What's in a name?

It takes a lot for me to show my face and my vulnerability but yesterday I did and today, following such an outpouring of love and support from my customers and business friends, I’m doing it again. Only not as a live video. I’ll spare you that!

Yesterday a few things stuck in my mind: I remembered being interviewed a few weeks ago for a regional business magazine and I was asked about my business name. Back in January 2018 when I was deciding on what to call my fledgling business I chose Cumberland Flower Farm because at that time ‘Cumberland’ was the old name for Allerdale and Copeland. It wasn’t used (except for the building society and sausages) so had an oldfashioned feel to it, but was known to mean here, our place. Where we live. Perfect for flowers “that grandma grew” here in west Cumbria. Place Character Product It took a few years to actually get the farm, but we did. As I said in the interview I laughed when the council re-adopted ‘Cumberland’ as their new unity authority name last year. A ‘trend setter’ I quipped…

I believe business names to be very important in defining and differentiating your business. Sure people buy from people but they have to find and remember you in a very busy marketplace. It’s not easy to carve your niche. I’ve spent a lot of money on professional branding (seasonal logos, signage, wrap, labels, website) that epitomise our values… it’s all considered, and consequently I’ve a recognised brand, findable online. That’s really critical to my financial viability.

As if to prove my point (before the name grab shocker) I spent ages yesterday trying to find a clothes retailer I’d seen in a magazine. I couldn’t remember the name. What I thought were defining features brought up hundreds of other companies… without the name I didn’t find it.

But really, the name defines something so much more than ‘just’ a business. This field (scroll ) I’ve turned into a flower farm is one of my biggest achievements; together with Martyn we’ve nurtured it into being.

Compromised, invested, struggled and delighted in its slow, steady development. It is SO so much more than just a name!

- Harriet x