The pressure that it is going to send the right message, that it is going to attract the right people, and most importantly that is going to be fitting and have the space to become everything you want it to be. When naming anyone or anything you are essentially giving it the foundation of its identity. And those are some pretty big shoes to fill.
The trend back at the time I launched my first company, was to name your business after yourself. That was not going to happen because I knew I did not want to make my company about me. I wanted it to give and have a purpose to those who trusted in me and my company. I wanted
it to be about the women I was here to uplift and be inspired by, and maybe inspire them along the way too.
Only thing is, I already had a name for my company. That name was Splurge. It was perfect and I was in love with it.
My company at the time was a product based company, much like True North Beauty is today. My company made bath and body products such as soaps, lotions, massage candles, bath salts, and scrubs.
When launching this company back in 2011, I knew I wanted the idea of self-care to be at the forefront. I wanted women to know it was ok to take time out for themselves, to do little things throughout the day that brought them joy, and to give themselves the permission to splurge a little. Especially on a good, clean, trustworthy product that would nourish their body and skin.
Hence, the name Splurge.
Splurge was where I focused a lot of my energy during a tough time. As much as I was encouraging women to splurge on themselves, I was teaching myself that same lesson. The name represented so much to me and I had a clear future in mind for the company with this name.
Here’s the catch, the name Splurge had already been taken. But just like entrepreneurship and life's journey has shown me, all things happen for the highest good.
The funny thing is, when I was faced with changing names, I realized that Splurge was not the right name for a skincare company. I start to think that we should not consider taking care of our skin as a “splurge” but rather something that fits deeper into our value systems.
Nevertheless, when I received the news that the name Splurge was taken, I did begin to panic a little. But then again, sometimes the universe forces you to do things before you even know you need to..and that was in fact the case.
At the time, here is what I knew, I knew I wanted to convey that proper skin health did more than just give us a moment of peace and pleasure. I knew that proper skin health shaped how we projected ourselves and ultimately our confidence. And I knew that I wanted a name that would have deep meaning and connection to my customer. The more I sat with the predicament of needing to choose a new name for my company, changing names became a blessing.
So here I was, with a brand new company that I was so excited about and I was knee-deep in the branding process. I only had 48 hours to go from Splurge to...well I had no idea what to call my company now.
I needed a sounding board. So I picked up the phone and dialed my sister.
My sister knew my journey and understood how thoughtful I was about building this business, so it was only logical I would confide in her about the name. She knew my past, and understood that for several years I had been on a journey of self-discovery. She understood how passionate I was about surrounding myself with the things and people that contributed to my purpose. I distinctly remember saying over and over again to her “I just need to focus on my purpose so I can stay on course. I want to build a company that is built on trust, and that serves as a point of truth for those who it serves. I want my skincare company to be for these women, my customer’s true north. ” And that’s when it dawned on me…” True North”...” True North Beauty”. Yes, that was it!
This was a time in my life where I was soul searching so much that I had a good understanding of what it felt like to have low self-confidence all while having a dream. This was also a time in my life when I was fully past my divorce and building a relationship with my now-husband. It was as if my brand was evolving as I was.
But what I love most about this name, True North Beauty, is that it has helped guide me to so many amazing women. This name has become my business. This name has connected so many women to the healthy, clean, trustworthy solution they have been searching for. By being guided to the name True North Beauty I have found my purpose. And my purpose is to provide you with products that support your lifestyle, support boosting your confidence, and support you in connecting with and relating to a brand that adds value to the most critical time in your life.
May you stay true to your north.
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