Why ‘augustwenty’?

Well… we have been asked this question so many times, probably more than we can count.  It is finally time to put our thoughts down on paper, describing why we named the company ‘augustwenty’. As you are probably more than aware, naming anything can be a challenging and stressful process… very few times does the name come to you immediately. Take a minute and think about how long it took you to settle on a name for your child? or your latest pet?  Normally, you create a list, and then pair down the list and eventually the list becomes small enough that you can make a decision.  Other times, inspiration hits you suddenly and you magically have your name. Naming a business can be just as stressful of a process. You want to choose a name that will last and, if possible, will embody both your values and your company's abilities and culture. But screening long lists of names with a focus group composed of friends and family can return mixed results.

When we started thinking about a name for our company, we started with the idea of how crucial a name can be.  We believed it would play a big role in the company’s growth and perception, meaning that if we picked the wrong name it could completely make or break our company.

We thought, first impressions are everything and result in an immediate and many times a powerful reaction.  Will it convey the right message? Will it wow the audience?  Think of it as a first handshake with a new person.  We wanted it to be catchy and unique, but not so unique as to be weird or unrecognizable.  We wanted a name that would be used to create a long-lasting relationship with our employees and clients. We wanted a name that was simple to think about, easy to say, and expressed the emotions of why we were starting our new company. 

I remember spending weeks going through too many options to recall.  Finally, my business partner and co-founder, Angela McManaway (who also happens to be my wife) came up with the name.  When she said, “augustwenty”, out loud we looked at each other in disbelief.  The name beautifully summed up everything our company was going to be.  It stated, “There are many significant events and transitions that we have experienced on August 20th… and it would be our birthday!”  It allowed us to realize that throughout our careers we have been given much; the privilege to work on great teams with great cultures; the experience of building organizations; and the opportunity to use our talents and skills to Learn, Teach, and Build. Because of this realization, we feel a strong sense of responsibility to serve and build similar opportunities for others.  It is our desire to build teams and organizations, solve problems, and teach others to do what we do.  In short, We Build Valuable Things, and we want to share those things with you.

The name, augustwenty, reminds us of this responsibility - and we just think it is a cool name!

We recognize we are not the only software consulting company in the world or even the area.  Why do we believe ‘augustwenty’ is the right name?  Exactly… it is the “Why?” that makes our name unique and successful… simply put, it is more than just a name, it is the identity of our company, the identity of the ‘things’ we build and most importantly, the identity of the people that make up the company.  The “WHY?” of who we are!