We know you want to know, go ahead, say it:
So, what the heck is “3thought” anyway?
Well, we are delighted that you asked. When picking a name for business, we wanted something unique. Many design firms are simply named after their founders, but with last names like Baker (so generic) and Ulvila (nobody pronounces this right the first time), we eliminated that option right off the bat. So, now how to choose a name that represented us….
After deciding we wanted to start a firm together, we spent a lot of time having discussions about what type of business we wanted. What did we want to do? How did we want to serve our clients? What would make us different from all the other design firms out there? We kept coming back to the idea that we wanted to help our clients in the beginning of the process; to work with them to plan and concept. We feel that most successful marketing efforts are those that have “forethought.” So, what comes before forethought? Well, threethought of course!
All puns aside, the concept of 3thought was one that stuck with us. It made it on the name list the first night we brainstormed, but we were afraid of jumping at the first good idea we had. For over a week we continued to brainstorm and make lists and build word associations and research. We were now beginning to understand why so many creative firms used last names for company names. It’s easier to see the right fit for someone else than it is to find it for yourself. For about 24 hours we were sure we were going to be Catalyst 9. But we couldn’t shake this 3thought thing. So, in the end, we took up the mantle and are happy that we did.
The concept of 3thought serves as an inspiration to our clients and ourselves to be proactive in our business and not reactive as so many companies tend to do. Some have said to us, “Wait a second, what’s this 3 thing? There are only 2 of you.” Ah, yes, but there are 3 minds involved in all our work: Matt, Shea and You as the client. Additionally, having 3 thoughts, or 3 points of view, is a necessary part of any design project: each involves marrying the needs/wants of the client, the design firm and the audience. The theme of 3 continues to permeate all aspects of our business, as does the idea of thought, working smart.
We look forward to sharing more our 3thought approach and will continue to provide our 3 thoughts through out our blog.
