What's In A Name?

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Integrity:  the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness (http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/integrity?region=us&q=...). 

The adoption of a business name is an important one.  It can tell lots of things about a business, including the kind of business, whose business it is and even where the business is.  Along with your business name, you can choose methods by which your clients can contact you:  telephone numbers, physical addresses, email addresses, websites, etc.  The choice is yours, and it’s exciting to be able to share the news about your business with others. 

We have the power to make our own choices in the naming of our businesses; we also have the power—and responsibility—to do the right thing when it comes to how we let the world know who we are, where we are and what we do.  While we’re all interested in making a buck (that’s why we started our own businesses in the first place) we should also be interested in the ethical way to do this.  Ethics is, I believe, of absolute importance in the community of those who consider themselves healers.  The healing community, whether physicians, massage therapists, physical therapists, or anyone who wants to help others for a living, regularly holds the trust of its clients and should display extraordinary ethics, even when it’s easier to forget ethics and go for the profit.

The decision to use a particular business name in either a website, online or in a URL should be done with no less integrity than any other business matter.  The choice to avoid the use of ethics in the attempt to gain clients is most shameful.  I am hopeful that all members of the healing community will come to realize the importance of integrity in everything about how we practice business.  From what we call ourselves to what URL we choose to what we call our websites to how we gain clients, we should practice integrity.  After all, it isn’t just ourselves we have to consider, but also the reputation of the healing community as a whole.  Before we can truly help others live fuller lives, we must learn to practice integrity ourselves. 

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” – Mohandas Gandhi

Andrea Hale

Practice Manager, Richmond Massage Therapy

(www.richmondmassagetherapy.com)

Andrea Hale is Practice Manager for Richmond Massage Therapy.  She is an Environmentalist and is currently pursuing a degree in Science, with focus on advanced studies in Coastal Ecology and Anthropology.  She is married to Maureen Hershman, CMT, Clinical Director of Richmond Massage Therapy in Richmond, Virginia.