the significance of elleoquence - how and why i chose my business name
Cue the trumpets! It’s time for a big announcement!
But first, the back-story.
My work is underpinned by passion and integrity. For a long time, I did not associate either of those words with business, and the thought of running a business as opposed to helping others with their own businesses felt uncomfortable. There have been many learnings from my short year in entrepreneurship, and the latest is that calling myself a business owner does not change the way I do business. More importantly, giving my business a name doesn’t make it any less personal, purposeful, or authentic.
I will continue to act and conduct my ‘business’ with passion and integrity - and a little added ease and professionalism that a name affords.
What’s in the name?
I wanted to choose the right name for my business: one that got to the heart of what I do and how I do it. I also wanted it to ‘sound’ like me: soft, light, and playful. If it could bring a little feminine essence, that would be great as the way I work (using intuition and generating flow) and the clients I attract (actually, all of them right now) are female.
I chose the name ELLEOQUENCE , which is a light play on words and a heavy dose of what I stand for in one word. It’s a niche and a promise all rolled into one. Let me tell you a little about it.
ELLE - This is the French word for “she” and the feminine pronoun. This goes deeper than the fact that I work with female business owners (which, of course, I do). I wanted to express the energy that I bring to your project, the essential essence of what it feels like to work with me. The way that I work is introspective, reflective, and intuitive with a hint of quirkiness and fun. My personality and my approach could be summed up as “feminine” or at least having very feminine characteristics.
The business story: As women, we hold on to many generational and experiential stories about ourselves, and our part in society has been one of silence. We are often limited by our inability to step into our power and use our voices to sing our own praises. Self-expression is undoubtedly an issue for most of the women I work with whether that be defining your place in your industry, recognizing the worth of your endeavors, or finding the right words to articulate your offerings and their value to others. Reversing this cycle is a huge part of my mission and the spark that fuels my fire.
The personal story: As a British expat in Montreal, I had to deal with an unexpected language barrier. It took time and tenacity to face my fear of failure and allow myself to be the beginner again in another language. It was an isolating, exposing, and inspiring experience. I was born again in a new place with a new voice that vibrated a little higher and stronger than before. The use of the French pronoun is a nod to this expat journey and also to the number of my clients who challenge themselves to do business in English every day despite it not being a native tongue.
ELOQUENCE - The word eloquence is the clearest definition of what I provide for my clients. As a copy coach as opposed to a copywriter, I don’t write your message for you. Instead, I listen to the words that you use to describe your brand: the passion and inspiration that began this journey, the experience that you want to provide for your clients or customers, and of course, what tone and energetic vibration your words bring into the world. Then, we take your words and weave them into content with a clear message, a compelling tone, and a heartbeat. The dictionary definition of eloquence is fluent, clearly expressed, and persuasive speaking or writing. I help women to turn their words into clear, accurate, and compelling words on a page that they can share with pride and confidence.
