In this resource, more than 200 consultants share the story of how they named their firm — and what, if anything, they’d do differently with hindsight.
Here are their responses, grouped by the overall categories they fall into:
Consulting Firms Named For Their Industry
Advanced Analytics LCC
Website: advancedanalytics.tech
Founder: Michael Koved (LinkedIn)
Year founded: 2017
Story behind the name:
My business focuses on Marketing Analytics so something about Analytics is descriptive. Advanced sounds beyond garden-variety.
Though not the most important criteria, company name starts with the letter “A” so as to be alphabetically sorted to the top.
Focus of the firm:
I help Chief Marketing Officers and Chief Data Officers make better decisions regarding the Marketing, technology investments and strategy.
Looking back on the decision:
So far, so good.
Compass Life Science Consulting Corporation
Website: compasslifescienceconsulting.com
Founder: Winton Gibbons (LinkedIn)
Year founded: 2016
Story behind the name:
I wanted the name to indicate the focus of my consulting, at least in part (hence “life Science”), but without being too limiting as I had just started my independent consulting practice.
Regarding adding a more banding element, I limited myself to current personal interests (e.g., I had been living on a sailboat), as being too broad would take forever. Then I brainstormed and solicited feedback to find a term that overlapped with consulting (hence “Compass”)
Focus of the firm:
Industry: life sciences, predominantly diagnostics, but also including life science research tools and biopharma.
Functional focus: market assessment / product portfolio, financing, industry specific issues (e.g., reimbursement and regulatory), and machine learning
Geographic: Predominantly US, have have done work for European firms.
Looking back on the decision:
I would choose the same name.
Data Driven Supply Chain LLC
Website: datadrivensupplychain.com
Founder: Ralph Asher (LinkedIn)
Year founded: 2018
Story behind the name:
Pretty straightforward. My practice is laser-focused on ways to evaluate, improve, and design supply chains using data. Data-Driven Supply Chains.
Focus of the firm:
Offerings Include (But Are Not Limited To):
- Supply Chain Business Intelligence and Data Visualization
- Distribution Network Design: Warehouse Location and Customer Alignment Optimization
- Manufacturing Network Design: Location Optimization and Line Optimization
- Inventory Optimization and Simulation
- Four-Walls Simulation (Distribution Centers, Plants)
- Last-Mile Delivery Network Design
- Delivery Vehicle Routing Optimization
- Supply Chain Quantitative Risk Analysis and Simulation
- Supply Chain Financial Risk Analysis and Simulation
- Corporate Training in Analytics and Supply Chain Analytics
Disaster Avoidance Experts
Website: disasteravoidanceexperts.com/
Founder: Gleb Tsipursky (LinkedIn)
Year founded: 2018
Story behind the name:
Brainstormed many potential variations with my cofounder of a name indicating the kind of problems we wanted to help clients solve, while permitting flexibility of direction. Then, chose one that conveyed the best balance.
Focus of the firm:
Strategic decision making in the future of work.
Looking back on the decision:
Probably would have made the name a bit shorter, it’s a little long
Firebrand Security Consulting
Website: firebrandsecurity.com
Founder: Christo Angelov (LinkedIn)
Year founded: 2017
Story behind the name:
I was on an extended hiking trip in Glacier National Park in Montana. On the 5th day, we started the morning by trekking through Firebrand Pass. The experience was extremely challenging yet completely rewarding once we got to the top of the pass. Over the next few days I realized the Firebrand is the perfect name for what I was seeking to do with my practice – an innovative and unconventional approach to cyber security.
Focus of the firm:
Cyber security consulting, based out of Atlanta.
Looking back on the decision:
100% would choose the same name.
Advice for others:
Don’t rush the process. Take time to get clarity around what you want to convey and do with your work. Getting out in nature to clear your head doesn’t hurt either.
I previously had a media company named Fluent Health Media and wanted to keep the Fluent Health part and added Advisors to signal the company as an advisory firm.
