing more exciting than seeing your name on your company. Unfortunately, when you come up with a name for your brand, you’ll need to check your local business registry to know another business with the same name.

Secondly, find a name or handle you can lock down on social media. If you can find the same name across different platforms, that is ideal. This site https://knowem.com/ will save you some time and give you all the availability on social networks. Lock it down even if you don’t plan on posting for a while. Make sure to purchase a domain ASAP so you can get the name you prefer. You want to keep your handle the same on all platforms. Potential clients won’t be able to remember that a company spells their name four different ways from one platform to another.

Contact me if you have that name and are ready to get this business launched with my branding package!