Before I quoted a single job, I spent way too long on the business name. I told myself it mattered because customers would judge it on a truck door or an invoice. Really, I think I just wanted an easy problem to solve before tackling the hard ones.
The shortlist included "Slisko Painting" (safe, forgettable), "Peak Coat Painting" (tried too hard to sound like a mountain brand), and "Calgary Fresh Coat" (fine, but every second painter in this city already uses some version of it). None of them felt like something I'd want on a five-year plan.
After many different name attempts, Union Paint is the one that really stuck with me. It reminds me that painters need to stick together — that this trade is built on collaboration, not competition, and that we're all in this together. That's the standard I want the business to represent.
What I'd do differently: spend less time on the name and more time getting the first few jobs done well. A good name doesn't get you referrals. A good paint job does.