Focus of the firm:
Healthcare Digital Transformation advisory services to leading healthcare organizations.
Looking back on the decision:
It took several iterations to get to this name, so I wouldn’t change it.
Leveraging data and evaluation research has always been a major part of my toolkit and is part of what I do as a consultant. So the name fit my emphasis and a point of differentiation from other health policy consultants in the space who are less analytic and solely focused on relationships.
Focus of the firm:
The business impacts of Federal and State health policy from legislation to regulation and operational implementation. We’re involved in everything from advocacy on Capitol Hill to operation issues like submitting encounter data to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This also involves compliance and risk management work around government audits.
Looking back on the decision:
The name is a little too long and I should have checked for shorter options for purchasing the domain. That being said, it has worked well to date.
I have been a consultant to the private equity industry for nearly a decade. I found that if you “walk, look and feel” like a PE firm you are admitted to the club. Secondly, as part of our value prop, we make investments along side PE Sponsors as a Minority investor, in addition to providing services to the PE market.
Focus of the firm:
Operational improvement and procurement value creation for PE funds and their portfolio companies.
Looking back on the decision:
I am happy with the name.
Advice for others:
Come up with something that resonates with your target market.
MAPA Healthcare Consulting
Website: mapahealthcare.com
Founder: Gabrielena Alcala (LinkedIn)
Year founded: 2020
Story behind the name:
I made a list of 12 possible names, it was important for me that the name connected with my background, stories, and values. I wanted the name to be connected as well with my father who passed away so I play with his initials MAP (Manuel Alcala Palencia). I wanted it to be in Spanish but that could be pronounced in English.I discussed each of the names with 3 people I really value in my life. I listened to their opinion but I also followed my guts to narrow the list to 3 names. The winner was MAPA= my father’s initial+MAP in Spanish+ I want to grow my company internationally.
Focus of the firm:
I help providers transition from fee-for-service to value-based care . It is Healthcare, across the USA but mainly New England. Want to grow internationally.
Master Toy Advisors
Website: mastertoyadvisors.com
Founder: Leila Nosrati (LinkedIn)
Year founded: 2017
Story behind the name:
My consulting practice focuses on licensing and sales/retail development strategy in the toy industry. The name is a play on the term “Master Toy Licensee” — the toy company that is awarded the broadest and best license from a network/studio for the toy products associated with an entertainment property.
Focus of the firm:
My consulting practice focuses on licensing and sales/retail development strategy in the toy industry.
Looking back on the decision:
Probably. It’s kind of long, and some people spell advisor a different way. But otherwise it’s fine.
I wanted to specialize in business aspects of material science companies. I thought the material was sort of a cool pun (two meanings).
Focus of the firm:
- Industry: 70% life science, 20% chemicals/industrial, 10% other
- Function: 50% strategy (BU strats, M&A), 50% program management (PMIs and pharma quality remediations)
- Geographic: NAM: 80%, EUR: 20%
Looking back on the decision:
No! The name is annoyingly long AND misspelling prone for emails. And my intended specialization hasn’t worked out (do mostly pharma work). And nobody gets the pun, which was too cute anyways.
For better or worse, the “brand” is essentially George Palmer (not an industry or function). So I probably should have used my initials (giving me wiggle room if I got more people). If I were more successfully specialized, I think a very clear, simple industry or function identifier would be best. Just label what it is, descriptively, to the extent you can find an unused domain.
Advice for others:
Make it short so the domain is friendly for people or yourself typing emails.
Make the front part of the email short also–first name rather than FN.LN. You are not McKinsey and don’t need to keep track of 100,000 FMNOs. (I messed that up also.)
OLLO Restaurant Loyalty Specialists
Website: olloconsult.com
Founder: Olga Lopategui (LinkedIn)
Year founded: 2019
Story behind the name:
I used my initials abbreviation – I had a different business using that name a few years ago, so just reused it.
