Changing my pen name AND business model...?

Andyhenry

14 years ago

Stop thinking about it and just do it...

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Michael Oksa

14 years ago

This is a tough question, but here's my first thought:

Change it now.

Why? Because you are entering a new field. In theory, your reputation in a different field isn't as important. So, it makes sense, to me, to start building your NEW reputation as soon as you can; assuming you will be changing it.

It would be much harder to change your name after you're established in your new business model.

Yep. That's my take on it.

All the best,
Michael

EDIT: What Andy said.

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BlondieWrites

14 years ago

First, I would consider if the *recent issues* are major enough that would really need to be known under another name, since you are already doing business under that name. If so, then I would say make another name now, before you go any further with your business. If the issues are not THAT bad, then stay who you are are just deal with whatever it is and keep plugging on, with the name you are known as now.

Branding yourself is what you want to do, obviously. And since you are already known with the name you are using, to change it now would probably mean starting over.... so just decide is the reasons you want to change are really that major.

Cindy

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Stephen Bray

14 years ago

Zabrina,

The famous German Photographer
Helmut Newton changed his name
from Neustaedter to Newton after
the war.

He never looked back.

I used to use my middle names
for my photography and my
first name and last name for
everything else.

It got too complicated!

Were I the correct gender, and
had I your youth, I would simply
aim to be known as 'Zabrina'.

It's a good name, and although
others may possess it you really
might elevate yourself to become
its ideal.

Stephen

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TelZilla

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Stephen Bray

[FONT=Georgia]Zabrina,
Were I the correct gender, and
had I your youth, I would simply
aim to be known as 'Zabrina'.

It's a good name, and although
others may possess it you really
might elevate yourself to become
its ideal.

I agree with Stephen. Why change it? You could easily brand your name, imagine in 5 years when someone says "Well, Zabrina says..." You don't need anything more than that. It's unique enough to be, well, unique.

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Rob Howard

14 years ago

I would just do it and be done with it, especially since you are newer, more time to brand yourself with the new last name.

Rob

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rizzy

14 years ago

What is the importance of not advertising everything under your own real name? Is this something most people do? I would think if you put a product out and it is of quality why not use your real name?

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Gary King

14 years ago

Zabrina,

First, I hope it's nothing serious - guess all that cash you've made has poor neighbors coming out of the wood work looking for a loan, eh?

If you feel it's important enough to do, then as Andy and others have said, just do it and move forward.

Look Zabrina, you'll built a following and friends here. If you're in need of testimonials or something for your new efforts, contact those closest to you and tell them what your new pen name is. When it comes time, ask them for their input - they will totally "get" it that you are using a pseudonym and simply help you the way they would have anyway.

If you're just changing your username here, your picture and posts will follow you (provided you're changing and not abandoning). If you're worried about being "Sally Smith, PLR queen", then don't be.

You'll have partners to help drive traffic to get you going and you can reference any testimonials, etc. simply by getting the original person to agree it's ok to change it from "Zabrina, these are the best..." to "Sally, these are the best.."

Or, even better, do a new project for those favorite customers under the new name and grab a fresh testimonial there.

All the best,

Gary

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Zabrina

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Andyhenry

Stop thinking about it and just do it...

That's generally my attitude these days, and it does typically pay off, but I think it's wise to think carefully before making a change to your name when so much comes from reputation in this biz, after all.

Originally Posted by Michael Oksa

This is a tough question, but here's my first thought:

Change it now.

Why? Because you are entering a new field. In theory, your reputation in a different field isn't as important. So, it makes sense, to me, to start building your NEW reputation as soon as you can; assuming you will be changing it.

It would be much harder to change your name after you're established in your new business model.

Yep. That's my take on it.

All the best,
Michael

EDIT: What Andy said.

Great, that does make sense to me too, just wanted to consider other opinions too and see if it's that wise after all.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by BlondieWrites

First, I would consider if the *recent issues* are major enough that would really need to be known under another name, since you are already doing business under that name. If so, then I would say make another name now, before you go any further with your business. If the issues are not THAT bad, then stay who you are are just deal with whatever it is and keep plugging on, with the name you are known as now.

Branding yourself is what you want to do, obviously. And since you are already known with the name you are using, to change it now would probably mean starting over.... so just decide is the reasons you want to change are really that major.

Cindy

Good point, but I think this change is worth it if it prevents future issues. I agree that it isn't something to do lightly. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Stephen Bray

Zabrina,

The famous German Photographer
Helmut Newton changed his name
from Neustaedter to Newton after
the war.

He never looked back.

I used to use my middle names
for my photography and my
first name and last name for
everything else.

It got too complicated!

Were I the correct gender, and
had I your youth, I would simply
aim to be known as 'Zabrina'.

It's a good name, and although
others may possess it you really
might elevate yourself to become
its ideal.

Stephen

Huh, that's a really interesting idea! I might actually do that, just drop the last name entirely, since I haven't met any other Zabrinas in IM yet.

Thanks for the thought!

Originally Posted by ccmusicman

I would just do it and be done with it, especially since you are newer, more time to brand yourself with the new last name.

Rob

Great advice, thanks.

Originally Posted by rizzy

What is the importance of not advertising everything under your own real name? Is this something most people do? I would think if you put a product out and it is of quality why not use your real name?

Of course I'm happy to use my real name... I've done so for nearly two years. The issues aren't with me not being comfortable using my real name. (I actually had a line about this in my original post, but took it out because it sounded too moralizing.

