Should You Use Your Own Name for Your Business? - Christine Kane

What’s in a NAME? A business name, that is.

Coming up with a name for your business may not be so easy for some of us. There are three things to consider when using  your personal name as the name of your business name.

Today’s #InstantUplevel question comes from Cora…

I’m wondering what your thoughts are on using your own personal name for your business? That’s what I ended up doing back in 2008 when I started up my practice. I “defaulted” to my own name when all the other “good” names I could think of were taken. It turned out to be a very good choice for me, because as we all know, being in business (just like being a parent) is a way to super-charge your own healing journey.”

Create your own path in your business.

A lot of people actually ask me this question since my own name is featured many places in my business, and in all transparency, that really comes from my entrepreneurial journey as a singer- songwriter and my name was EVERYWHERE! I had a domain name way back from the 90’s, so my whole path as an entrepreneur now has been to create a strategy based on who I used to be and Uplevel You.

So, I tell my clients, don’t model me just because you see me doing something…

I had my own path””you’re going to create your own path.

Is your business Scalable?

Where do you see your business going? Is it SCALABLE?

Scalability is a big thing when it’s your name. If you want to grow this into the 6 or 7 figures, when your business is YOUR NAME, you have to think about how you’re going to grow it and scale it.

And it you’re Upleveling your business, this IS something you’re going to have to consider!

The strict technicalities of finding a name for your business.

Is your name HARD TO SPELL?

Is it something like Zolinda Drezenowski-Stein-Cruz? It has to be easy for people to remember and spell out. We’re in a time where people are typing in URLs and doing Google searches.

How does your name SOUND?

You really have to consider those little associations people make in their minds. Also, if you have a more common name like “John Smith,” there’s going to be a lot of you out there, and that’ll be a hard thing for people to differentiate you or try to find you on the Internet.

A lot of times people RESIST choosing a simple/basic name for their business. We all want to be clever and we all want to be stars, but I think it’s perfectly fine to bring it down to the basics call your business something simple so people can REMEMBER you!

You can do some really amazing things with just a simple URL that you can easily use on a business card, or mention during interviews and appearances.

It’s good to own your own URL being your name. BUT, if I had to start it all over, I would start with a business name.

Have you used your name as your business? Are you thinking of using your name?

4 COMMENTS ADD A COMMENT
  • Phoebe Long

    Hi
    Great video. I want to have one main business name and have all the others under that one. Example : Prosperous Business Ventures. Under that would be Integrity Freelance Writing and Integrity Virtual Assistant. I want Integrity in the name somewhere. That gives an indication of what I stand for. Do I have to register every other thing that I have under that name?

  • Cristina Berrio

    Dear Christine, I have asked myself this same question in the past… I’am a Quantum & Angel coach, I do coaching and workshops and I plan to be a writer in a couple of years… I hope I made the right decision when I chose to put my name in my business… and when I ask myself about it, I say “its perfect, because I do different things and a name related to a service would not cover all I do and want to do in the future…”. I hope I’m right lol… but maybe I think some attractive slogans would help right? I had not thought seriously about it… ok, just wanted to share my thoughts, I thank you for the articles you put in your website I love them.

    Love,

    Cris.

  • Carol Cox

    I feel ya on the porn star thing, same here.

  • Sas

    Firstly, your story about the ‘other’ Christine Kane totally made me do a LOL.
    I started blogging 8 years ago when I had a big ol’ corporate career – this was back when peeps got fired for saying things online. So I was totally anonymous. This gave me so much freedom to write from my heart and to practice the art of writing.
    That ‘blogger’ site has evolved over the years into what is now the home for my online business.
    When I re-launched my site earlier this year with all the bells and whistles I consciously chose my name as the URL – I wanted to really claim that this is me doing my thing.
    Its both scary and thrilling to be so visible.