So Why Oyster?

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I announced my new brand Oyster at the beginning of this week and I didn’t explain why it is called Oyster.  Instead I invited your suggestions.  I heard this was frustrating for some of you, so let me explain.

Oyster taught me an important lesson.  When I first heard the name, my reaction was literally ‘a gooey mess in a shell, who would ever call their company Oyster?’  Definitely not me!

When I shared the name with friends, I got a very different reaction.  Everyone liked it, without exception.  More interestingly, they started telling me why I picked it.  Stories like:

It takes time to develop beautiful pearls, just like coaching takes time and it leads to amazing results.

Pearls begin with the introduction of an irritant, isn’t that what you are as a coach?

The pearl forms within the shell, which represents the space where safe coaching conversations happen.

With these positive reactions I realized it was more important what others thought of the name.  I’ve also recognized everyone is going to have their own interpretation of what it means and that is great.

In fact, it ties in beautifully with my role as a coach.  I don’t tell my clients what to think or what to believe.  Instead I create an environment where they learn to see what is possible.  From there they make their own decision about what they wish to develop through our coaching.  And over time, it can lead to some amazing results!

If Oyster causes you to step back and wonder what it means then I am delighted.  It is the best possible name for my brand.  What does it mean to you?