Entrepreneurs: What’s in a Name?
by Miki SaxonOver the years, founders have asked my for my opinion and ideas on naming their company and/or product.
They ask, but they rarely listen.
Especially if they already have an idea — which they are usually in love with.
They aren’t looking for ideas, let alone an opinion that differs from what they already think.
They are looking for agreement and validation.
Of course, I’m not an expert and don’t present myself as such.
That said, common sense and past flubs say that product names need to be relevant — to the product, the market and especially to the target country/language/culture.
Additionally, they need to be easy to remember and spell — particularly “created” words.
Lean methodology recommends MVPs for market validation and the same should apply to naming.
Proof of the importance of listening to market input is demonstrated by CB Insights’ CEO/Co-Founder Anand Sanwal, who recently told the story not only of how the company got its name, but also its logo.
When we started the company, we called ourselves ChubbyBrain. We were always focused on private company data but we were trying to be hip and startup’y (or that is what we’d like to believe)
Anand says their wake-up call came from a potential client.
We love the product and the data and what you guys are doing. But we can’t buy a product called ChubbyBrain.
Wow. Talk about wake-up call; more like revelry played five inches from your ear.
You can see how the logo changed, too, from this
To its current incarnation.
Amazing what you happens when you listen to the people who will actually pay you.
Image credit: CB Insights
