Help me come up with a name 4

[nmerr]

I'm at a point in my career where I have moved out of the residential / small commercial design realm for my 9-5 day job. I've obtained my PE and would like to get back into the smaller project design, inspection and consulting arena on the side. I have the contacts, experience, and the confidence to do this, however I have met my nemesis, unstructured creativity. I can't come up with a name for my LLC. It seems whenever I am faced with a toally open ended choice I can't even think of where to start.

Anyone have any ideas? I need some sort of inspiration to at least give me a direction.

Thanks!

 

[phamENG]

Nmerr Design and Consulting

Just make sure your current employer doesn't have a no moon lighting clause in their employee handbook! It may seem like nothing, or none of their business, but if you get sued they'll probably sue your employer, and your employer (or their insurance company) will then sue you again - and fire you with just cause.

 

[phamENG]

Kidding aside, I'm not much good at it either. Sometimes traditional is good. I'm in the process of developing my own plan for a similar, part-time move. I'm just going to use my name.

 

[rb1957]

do they have numbered companies where you are ?

Nmerr's Excellent Designs and Consulting … sell yourself !

Better Designs by Nmerr

RFG Designs … ok, went too far !

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

 

[DrZoidberWoop]

My initials are BS. I always wanted to open "BS Solutions" or "BS Consulting" or something along those lines. Joking of course.

 

[nmerr]

phamENG I made sure of that when I took the job, told them it was in the cards for me on my first interview. The legal issue is why I would only do this with a LLC and all the proper certificates and insurance on top of that. That should keep things legally separate, two totally different realms of work, clients and legal entities.

Part of the reason I don't want to just use my name is, I would like to be able to grow in the future, and it lends an air of legitimacy for anyone who doesn't know me personally or professionally. And I've always just disliked the "My Name LLC".

 

[nmerr]

DrZoidberWoop, I love that unfortunately my initials are not nearly as entertaining as that.

 

[nmerr]

rb1957, Ive thought of just using my name with something like consulting or design but it is long and clunky and I've always felt that it made a company feel small (except for architects but you've got to make that name mean something first).

 

[phamENG]

nmerr - where I am, only the tiny firms use things other than the primary partners' names. The big players are all "Blah, Blah, and Blah Engineering" or "Schmoe Designs." Remember, this business is primarily about the relationships you can build with the clients. Until you build your business to be large enough that a good portion of the business relationships are built by people other than you and you have a recognizable brand, your clients will be doing business with you and not your "business." Take a look at the "Offered 50% Share" thread going on for some insights there if you haven't already.

Also, are you trying to portray a cutting edge approach to structural engineering for which a catchy name will endear you to your target clientele, or do you want to project an air of established gravitas and strength in proven structural engineering techniques? These are more marketing questions than actual plans for doing the technical work of your practice, but the face you show to the world from a marketing perspective should influence the kind of name you select.

 

[WARose]

Whatever you do.....don't make it "[whomever] & Associates". Must be a million of them out there.

You may want to select something that will stand out in a internet search. (Talk to a SEO expert.)

 

[nmerr]

phamENG, I think the main focus is something that wouldn't sound out of place on projects small and large. For now there will be minimal marketing as I already have long established relationships with contractors, architects and developers so the name maters less for right now. However I want to plan for the future should I decide to turn this thing into more than a side gig so the company name will have an established length of history with no need to create a new better name to grow. Im leaning to the "gravitas and strength" direction since i am in the northeast and that seems to sit well with people here.

WARose, I totally agree Name and associates is played out unless your name already really means something.

 

[phamENG]

I already have long established relationships with contractors, architects and developers

Sounds like your name does already mean something. And going with "Nmerr and Associates" or "Nmerr Structural Consulting" could play well with the traditional mindset of New England.

 

[LittleInch]

When it comes to Ltd company names, people seem to go one of three ways.

XYZ consulting or Engineering, where XYZ is your initials

Something related to what you do so e.g. Project Planning LLC, structural design LLC, that sort of thing. It's the name on the tin approach. Only you know what you want to portray.

Something related to an area, house name or family association so Boston design, green gables LLC, bay cottage LLC



Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[KootK]

...however I have met my nemesis, unstructured creativity.

I was nothing short of dumbfounded at how difficult naming my own enterprise was. The venn diagram intersection of [meaningful + memorable + not pretentious] somehow seems to have nothing at all inside of it when you look closely.

Part of the reason I don't want to just use my name is, I would like to be able to grow in the future, and it lends an air of legitimacy for anyone who doesn't know me personally or professionally. And I've always just disliked the "My Name LLC".

I feel exactly the same way and wanted a non-name name because:

1) I feel that you can be less stodgy about your branding this way.

2) I feel that this make things more appealing to potential, future partners who, for a young firm, will likely join more as equals than subordinates.

3) I agree completely with phamENG that it's all about your relationships out of the gate. However, I disagree with him about what that implies with respect to naming. I think that you can forgo using your name corporately precisely because all of your starting clients already have a personal relationship with you and, as such, already know your name.

4) I picked an exotic name with a bit of a story behind it. People always ask about it and it makes for good ice-breaker chit chat when I need it too at project meetings etc.

Do yourself a massive favor and read the $20 book below before you settle on a name. Trust KootK... it'll be an afternoon well spent.

 

[phamENG]

KootK - your image is out of date. She released a 2nd edition a couple months ago. The name tag is blue now.

Thanks for the tip - I'll take advantage of it as well. Like I said, I'm thinking I'll probably just use my name when I set up shop, but then I may get a revelation from a good book - wouldn't be the first time.

 

[JStephen]

The American way is to spend millions and billions trying to make your name a household word. Then get bought out and change your name.
With that in mind, I'd suggest something that is not personalized to you, and not too limiting in locality.
So "Acmeburgville Engineering" is good, but a bit limiting geographically.
And something like "Eastern Plains Engineering" is better.
Check in states where you're licensed or may become licensed and make sure the name's not already in use.
Also consider local school mascot names, your alma mater mascot name, local river or regional names, etc.

 

[KootK]

I'm thinking I'll probably just use my name when I set up shop, but then I may get a revelation from a good book - wouldn't be the first time.

Legally, my business name is my name. I also carry a "Doing Business As" name which is the sexy. Unfortunately, I chickened out on what I really wanted my name to be and have lamented that decision ever since. My true identity is:

TacocaT Engineering

My kids came up with this great scheme whereby I'd have different services level reflected by associated mexican dishes. The Furry Enchilada.

 

[phamENG]

As long as you don't charge too much for your flea bitten fajita...

 

[KootK]

And the name is just the beginning of the fun/pain. Next you need a logo and a color. A friend gave me some excellent advice in this regard. Look around at what colors and fonts your clients are currently using and emulate that. With architects, it's in constant flux with the engineering firms being one iteration or so behind. Right now you see lots of orange and rounded fonts. The goal from a marketing standpoint is not so much to present yourself as yourself but, rather, as someone quite like your clients.

 

[KootK]

And I forgot something huge previously:

The venn diagram intersection of [meaningful + memorable + not pretentious+ reasonable domain name availability] somehow seems to have nothing at all inside of it when you look closely.

That kind of doomed TacocaT.