There is a lot of discussion right now and what is the best route to take to take when naming your small business. A very large majority right now go the way of naming their business after themselves. The thought process behind this is lengthy but it is usually based on wanting to personalize your business. Photographers are no longer your dad’s friend’s brother in a suite setting up two lights and taking two rolls of film and working for a studio. They are peppy, smiley, dressed a little hipster and they work for themselves at home.

It can make people feel at ease when they call the number on the business card looking for Leah Janik Photography and they get Leah Janik. Everyone loves to feel like they are getting straight to the boss.

But obviously I did not name my business after myself. I named it LuMarie  (loo-marie) Photo & Design. I am not going to argue as to why people should start veering away from naming their business after themselves because let’s face it, if my name was as cool as Jasmine Star’s and I could sign everything J*, I 100% would. I am just going to talk about why I didn’t.

• First, it is related to how I would like my business to grow. I like to design as well as take pictures, see here. And slowly but surely I want to add more products that the people I photograph can relate to. But there might come a day (fingers crossed) when I can’t realistically fill orders and work on sessions and finish at a decent hour. My time working at a desk for a gym taught me people always want to talk to the person they know is in charge. My thought is that when someone calls wanting to know about shirt sizing, I never want them to feel slighted because they didn’t reach me. For the record, if you call/email right now, it will be me.
• Lastly, my name is Leah Janik, my mother-in-law is Leah Janik. Yes, my mother-in-law, not my mother, so we are not trying to be Gilmore Girls before it was a thing. People laugh and ask if it causes confusion for the Texan. He is actually the one person it never bothered because he calls her “mom” like any normal kid. It has caused confusion with Christmas gifts, mail, friends, and my niece and nephew who have each called me “LeLe,” at least twice. In conclusion, I realized if my name creates issues at family Christmas, this is probably a red flag.

So for the people who feel strange going against the grain and not naming your business after yourself, make a list of your thoughts pro and cons of both ideas. At the end of the day, while I don’t advise it, business names don’t have to be forever. Rebranding is an option.