After I took the leap of faith to start my own business, I
knew that one of the most important decisions I would make was the creation of
a name and logo; this would become my brand identity. I spent many hours brain
storming words which reflected my personality and the services I hoped to
provide. In the end, I landed on Zingiberis because it perfectly reflected my
unique and individual identity.
As a redhead, I have
never blended into the crowd. Redheads represent less than 2% of the world’s
population; by definition, we lack anonymity. I recognized the need to promote
my distinctiveness as a ginger and the internet lead me to the Greek term,
zingiberis. Even the ginger root itself, which is often described as a hot and
fragrant spice, seemed to be pushing me to select this unusual name.
While Zingiberis represented much of my character, I knew
that I needed something more and settled quickly on International as being part
of my company name. Visiting other countries and cultures has figured prominently
in my development as a supply chain professional. I’ve been fortunate to travel
extensively throughout my career and wanted to celebrate the joy that I’ve
received from nurturing diverse relationships.
Once I settled on a name, I predicted that “Z” should a
central part of my logo. A google search confirmed my suspicion that this
letter is under represented both in our everyday vocabulary and as a company
descriptor. ZI seemed like a natural fit and I chose to enclose them in a
circle to reflect the cooperative and collaborative efforts which are always
needed to accomplish a goal.
With the “hard stuff” out of the way, I was finally able to
create a visual representation of my new company, Zingiberis International.
Given my affinity to celebrate being a ginger, selecting red as a primary focus
was easy. Adding black perfectly reflected my affection for the University of
Louisville. The UofL MBA program allowed me to mature not just as a professional
but as a person by challenging my perception of myself and my place within the
world.
I’m sure that I may change the look and feel of my logo and
website as I grow. But for now, it perfectly reflects my aspirations to improve
client profits through enhanced supply chain management and my vision to
promote the perception and visibility of female leaders in Science, Technology,
Engineering & Manufacturing (STEM). It is only through my own unique
history and experience that I can fulfill my mission and obtain success.
Christine (Reed) Barnhart
