People seem to really respond to the name of my company. They say it’s clever-sounding. Memorable. It makes you think.

I would like to say that I spent weeks vetting names, bringing together trusted professional colleagues to “focus group” some alternates, and scrutinized the utility of the name moving forward. Alas, this was not the case.

For me, there are three meanings of “Sharp No. 2,” all of which came to me at once.

First, “Sharp Number 2” is the type of pencil required for those taking any kind of standardized test. In this sense, the name conveys the notion that I am tested and proven in terms of the services I offer, a nod to my many years of experience as a professional creative.

Next, the notion of a sharpened pencil suggests the beginning of an idea. I pride myself on taking a blank page, and a client’s often loose idea of what needs to be conveyed, and delivering a fully-realized creative plan that satisfies all agreed-upon objectives. Sharp No. 2, then, is about the limitless potential contained in a mundane everyday object.

And finally, a deconstruction of the name will reveal an inside joke I share with those who know me well.  “Sharp” means “clever.”  And we all know what “Number 2” often denotes. This third meaning of the name is meant to say that if you are in the market for some truly “Clever S#!t,” I’m the guy to call.