When I started my very first business back in 1996 (as a freelance calligrapher/artist), I remember agonizing over what to call myself.
One of my specialties was making ketubot, or Jewish marriage contracts (the singular of the Hebrew word is ketubah), and I needed to come up with a business name to place a listing in the Jewish Bulletin Resource, an annual magazine of everything Jewish in the Bay Area.
My challenge?
My name isn’t one that people recognize as particularly “Jewish,” so I was afraid my potential clients would make assumptions about me, and look elsewhere for a vendor.
My solution?
I created a business name that didn’t include my last name: Illuminations by Melissa
Did it make a difference? I’ll never know.
Eventually I changed that name to Ketubahworks (for my ketubah art), and Melissa Dinwiddie Designworks (for everything else).
Years later I shut down that business and pivoted to other endeavors entirely: first as a creativity instigator, then to start my consultancy, Creative Sandbox Solutions™.
What I do know is that the names and titles we give ourselves can have a big impact on how people see us.
Names are important.
For the past couple of years, since the shut-down initiated my pivot to helping companies with virtual trainings and events, I’ve been referring to myself as a “virtual experience designer,” but this label has been feeling more and more like an ill-fitting suit.
Or perhaps a better metaphor would be a single piece of clothing, masquerading as an entire suit! 😂
See, while it’s true that I do virtual experience design, that title doesn’t begin to encompass the entirety of what I bring to the table, even in the virtual space. So as a label, it feels constricting.
Because whether it’s designing a virtual off-site to change behavior…
Or strategizing how to create a scalable, live solution to onboard new customers…
Or advising on how to optimize, as well as emceeing a manager summit…
Or training teams how to lead more engaging virtual meetings…
What I really help companies with is creating highly effective learning experiences that fulfill their larger strategic goals.
All using (science-based) creativity and play.
So while virtual experience design is a big part of what I do, what I really am is a Creative Learning Strategist.
Who Cares?
Why am I telling you all this?
I’ve been focused pretty intensely on virtual meetings for the past couple of years, and I wanted to let you know that you may notice a change going forward.
If you’re only interested in virtual meetings, you may wish to unsubscribe, because I’m going to be expanding my view to talk about learning and creativity — what I see that’s broken, and how things could be different… virtually, and beyond.
As a result of this expansion, the title of my LinkedIn newsletter is going to have to change.
Unsuck Your Virtual Meetings is a great title… for a Virtual Experience Designer who focuses pretty exclusively on virtual meetings.
Not so much for a Creative Learning Strategist, who does more than just virtual experience design, and talks about a wider range of topics.
So I’m in the market for a new name (yet again), and I’d love to get your opinion!
I’ll be putting up a poll on LinkedIn tomorrow, so watch for it, and make sure to vote.
And in the meantime, hit reply if you have a name suggestion!
Here’s to more creative — and fun — learning experiences.
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If you’d like to experience some brain-friendly exercises that activate learning while building connection, come to my next Non-Boring Virtual Meetings Learning Lab.
Interested to learn more? Message me to chat about how I can use my signature system to help your employees infuse connection, joy and delight into virtual meetings, trainings and events at your workplace.
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