Freelancers: How'd you pick your company name?

Nov 03, 2014

Hey folks!

Talked to a few folks last week @DevLearn who were interested in starting their own consulting company. One question that came up a couple times was around choosing a company name.

Do you go with your personal name or a business name? Do you have a preference? How'd you come up with your name?

Awesome

129 Replies
Jeff Kortenbosch

In a way it does. Especially when it's accompanied by a professional looking website, logo etc.

It just gives (some) clients a more confident feeling of working with an actual company instead of 'just' a freelancer. In my case I'm actually sub contracting some of the work and that makes much more sense if you're seen as a company and not an individual.

Jerson  Campos

Along the same thoughts about how a personal name and a more business like name can bring up different feelings from a client, I read somewhere that when dealing with other businesses/clients you shouldn't refer to yourself as a "freelancer", but something more professional like "consultant".  I've actually noticed a difference in how potential clients react  and how they act towards our negotiations when I started doing this.

Jerson  Campos

Even in our own field, we have changed titles to suit the times. I believe there was a thread a while back asking for help on what title should they give themselves.  

A few examples given (if i remember correctly

Instructional Designer
Learning Manager
Training Consultant
Learning Consultant
Learning Designer
and Instructional Ninja (I've met someone with this title)

For the most part we all do the same thing, but it's how we want to be perceived in the organization we are in or who we do business with.

 

*edit - I call dibs on Instructional Ronin, or Instructional Commando so I can use this picture more often.

 Instructional Commando

This discussion is closed. You can start a new discussion or contact Articulate Support.