Nina Beckhardt, Founder of The Naming Group

What can you do with a fine arts degree, a minor in psychology and some time spent in Martha’s craft corner? Twenty-something Nina Beckhardt spun that background into founding The Naming Group, a NYC-based startup focused on branding and the art of corporate name choice. OK, so there was that Abercrombie manager training in between…

A Boston native, Nina went to college in DC, always knowing her final destination would be New York City. After graduating from George Washington University, a dream internship in the crafts department at Martha Stewart failed to result in a permanent position and Nina found herself in search of Plan B. Abercrombie’s retail management training program wasn’t exactly what the doctor ordered, but the next opportunity was. Applying her combination of art, psychology and language skills, Nina came on as a creative contributor to naming/branding group Namebase, where she left as President and Creative Director to form her own group in 2009.

Now heading a team of her own, Nina is thankful to the winding, and sometimes bumpy road that led her towards the business she has today. She even learned a little decoupage along the way.

Thanks, Martha.

1.  Is the psychological effect from a product/tagline measurable? How do you quantify client results?

I think the beauty of developing names is that there really isn’t a formula. While we have a consistent and time-tested naming methodology, we apply a custom-fit approach to each project. My background in psychology plays a big role in name development and analysis because I have to be aware of “baggage.” All words, even coined ones, have baggage, that is, the associations and reactions they elicit. While market research can help identify baggage, at the end of day, client results are measured in marketing dollars saved. With a great name that is memorable, communicates key benefits and forms an emotional connection with consumers, you don’t need to spend as much on marketing and advertising. A strong name does all the heavy lifting for your brand.

2. Do your clients know how young you are? How does your age/appearance affect your credibility?

I think in this day in age it is becoming more and more common to see young people in positions of power. Thanks to great parenting and education, I was raised to believe that my thoughts and opinions matter. I feel that my talents and aspirations have little to do with my chronological age. I am a woman of words; I find numbers too limiting.

Cultural and age diversity are crucial elements of The Naming Group’s creative team. Naming and branding are about creating timeless appeal across multiple demographics.

3. Is there a turning point where the importance of maintaining brand recognition supersedes that of fixing a poor naming choice?

In some instances, the brand name is so strong that it would simply be imprudent to change it. Pizza Hut learned that earlier this year when they sliced off the most important part of their name in an attempt to perhaps sound a bit hipper, more edgy? Bad decision. They quickly backpedaled away from “The Hut” to their original name. Good decision. In other instances, however, a name change can be very fruitful – if done correctly. At The Naming Group, we have developed a concept called Brandsition®. This is our proprietary, three-part process of transforming, reviving and/or expanding an already established brand. Brandsition® breaks down the typical idea of “re-branding” and “re-naming” which, we believe, are outdated and inflexible terms. We make sure to create a new name that draws from the original name or brand in some way. Perhaps the new name will have the same first letter or sound or evoke a similar image as the old name. Bottom line: If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. But, if there is room for improvement, then there is room for Brandsition®.

4. Living in NYC was a non-negotiable for you after college. Why?

After growing up in the Boston area, going to college in Washington, DC and studying in London there still is no city that arouses me the way that New York City does. Even when in a quiet restaurant or tucked away in my office, I can feel the energy of the city. It fuels my creativity. It wakes me up in the morning. I drink less coffee when I’m here.

My favorite part of leaving the city is knowing I get to come back. It’s that feeling I get when I see the skyline on my way home from the airport. Sometimes I can’t believe I live here. There is a quote I’ve come across that says “You have to be crazy to live in New York, but you’d have to be nuts to live anywhere else.”

5. As a former Fine Arts major and Martha Stewart intern, how do you keep up with your creative side while building up your business?

Given my all-or-nothing approach, keeping up with my creative extra-curriculars has been a significant challenge during these nascent stages of my business. The nature of my work taps my creativity in a number of ways. For me, rather than clay, paint or yarn as my medium, I am now creating art with words, syllables and morphemes. However, after a long day at the office, I can’t tell you how good it feels to dig your fingers into clay, craft a pair of earrings or make a simple greeting card.

6. Do you miss Martha? (or is she as crazy as we all think?)

Y’know, I never formally met Martha. I did pass her in the hall a couple of times. She is alarmingly tall and her aura even taller! Seriously. She emits a vibe that is all at once terrifying and awe-inspiring. I learned so much about business, corporate bureaucracy and brand control. There were certain words you couldn’t say and colors she didn’t like and you just had to know them. Crazy? Arguably, yes. However, she knows exactly what she wants, how she wants it and who her audience is. It is that borderline obsessive, uber-regimented brand control that has differentiated her from the Betty Homemakers of the world.

