Do you know how the name ‘Microsoft’ came about?

Gates and Allan wrote the first personal computer operating system (Basic) for the worlds first personal computer (Altair).
Cleverly Gates made sure the deal allowed them to keep ownership of the software.

This allowed Gates and Allen to license it for use to future PC manufacturers, like they did with IBM soon afterwards.
During this period it was decided they needed a company name to make them look bigger and more professional.

Gates & Allen was what they originally decided, but before finalisation, Gates canned it as he thought it made them sound like a solicitor or an accountant.

Eventually, after much thought and deliberation, they decided to choose a name which told people what they did.
Their specialisation was in providing software for micro personal computers.

Thus ‘Microsoft’ was born, and the rest is history.

Here lies an important lesson.

When choosing a company name tell people what you do in a short series of words.

Otherwise how will they know?

Many people fall into the trap of calling a company after themselves, their spouse or even their children. But, it confuses people.

We debated this hard when setting up our office technology business, as we don’t just provide office technology. We provide stationery, supplies and furniture too.

We had to capture the supply of everything for the office in a simple name, which people could relate too and remember.

MY Total Office Solutions tells people we provide total solutions for the office, and MY keeps it memorable and personal to them.

Remember this next time you (or an associate) create a new company or decide to rebrand your existing one.