by Tracy Cromar
“So, is your middle name Linda or Lynne?”
The question cropped up at a recent meeting discussing the TLC Accounts logo and brand, and it made me think.
I love the name of my business – I should do, it was me that chose it – because it means something really personal and important to me.
But what does it mean to everyone else who hears it?
Business name origin
Here’s the spoiler: the T and the C are obviously from my name, Tracy Cromar. But the L is actually from my maiden name, Lynch.
It was during one of those brainstorming sessions you have as a business owner. You know the ones, sitting at home in the evening over a glass of wine?
That was when my husband Alan suggested it.
We’d been throwing ideas around for a name for my new company and I really liked the idea of using initials.
I was feeling the pressure of coming up with something really good that stands out. And then he said, “what about TLC?”
I loved it. It completely summed up what I offer – the tender, loving care approach of looking after accounts – as well as having that personal connection of my initials.
Tender
It’s the softness of the word “tender” I like, because that’s what I want to do for my clients.
I want them to be well looked after, well organised and up to date.
We always say that TLC’s mission is to liberate small and medium-sized businesses from time spent keeping track of numbers.
We’re here to make your life easier so you can concentrate on growing your business.
And there is nothing that makes me happier than having a satisfied client.
Proactive
So as I reach the next stage of TLC’s growth, an important part has been working out what we offer that’s different. What do we stand for (and I don’t just mean the T, L and C in our business name)?
I know we’re professional and accurate but to be honest, those should pretty much be a given for someone you’re going to trust with your accounts.
On top of that, I like to be proactive and solve problems for my clients that sometimes they don’t even realise they have.
On occasion I’ll do myself out of work by finding a more efficient way of doing things but that’s okay.
As I say, a satisfied client is what makes me happy.
And it’s that idea of building trust in the way I go about my work that I think is different. The “tender, loving care” that means my clients can have absolute faith that their accounts are in a safe pair of hands.
Self-care
And now I’m beginning to show a bit of “self-TLC”.
I know I’m not alone in falling into the trap of focusing on my clients to the detriment of my own business.
All my clients’ businesses were running like clockwork, but a bit of perspective showed me I needed to take some time to prioritise my own business’s growth.
It was definitely time to implement my own high standards.
A bit of self-discipline means that now my own forecasts and invoicing are in the pristine state that I’d expect of everyone else.
And now I’m looking to the future, taking a longer term view of the business and building a solid plan for TLC’s growth.
But the idea of “tender, loving care” will always be there. It’s what our success in the last six years has been built on.
The TLC is built in to the business. It’s not just the name – it’s what we do.
- Follow TLC Accounts on LinkedIn at @TLCAccounts or contact Tracy at tracy@tlcaccounts.co.uk
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