What I don’t miss about Martha Stewart is the corporate culture. While working there, it became clear to me that I was simply a cog in a very big wheel. It didn’t matter how hard I worked or how meticulously I applied gold leaf to a vintage Christmas ornament, if my boss didn’t love me or some editor above me didn’t switch departments, I wasn’t going to be promoted. I believe in hard work being recognized. As soon as I entered the small creative agency environment I finally felt the reigns in my hands. I worked hard and moved up. I worked harder and moved up higher. I’ve come a long way from applying gold leaf in a back room studio. I’m on the front lines now and I couldn’t be happier.

7. Describe the person who would best complement both your life and your business.

I joke with people that I am dating my business right now but it’s pretty much a reality. So, if I were to meet that special someone in the next year or so, they’d have to be patient and totally willing to go on dates with me in my office. This is a hard question to answer because while I have a preconceived notion of what kind of person I think would compliment me, I believe in keeping an open mind when it comes to meeting people. I think the kind of person who would jive with me is someone who is creative, hard-working, affectionate and opinionated. They would need to respect my ATDD (Attention To Detail Disorder) and work ethic. As far as what that person does professionally, I have no requirements. A love of food, dogs and the ability to make me loose my breath laughing are my only major requirements.

8. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Wow. Over the past two years my life has evolved to a point that takes years, sometimes decades for most people. Given this, I almost feel I can’t predict. If you asked me two years ago what I would be doing in ten years, I could never, in my wildest dreams, tell you that I would own my own naming company. Strangely enough, I can’t imagine anything more perfect for me right now. In ten years, I see The Naming Group continuing on to become a top authority in the branding industry. While many companies are proud to drop the names of prestigious advertising agencies with whom they’ve contracted, they often don’t like to admit that they’ve engaged a naming company to name their products. By 2019, I plan on changing that. I am discovering that the realm beyond my comfort zone is where my ultimate potential lies. I definitely plan on continuing to exceed my own expectations.

Nina’s Bio:

Nina Beckhardt founded The Naming Group upon the philosophy that the right brand name catalyzes brand evolution. She is obsessed with three things: words, brands and people. These healthy obsessions pair beautifully with a strong academic background in visual art, design and psychology. A self-described creative solutionist, Nina infuses every project with her passion for creative marketing and extensive knowledge of Latin, Spanish and sound symbolism. Her razor-sharp Scrabble skills don’t hurt either.

Before founding The Naming Group, Nina was President / Creative Director of Namebase where she led naming and brand development for Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Target, Southwest Airlines, EPSON, and Dow Jones, ConAgra and Mercedes Benz. A recognized authority on brand naming, Nina has been published nationally and has appeared in a feature segment of the Emmy Award-winning television show, Autoline Detroit.

Want to connect with Nina? Follow her on Twitter, Facebook and her blog “Nomenculture”!

Mariagrazia LaFauci, co-Founder of Be Satori and the Eco-Zip Bag

Want to know what sort of famous last words are whispered by executives behind closed doors? A few years ago at Conair it was a repetitive “When are we getting out of here?”. Mariagrazia LaFauci, former VP of Marketing and Product Development for Scunci (later bought by Conair) didn’t just listen to the words of Diana Menaged, her friend and co-worker of ten years. She left her six-figure salary and executive digs, and walked out the door…along with her new business partner.

A Merchandising degree graduate with 15 years experience in product development and marketing, Mariagrazia made the obvious choice to focus the new venture, Be Satori, on developing retail products. A handbag for tweens and a toy line later, Mariagrazia and business partner Diana continued seeking marketplace voids and eventually zeroed in on the Eco-Zip bag. Realizing its potential the pair re-focused, creating the new line of BPA-free plastic storage bags made with 20% less plastic, compartmentalized to get the job done with less waste.

With Eco-Zip scheduled to start shipping to major grocery chain accounts in 2010, and an accomplished business partner and friend at her side, Mariagrazia LaFauci has found that sometimes famous last words are just the beginning.

1.  How does marketing a grocery item compare to marketing hair accessories? Is one more challenging to break into (especially as a newcomer) than the other?

I think the formula is relatively similar regardless of the category because we stayed in the same trade of distribution, we did not go outside of our distribution experience.  Regardless it’s still challenging, breaking down those barriers and winning at these big chains takes diligent hard work. The key to success is making sure you have a viable product that adds value to your customers business.