Focus of the firm:
Restaurant loyalty consulting.
Looking back on the decision:
OLLO was a horrible decision; there is a company named OLO that is dominant in the restaurant software industry and the name causes regular confusion. I’ll need to rebrand eventually. Didn’t think about that.
Advice for others:
Check the names for similar names in your industry.
Pharmaceutical Compliance Partners, LLC
Website: pharmaceuticalcompliancepartners.com
Founder: Michelle Mc Guinness (LinkedIn)
Year founded: 2018
Story behind the name:
Industry & subject matter.
Focus of the firm:
Regulatory, Quality & Compliance consulting for pharmaceutical & biotech companies.
Looking back on the decision:
I would have kept the name but obtained another domain with an abbreviated version of the company name because PharmaceuticalCompliancePartners.com is really long to type.
Advice for others:
The company name has been great at generating sales leads.
SCM Experts Inc.
Website: scm-experts.com
Founder: Philip Franz (LinkedIn)
Year founded: 2021
Story behind the name:
We are senior supply chain management (SCM) consultants with each of our consultants having 30+years of industry and consulting experience. Our perspective clients and clients are supply chain professionals that recognize the acronym SCM as supply chain management. We are looking for immediate recognition from our prospect base as to what comprises our firm services.
Focus of the firm:
Supply Chain Management Optimization. Fortune 1000 and Middle Market.
Looking back on the decision:
I would keep it. We have had multiple positive comments on the firm name. Easy for people to remember.
Advice for others:
Keep it simple. Easy to spell. Simple email address. Understandable by prospect and client base .
Stochastic gradient descent is an optimization technique commonly used in many machine learning algorithms. When I set up my practice my goal was to focus mostly on digital transformation projects and this name seemed apropos. Many people ask me questions related to the name (how, why) which creates the opportunity to tell them about what I do.
Focus of the firm:
Technology strategy, US focused.
Looking back on the decision:
I would absolutely pick the same name, probably even more than when I first came up with it.
Advice for others:
Some intrigue with a story to go with it helps.
Supply Chain and Procurement Consulting Ltd
Founder: Bob Habbijam (LinkedIn)
Year founded: 2009
Story behind the name:
I wanted a name that described what I wanted to do or could do for a client. I didn’t want to use my name or a made-up word as my wife was concerned about security and I felt that I would spend more time explaining the made-up word.
Focus of the firm:
Truck and Sheds.
Looking back on the decision:
I’m good with what I have.
Advice for others:
Make it short if you can.
The Healthcare Operations Group
Website: healthcareoperationsgroup.com
Founder: Hugh Pinkus (LinkedIn)
Year founded: 2010
Story behind the name:
We wanted a name that reflected our focus. It communicated to prospects that we knew their business and focused on operational improvements, not beautiful PowerPoints.
Focus of the firm:
Operational improvements in the health care industry.
Looking back on the decision:
The initials, T.H.O.G., don’t make for a pretty acronym.
Advice for others:
Using your name or initials as a business name communicates that you are a one-man band.
I spent time thinking about the following: the current space I am serving as well as potential areas of growth; defining the skills and services we provide (and don’t provide); considering the direct and adjacent players in this space and, finally, what sort of “tone” I wanted to convey. I shared these parameters with a LIMITED number of trusted people – clients, friends, people with branding experience to get some feedback. Created a list of about 20-25 potential options; eliminated those that posed potential conflict (e.g. Url not available, similar player already in space, potential confusion of what services we provide) and then slept on it a bit and made a decision. I did not overthink it.
Focus of the firm:
We advise Food and Hospitality clients on a range of needs from PR and Content Strategy, Social Media, Branding, Menu Development, identifying and vetting Strategic Hires, Growth Strategy, etc.
Looking back on the decision:
It’s too early to tell. I am generally happy with the name which is both functional and irreverent which telegraphs our working style.
