When I Captured My Company’s Name

Whenever I get an idea, I always start with the name. I never feel like a project can truly begin until it has a name. There’s this obsessive need to give the project a unique, unambiguous folder name on my computer.

This has to be the most inefficient way to start something. I admit that.

On Monday, I spent 2 hours before work trying to come up with the perfect company name. There’s a note on my computer with 32 ideas and 0 of them were serious contenders.

After work, instead of going home to sit at another desk, just to come up with 32 more bad ideas, I decided to wear my body out with 2 hours of basketball.

That night, after a hot shower, I threw my exhausted (yet endorphin-fueled) body into bed. And wouldn’t you know it? The last instant before falling into sleep – when my eyes were at their heaviest – I saw it.

I saw my company’s name on the header of a website that hadn’t been created yet.

I have to admit, I was tempted to forget about it until morning because I was so tired. But I’m glad I chose differently. So I noted it (took 5 seconds) and then fell asleep.

The next morning, I did what all creative-entrepreneurial-types would do. I checked Twitter to see if my name idea had been registered already. It hadn’t.

So I bought the domain, got the company email and registered the Twitter account.

When you’re stuck on a creative problem, sometimes the best thing you can do is remove yourself from it. Put your body and mind towards something completely unrelated to the problem. It’s amazing how this can unlock deep wells of ideas. Plus, it’s usually more fun than sitting at a desk.

Just be ready to capture whatever ideas come pouring out.