What's in a Name?
On one of our first dates, Kie and I floated down the French Broad River in Asheville. It was a hot, humid day, and it felt great to just sit in a big tube splashing our feet in the water. As we floated and chatted, we were visited by a dragonfly, and both of us professed our fascination with them. Then another one stopped by, and another, just landing on our knees and arms. It was the most dragonflies either of us had ever seen, close up, in a single day.
Ever since that August afternoon in 2015, the dragonfly has been the symbol of our relationship. That’s why it made perfect sense to use it as the name of our business.
But why change the name at all? Isn’t it easier to just keep it the same?
This is where it helps to have a clear overview of the company history. In May of 2015, I took over the business from Amy, the previous owner, who had just started the clinic 2 years before. She is the one who chose the name, designed the first website, and grew the business from scratch. I wanted to create as seamless a transition as possible for her former patients, so I left as many things the same as I possibly could, including the name.
A few months after taking over the business, I met Kie, and we hit it off right away. He was so fascinated by what I was doing that he decided to take the plunge and go to massage school. Right after he graduated and got licensed, he started seeing clients here at our clinic.
Since that time, we’ve gotten really good at supporting each other and keeping the business running smoothly. We both schedule patients, return phone calls, and help each other clean up. We’ve spent the last few years slowly making changes to the business, to personalize it and make it our own.
This is no longer an “acupuncture spa”, but a wellness center, offering acupuncture, massage, herbal medicine and more. We felt that our name, branding and online presence should reflect that. This also gives us a chance to illustrate what makes us unique. We take the time to listen to our patients, to really get to the root cause of what’s ailing them. We’re natural care takers and enjoy making people feel great. And we embrace everyone who comes through the door, regardless of their background or beliefs. It is important to us that our true selves are reflected in our name, branding and online presence.
In changing our name, we are able to have a rebirth of sorts. We get to show the world who we are and what we do, and be totally transparent and authentic about it.
Author: Elizabeth Williams, LAc is an acupuncturist in Greenville, South Carolina, specializing in pain management, women’s health, and psycho-emotional issues. She’s passionate about helping people feel their best and sharing her wealth of knowledge with the community. Elizabeth is the owner of Dragonfly Acupuncture & Massage on Wade Hampton Boulevard. Appointments can be made by calling 864-451-4313 or scheduled online.