As part of my new year’s adventures, it looks like I may be embarking upon a year-long consulting engagement. It’s not finalized yet, and could still become mired in the Machiavellian corridors of municipal politics, but it appears to be promising. The work would be very different from what I’ve been doing the last 15 years or so, but it sounds exciting and a chance to learn whether I like the consulting lifestyle. I’ll be able to hop on the train to Philadelphia every day, and the possibility of working in the dynamic environment of a city rather than the bland sameness of the suburbs is intriguing as well. (This last bit of optimism will probably last until the first snowfall, as I stand freezing my toes off waiting for the very late R5 line that is delayed due to frozen tracks.)

Part of this exercise is establishing myself as a business. We haven’t yet decided whether I’ll be a sole proprietoress, an LLC, or some sort of alphabet soup corporation (C, S, whatever). I do have to come up with a business name, which is probably the most challenging thing I’ve done in the last 6 months.

About a year ago, the company I had been working for deciding to do some polishing and reorienting of the old brand image and hired a company called A Hundred Monkeys (I kid you not) to assist with the process. Their own name should have been a clue. As should have been the other precious names they’ve generated: Alfalfa (always makes me think of tax and financial planning); Felix (PC pointing device or adult animated film from the 70s? Whoops! That was Fritz The Cat!); Iroko (certainly brings to mind a day spa in Alabama).

There are a number of random name generators, but these tend to come up with names like Zimooent, Gechnoious, Alterstems, Oojo, Riffbox, Chattercat, and the like. My kids came up with such wonders as Tedicals (go ahead – say it – sounds like a rather nasty mash-up of “tentacles”, “testicles”, and “medicals”) and Sajilence (Silence + Flatulence = ?). My own choices of [my last name] Consulting or [my last name translated from French into English] Consulting are both taken. And unfortunately, American Express declined to put “Xena, Warrior Consultant” on a credit card.

Maybe the hundred and first monkey can help me.