Working in the Dark: A Naming Project That Wasn’t Mine to Finish
Photo by Lhar Capili on Unsplash
Sometimes, the most instructive projects are the ones that don’t go the way you imagined.
This one started as a favor—for a friend, for free. A vitally needed product offering. A new storefront on the verge of opening. I was asked to help name a new product line, define the tone of the brand, and support its early launch strategy.
The work began post-pandemic, at a time when launching small, local, organic product businesses felt both exciting and precarious. Costs were high. Attention was scattered. Markets were oversaturated. And yet, there was a persistent drive—especially in certain rural creative communities—to root something meaningful in the land and bring it to life through beauty, simplicity, and care. The energy was, and remains, hopeful, even if the logistics were uncertain.
I worked with care. I mapped storylines, wrote user stories, generated names and taglines, and riffed on tone. I offered structure where there wasn’t any, and suggestions that built on what was already emerging. A few things landed. Many didn’t.
In the end, most of my ideas weren’t used. The product launched without a name. The strategy veered in another direction. These kinds of bumps in the road are absolutely typical of the startup experience. And that’s okay! If you work with someone who gets the process, it can be a joy to see what emerges, and when.
Notes for Founders in the Early Days
If you're a founder at the start of something new, here are a few questions that might help you decide if you're ready to bring someone else into your creative process:
Are you ready for outside ideas—even if they challenge your own?
It’s okay if the answer is no. But being honest about that with yourself up front saves your time and resources and protects your ideas until you feel ready.Are you looking for execution or exploration?
Hiring a strategist or creative partner under the guise of exploration when what you really want is someone to carry out a vision you've already locked in can lead to mismatched expectations.Can you offer feedback, even if it’s awkward?
This one is hard—I’ve been on both sides of it. But without it, collaboration can quietly dissolve, leaving both people unsure what happened.Are you open to making space for someone else’s process, even briefly?
If not, that’s totally fair. You might just need time to incubate the work solo.
One more thing
Lasting collaborations thrive on direct feedback in both directions.
That doesn’t mean everything has to be perfectly articulated from the start. But a willingness to name what’s working (and what isn’t) creates the conditions for trust, evolution, and real partnership.
Opportunities to grow in relationships are rare. When they show up, take them. You’ll end up with collaborators who stick around—not just because they believe in your vision, but because they know you’ll tell them how to support it.
Why I’m Sharing This
This experience, among others, helped shape the philosophy behind Tiny Little Cosmos. It reminded me that a solid foundation of trust and shared vision always bolsters creative input and results.
That’s why I created Anchor & Action. It’s not just a strategic planning tool, it’s a way to trial a collaboration, help articulate what might still be hazy, and test the fit before committing to something larger. If you’re struggling with some of the answers to the questions above, a session with me could help you work through the answers to those questions and get a firmer grip on where exactly you are in your creative journey. Why?
Because not every creative project becomes a portfolio piece—but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth doing.
Because clarity, structure, and deep listening are still part of the offering, even when the outcome isn’t adopted.
And because if you’re a founder or artist working through something messy and formative, you don’t need a perfect brand. You might just need a brief moment of guidance in the dark.
Anchor & Action is designed to be that space. It’s a short, focused container that helps you:
Test the waters of collaboration before committing to a long-term engagement.
Say what you're not sure how to say yet—about your idea, your vision, or your fears.
Clarify whether you want input, affirmation, or execution (or some blend of the three).
Build creative trust slowly, with shared language and mutual respect.
See your idea reflected back—not as critique, but as an invitation.
It’s not always easy to know what you’re ready for. But even an afternoon of clarity can change everything. That’s the promise of Anchor & Action. And it’s the reason Tiny Little Cosmos exists in the first place: To help people and projects move through uncertainty with imagination, integrity, and care.
That’s work I’ll always say yes to—knowing that even a small beginning can be its own kind of clarity!
TL;DR: Gave it my all, saw the struggles, and built a planning framework to address it. 10/10 would do again—and now there’s a sign-up form.