) Some people use pseudonyms for privacy, others don't. I never understood it either, until recently.

Originally Posted by TelZilla

I agree with Stephen. Why change it? You could easily brand your name, imagine in 5 years when someone says "Well, Zabrina says..." You don't need anything more than that. It's unique enough to be, well, unique.

Thanks for the encouragement -- I think I'm going to go with that idea, just dropping my last name.

Originally Posted by Gary King

Zabrina,

First, I hope it's nothing serious - guess all that cash you've made has poor neighbors coming out of the wood work looking for a loan, eh?

If you feel it's important enough to do, then as Andy and others have said, just do it and move forward.

Look Zabrina, you'll built a following and friends here. If you're in need of testimonials or something for your new efforts, contact those closest to you and tell them what your new pen name is. When it comes time, ask them for their input - they will totally "get" it that you are using a pseudonym and simply help you the way they would have anyway.

If you're just changing your username here, your picture and posts will follow you (provided you're changing and not abandoning). If you're worried about being "Sally Smith, PLR queen", then don't be.

You'll have partners to help drive traffic to get you going and you can reference any testimonials, etc. simply by getting the original person to agree it's ok to change it from "Zabrina, these are the best..." to "Sally, these are the best.."

Or, even better, do a new project for those favorite customers under the new name and grab a fresh testimonial there.

All the best,

Gary

Nothing too bad, but also nothing I want to get into in public. Suffice it to say that allowing those who are estranged in your personal life to track you down and follow every move you make isn't always a good thing. I might drop you a PM later (depending on how faulty my memory is today

).

Thanks for all the thoughtful advice, Gary.

I think it'll be less of a problem if I simply lose the last name entirely like a few have suggested. Then I don't have to change my username here or worry about testimonials -- just change my email address and domain name.

I think I'll scamper off to do that now...

Thanks
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Gary King

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Zabrina

I might drop you a PM later (depending on how faulty my memory is today

).

I have sent you one to help you remember (we all have those times!)

Gary

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mcmahanusa

14 years ago

As so many have done, retain Zabrina (very cool name) for your current niche, but use a pseudonym for other, unrelated niches. Many famous people are not known under their birth names, but rather the ones they chose:

Pseudoymn Birth name
Tony Curtis Bernard Schwarts
Mel Brooks Melvin Kaminsky
Rock Hudson Roy Sherer, Jr.
Sandra Dee Alexandria Zuck
Mark Twain Samuel Clemens
Charles Ludwidge Dodgson Lewis Carroll

The list goes into the many hundreds. Modesty prevents me from listing my own.

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Zabrina

14 years ago

Originally Posted by mcmahanusa

As so many have done, retain Zabrina (very cool name) for your current niche, but use a pseudonym for other, unrelated niches. Many famous people are not known under their birth names, but rather the ones they chose:

Pseudoymn Birth name
Tony Curtis Bernard Schwarts
Mel Brooks Melvin Kaminsky
Rock Hudson Roy Sherer, Jr.
Sandra Dee Alexandria Zuck
Mark Twain Samuel Clemens
Charles Ludwidge Dodgson Lewis Carroll

The list goes into the many hundreds. Modesty prevents me from listing my own.

Wow, I knew about a few of them, but not all. Thanks -- maybe I'll consider becoming several people. :p

Originally Posted by good2go4

I love the name Zabrina and I think it is unique enough to use for all of your efforts on its own. For myself I have usernames that are nothing like real names for some of the things I do, but for the work i do that impacts my reputation online I use my real name. I have had some issues with this in the past, but overall I think clients like to know who they are dealing with and my reputation from my writing work over the years does help a bit with my own product promotion (although not a lot yet, lol).

Be who you are comfortable being; promote yourself with integrity and if you do have a few issues they will pass especially if you handle them with dignity;

Best of luck with the IM
Lisa

Originally Posted by snowtiger

Yeah, Zabrina is such a cool, unique and memorable name as it is that I think simply going by Zabrina would be effective. Sort of like Oprah.

Thanks, Lisa and snowtiger!

Maybe I'll thank my mother for naming me while she was anaesthetized after all. :p

Originally Posted by BrettQ

Do it sooner rather than later, as everyone has said.

Switching focus is a great time to rebrand yourself and gather momentum for your new field.

Good luck!

-Brett

I'm glad someone else agrees -- I'm going ahead with doing it, and I've registered a new domain. Once the DNS propagates, I'll start setting up email addresses/changing my Paypal, etc. Really looking forward to it now. Thanks!

---

Thanks to everyone for their feedback! I've made up my mind: a name change it is; I'll just drop my last name and become the enigmatic Zabrina.

Thanks

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Sean Fry

14 years ago

Yeah, Zabrina is such a cool, unique and memorable name as it is that I think simply going by Zabrina would be effective. Sort of like Oprah.

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BrettQ

14 years ago

Do it sooner rather than later, as everyone has said.

Switching focus is a great time to rebrand yourself and gather momentum for your new field.

Good luck!

-Brett

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good2go4

14 years ago

I love the name Zabrina and I think it is unique enough to use for all of your efforts on its own. For myself I have usernames that are nothing like real names for some of the things I do, but for the work i do that impacts my reputation online I use my real name. I have had some issues with this in the past, but overall I think clients like to know who they are dealing with and my reputation from my writing work over the years does help a bit with my own product promotion (although not a lot yet, lol).

Be who you are comfortable being; promote yourself with integrity and if you do have a few issues they will pass especially if you handle them with dignity;

Best of luck with the IM
Lisa