Name For Small Business

[Parker22]

Hello guys, My father and I are going to start doing a bit of excavation/demo/trucking work. I am 21 years old, and he just traded in his old skid for a Deere 320D (which we bought together as well as a FL70 dump truck) and we decided we would start advertising and try to get a small business going. We farm, (well him and my uncle farm, I farm as well but not near enough to make a living yet) I have 2 years left in college so if business is slow for a while that is okay. If somehow it picks up quickly my father, uncle, and their hired man are available other than planting and harvest season to cover for me if I am in class.

Equipment we have:

Skid: Deere 320D
Backhoe: Deere 410G
Dump Truck: Freightliner FL70 with 10' dump box
Other trucks available (figure if work picks up may use a bigger tandem for a bigger job if needed, but not planning on it because all our other trucks have farm plates)

I am having trouble deciding on a name.

Here is the work we plan on doing and have some experience with:

Teardown of garages
Demo of other smallish buidlings
Removal of concrete (sidewalks.. driveways.. garage floors.. old building sites..)
Small tree removal possibly
Hauling and spreading of dirt and rock (gravel for drive ways.. etc.)
Misc. Skid Steer and Backhoe work as well....
Field Tile Repair

Anyway, I am thinking the name should be: Smith's Trucking and Excavating

Do you guys think that name covers it well enough?

We are meeting with our insurance man this week, we are not sure on if we want to set it up as a LLC or not, if we do it will be quite a bit cheaper...

Anyone else have any suggestions as to a name or as to getting off to a good start? My father and uncle used to do a lot of backhoe work about 10 years ago and they also want to get back into it somewhat but I will be the main guy so to say. I will need their advice to begin with on some jobs of course.

Thanks!

 

[Parker22]

Also, I plan to advertise via word of mouth (farming community will hopefully pass my name around) and for the surrounding towns (one of which has a pop of nearly 100,000) I will probably take out a add in the phone book depending on cost and my sisters fiancé is good at making websites. I figure a website would be great for more in town jobs so people can see my list of services and what not. Name and number will be on the FL-70, as well as my every day pickup.

 

[pointrow]

Where in Il. ?

 

[Parker22]

Where in Il. ?

East Central... How about you?

 

[Steve Frazier]

I'm all for using your name for your business name, it shows a commitment to what your are doing and that your name stands behind it. If your name actually is Smith however, check around for the reputation of other contractors called Smith. In my location there are about a half dozen Smiths that do paving and they all have a reputation.....BAD!!

 

[Parker22]

What I'm most concerned about is whether or not excavating is the correct term for the services I plan to offer...

 

[RocksnRoses]

I'm all for keeping names short and if you can keep your name in there, it does have more effect, unfortunately, as Steve says, that could be a bit of a problem. How about Smith Contracting, or if there are other Smiths in your area, include your first name, eg; Greg Smith Contracting, the other option is if your father is in the business as well and I know it probably sounds a bit corny these days, Smith & Son Contracting. By including your name, people will get to know your business and you, much quicker than if it is just a place name or some other obscure name, because they associate the person with the business.

Just my thoughts.

RnR.

 

[pointrow]

East Central... How about you?

near peoria. You mentioned tile repair. Hard to charge what it takes to make money doing repairs. What about getting into tileing? Seems to be a shortage of contractors available.

 

[Parker22]

Our farm has considered getting into tiling, but for now I do not think we will. I am from around the Champaign area.

 

[Randy88]

Your reputation is your key asset, for a start up company, figure out what your going to be doing most then have that in the title somewhere, otherwise go with tom smith enterprises or something like that, I started with just my name on my truck and equipment, along with a number to call, but above all don't let the quality of the work you do ever slip, it'll shut you down quicker than anything. If there are a lot of smiths in your area, you need to somehow advertise differently than they do, by not only the name but also style of logo's they use, especially if they have a bad reputation, if there are some with smith that have a really bad reputation, don't use smith at all in the name. There was a guy years back that used the logo of "the digger man" on his stuff, look through the catchy company logo's here on this site to see what others use from different area's that may apply to you in your area. some others are the 'the backhoe man" or I've seen just a number on equipment to call, with no name. I wouldn't get too hung up on a name at first, you just need a way for people to get ahold of you, a number is the most important thing to have on anything.

 

[ibleedyellow]

How many posts do i need to have to be able to write a new topic i thought it was 3!?!?!?!?

 

[KSSS]

How about the "DIRT SMITHS"


My main suggestion would be to pick an original sounding name that reflects who you are and where you want to go. Its tough to change it later. I would avoid Smith backhoe or something like that. The name limits you, much like my name does.

 

[heavylift]

First name...
Phone book a waste of money, as the dozen or so I get a year go straight to the trash.
Internet is the way, when picking a name, google it.... If that name shows up with tons of lawsuits avoid it... Porn well DUH... just make sure your name is short and easy to remember.
Remember if you pick a web site, keep it up to date, paid up, if you site is closed then people will think your business is closed

"Joe's" Construction Services with a logo of a skid steer and backhoe... they will know you have a dump truck if you pulling the equipment.

 

[wosama931b]

Hi, I have a small Buiz., I wish now that i had left my name out of it, i get a lot of call from people wanting the other people that have the same last name.
Also keeping your name out of the Biz. may allow you too sell it, and still work there, or you may want to do something else. And the value may go up more
if you have a catchy name, try one that rimes.

 

[lowbed driver]

around here alot of the logging contractors name their company after creeks,rivers or lakes. _ _ _ _ CREEK LOGGING, _ _ _ _ LAKE LOGGING. Some pretty good names seem to show up this way. If you have a creek,river ,lake or some other geographical stand out in your area of work it may be a nice change to the normal names seen.
Nothing wrong with "Smith's Trucking and Excavating". Just on your trucks,business cards,web sites etc. have the statement "specializing in Excavating,Demolition and Landscaping" or something to that effect.
Good luck with the new business. Stew

 

[Yellowdog]

I like "services" in a name.. that way you don't get locked into one thing if you evolve and change directions some day.... For example, my company is Yellow Dog Services, Inc. A lot of people seem to like dogs, they think of a big old lab when they hear Yellow Dog and the name isn't too hard to remember.. At least that is some of the feedback I've gotten over the last 20 years.

You need to find something that fits you and your personality because if you are successful, you will wear that name for a long time.

If you are in an area serving "east central IL, you could be East Central Trucking and Excavating or East Central Dirt Works...

Play with it..

 

[mark edwin]

could take the m out of smith and have sith demolition and gravel.

 

[MunkyMayhem]

What about just shortening it to S.T.E.
Just leave it at that remember short & Sweet is never a bad thing.

 

[hougie]

You or your dad have nick names. Hougie's been a family nickname handed down it our family so i named mine Hougie's Hoe Service.

 

[WerkBrau]

could take the m out of smith and have sith demolition and gravel.

As a Star Wars fan, I support this.