It is mid-morning and dirt is under my fingernails, sweat is running down my nose, and a feeling of satisfaction spreads across my face. I have spent the morning deadheading (terrifying term) and weeding my little garden. I sit down on my porch steps and begin thinking about fall and all the garden task ahead and events around the corner. I think about dreams — that the only ones worth dreaming come with hard work, sweat, and tears. Dreams never come easy. They are realized sometimes after much deadheading, pruning, fertilizing and weeding. They bloom after many days of uncertainty. They become a reality in the midst of much adversity.

This spring I found myself trying to recreate a business dream. After a really dark and hard winter, I faced the task of beginning over. The first dream had to be let go. The hard work of building a foundation and the years of experience were not lost and would be put to
good use. If you have ever started a small business or if you are dreaming of starting a business I hope this will inspire you and encourage you to forge ahead. The identity of your business flows from who you are and what you believe in. Giving your business a name that reflects this will take creative time.

Have you ever searched the internet for business names? It is fascinating. There are so many wonderful and creative people and ideas out there in google land. Choosing a name for your company is like naming a child or a special pet. The name has to be just right! It has to fit your dream and hopes.

The naming of a business is a critical step in establishing a business presence. Words matter and can speak of the heart and mission of the business. So I spent a lot of time thinking about what I wanted my new business to represent and communicate to those I would serve. “Inspired” – a simple definition is “that which is of an extraordinary quality or is arising from some external creative impulse.” “Design” is the work or planning process. Design work is time consuming yet crucial in moving the vision to a reality and reaches beyond just an idea to the creation or implementation. I desire work that is inspirational. I discovered that naming ideas come as you listen and reflect over why you do what you do. The divine spark is the driving influence. So many ideas rolled around in my head and then off my tongue. I was straining to hear the purpose and the heart of the work for this season of my life. Ultimately the decision to use Inspired Design came down to what I believe my work would say…there is an extraordinary quality that I want to deliver because I ultimately work for the Master Designer.

Once I felt sure of the name, it was time to research. The name has to be available and a domain purchased. So I went to http://www.sosnc.gov and searched for name availability. It looked like my name was available. I was thrilled! So my lawyer drew up the papers, a check was written for the fee, the envelope addressed and stamped, and put out in the mailbox for the afternoon mailman. Two weeks went by. No response. Three weeks…then early in the fourth week I called the state office and discovered that the woman in charge of this process was on a leave of absence. My letter and fee were in a pile on a desk collecting dust! Thankfully another state employer picked up the request and pushed it forward.

In just a few days, I got the news… “the name Inspired Design is unavailable”. I was stunned. My lawyer was surprised and went to work to figure out the problem. It was explained that little words like “by” are thrown out in the process so a company in the Chapel Hill area with the name Inspired by Design was too close to my precious name. So my ID had to be tweaked. We also had to check for domain availability. Again this took time a little research and locking that down before finally feeling right to name my baby, Inspired Design of NC, LLC.

When I meet someone for the first time I try to say their name a few times to just make sure I have it and will remember it. This blog is my introduction and invitation to get to know my story and consider the artistry of working with flowers and styling events. But it will also be a place where I would like to get to know you. Let’s ponder and reflect on all things that inspire.