2. You left an executive level position to start your own small business. What do your former co-workers think, and how do you think you would be received if you decided to re-enter the corporate world?

I am chuckling because my former co-workers know when I do something it’s big and it makes a huge impact on the business I am entering as well as change the lives of the consumers who use the products I develop. As far as re-entering the corporate world, my theory is that ….“it was more of a risk to not have taken the risk at all”. As Far as how I would be perceived it would have to be as a well rounded individual who understands the business development from start to finish!

3.  Eco-zip wasn’t the first product your company invested time in researching and sales testing. What products preceded it, and what convinced you to put all your efforts into Eco-zip?

We developed a kid’s toy line and a kid’s fashion handbag line. We decided to pull both and focus our efforts on Ecozip because it was the line that had the biggest business potential with the least amount of effort compared to the Toys and Fashion handbags.  Toys and Handbags involve much more time to develop and financially are a bigger investment. There is in-depth testing and engineering when developing a toy line, Safety is a key factor and Liability can be very high in this area. Developing a fashion handbag line is a constant changing business because you have to keep up with the Fashion trends every season.

Ecozip to us was something we knew could truly enhance the lives of people who used it and at the same time it would alleviate a burden on our earth. It does not get better then that!!

4.  Your name gives away a little bit about you. What is your family’s background and how has that shaped your personality?

Well, I’m Sicilian and come from a very Italian upbringing. My parents immigrated here in the 70’s and struggled financially.  Growing up and watching this I knew there had to be more. So my motivation and drive lead me towards success in the corporate world. Once I got to watch the success and rise of those that I worked for it motivated me to follow in their footsteps so that I could create a better life for myself , my family and those around me.  My personality has been shaped by the experiences I have lead and I am grateful to have had the background that I did because it is the driving factor that motivates me to continue to grow which allows me to achieve success in all areas of my life.

5.  How has your life changed since leaving the corporate world?

Gosh, if the feeling could only be put into words…I live a better quality life that’s for sure. I have also grown tremendously on multiple levels as an individual. My business experience has magnified and I am a much stronger individual overall.

Financially I took a hit, but the trade off was well worth it. I knew that I was taking ten steps back but would move forward with limitless opportunity.

The biggest one…No politics and I’m able to focus on moving ahead with no distractions from a corporate culture.

6.  What do you like to do for fun?

I really enjoy fine dining. I love a glass of red wine over great conversation. I enjoy traveling to new places.  I am interested in art and since leaving the corporate world I began painting. I hope to one day have my own art gallery.

7.  Describe the person who would best complement both your life and your business.

A complementary partner would be a man who can understand me and my passion. He would support my love for business as well as appreciate the importance of living a fulfilling, joyful abundant life outside of work.  He too should be successful and passionate for his business. Someone who has great communication skills is affectionate and romantic.

8. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I see myself continuing to build my business, inspiring my employees, loving and nurturing my family, feeding my soul artistically and doing philanthropic work.

Mariagrazia’s Bio:

Bio-
As an inventor, Mariagrazia LaFauci brings new meaning to “less is more” with her new product line of Ecozip food storage bags. Ecozip’s “Zip N Flip” technology allows you to separate and organize multiple items all in 1 bag or use the full bag by unzipping the center zipper. The Ecozip product line allows consumers to reduce their bag consumption while giving them versatility and convenience. They also make the bags with less plastic. Mariagrazia Co-Founded Be Satori with her business partner and longtime friend Diana Menaged.
The philosophy behind Be Satori is to bring consumers innovative products that are in harmony with the earth.

History-
With 15 years of experience in product development, branding and marketing products to the main stream, Mariagrazia has touched the lives of countless women and girls through her creative talents at some of the top accessory companies in the nation. Specifically, she is the inventor of the “No Slip Grip” Jaw Clip and Hairband she designed for women’s hair. She came up with the inventions during a seven year stint at SCUNCI a leading fashion hair accessory company where she served as Vice President of Marketing and Product Development. Her invention built the path and direction to incorporate the no slip technology in SCUNCI’S main line of hair accessories after consumers’ made it top choice.

Mariagrazia holds an associate degree in Merchandising, Marketing, and Management from Tobe Coburn School for Fashion Design; she is the daughter of Italian immigrants and speaks Italian fluently. In her spare time she enjoys yoga, experiencing Eastern cultures, painting and meditation.