Business Brainstorming

Deciding on business names, slogans, logos, and the like is very fun! It can also feel a bit stressful because it is such an important part of your business.

When I was deciding on a name for the wellness center I went through a creative brainstorming process. I use this process often for creating workshop titles and the like as well. I even used it when I was naming this blog!

Here is my process:

1. Brainstorm any and all names that I have in mind

For the wellness center some of the ideas were Women's Wellness Center, Women's Voices Collective, Alive Wellness Center, Living Well Center, Wellness Living Center, Wellness for Life Center, Niagara Living Wellness, Living Wellness Institute, and several other permutations. Eventually I decided to remove women from the name because I didn't want to exclude like-minded men.

2. Define the purpose of the event or business as best I can

I knew the purpose of the business would be to promote health and wellness in a variety of ways.

3. Jot down key adjectives of the experience I hope my clients will have

This is probably my favorite part! I spend a few minutes with my eyes closed breathing deeply and focusing on my intention. Then I just let the descriptors flow! For the wellness center these were: community, dynamic, joyful, inspiring, ageless, timeless, listen, life, love, lotus, laugh, look, lively, live, life, learn, local, lush, reflect, renew, rejuvenate, rediscover. I adore alliteration so often I will focus on one letter for while...

This process eventually brought me to the slogan for the center: look within, love who you are, live out loud! I feel it perfectly sums up my intentions for the center.

4. Review the above and write mission statement

For the wellness center I created this mission statement: To provide an inspiring, peaceful space that welcomes the community in to nourish their health and wellness through a variety of healing arts.

It has the key words of inspiring and peaceful - the feeling I hope to evoke in clients - and community - I envision the center as a gathering place for like-minded individuals - and health and wellness - the main purpose of the business - and healing arts - a broad descriptor of the type of services the center will offer.

5. Sit with all of it for as long as needed

Usually I like to let it be for a few hours or days. Sometimes once I've gone through this initial process and I stop focusing on the idea for a bit I will get some unexpected insight or idea about the project.

6. Eventually settle on a name that encompasses as much of my intention as possible

Hence... Living Wellness of Niagara: look within, love who you are, live out loud!

Image credit