What's In A Name?

“What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.”  -William Shakespeare

There’s always something kind of exciting about the start of a new year, isn’t there? The possibilities are endless! And while the weather in my neck of the woods gets a little tedious (brrrr!), there’s still a sense of possibility and excitement in the (frigid) air. After all, who knows what new adventures and new challenges and new excitement a new year will bring?

2023 is especially important to me because this year marks the 5th anniversary of WatersEdge Wealth Management! I’m so proud of the team I’ve built and of the clients who do such good work with us.

With any milestone like this one, I always like to go back a bit to the beginning – to think about the path I’ve traveled to get to the present and about the path I’m on today that’s leading me into the future.

So, let’s go back to the VERY beginning – back to even before there WAS a WatersEdge Wealth Management.

Before we had our office space and our client list and our plants and computers and artwork, before I’d even made the decision to head out on my own and work as an independent financial advisor, I knew that I’d call my business WatersEdge Wealth Management. And I’ve had more than one or two clients ask me about the name – “Why WatersEdge?” So, on this, the eve of our 5^th anniversary, let’s get into it.

Of course, we’ve got some pretty obvious analogies associated with the name. Water is fluid, water is life-giving, water is indispensable. Without water, there is nothing. It forms the basis of everything we do every day, as human beings.

Specifically, though, think about the edge of your favorite body of water – maybe you can see an edge all the way around or maybe you’re standing on the edge, looking into the unknown. Maybe you imagine yourself ON the water and you can see the water’s edge in the distance – to you, perhaps, the edge represents safety and well-being. There are a lot of ways to think about how the “water’s edge” might be relevant when you think about your financial security. Beacons, boats, ballasts – you get the idea.

But our name goes even deeper than that!

The water’s edge – just by its very existence – requires mutuality. The edge is not the edge without the beach and without the water. Everything needs to work together in order to…work. And the same is true here at WatersEdge Wealth Management.

We wouldn’t be who we are without our clients. Our clients are people who are active and engaged in their financial well-being and we work with them in an active and engaged way. Our clients are NOT people who aren’t engaged in our process and who don’t take responsibility for outcomes and personal choices.

So that’s one reason for WatersEdge – it requires a flow, a collaboration, between us and our clients.

Here’s another reason I decided on WatersEdge. At the edge of any body of water, there are ENDLESS possibilities. The water might be shallow, it might be deep. It might be freshwater or saltwater or brackish water. And the different kinds of water house and provide nourishment for different kinds of animals. There might be rocks in the water, or weeds. A pebbly bottom or a sandy one. It’s a unique ecosystem that’s maintained by those involved in it.

And that’s the key – everyone in the ecosystem needs to be involved in it in order to maintain it. If one key ingredient is missing, it’s possible that the whole thing will cease to exist.

For me, that’s the key to WatersEdge. Our values connect with our clients’ values and we create a seamless ecosystem that works together. It’s only because of our collaboration that we’re able to move forward and grow and develop. We rely on each other – in the same way that the water’s edge relies on its ecosystem to grow and develop.

Pretty deep, right?

Of course, I bet a lot of brand analysts would argue that it makes more sense to have a name that is “clear.” You know exactly what you’re getting into, don’t you, when you see a company called “Financial Planners” or “Wealth Management.”

WatersEdge requires a little more thought, a little more curiosity – and, of course, that’s the point. The kind of client we work with is curious, thoughtful, and collaborative. 

“WatersEdge” isn’t immediately obvious and, again, that’s by design. The name suits us – we’re creative and different and unusual and you do have to look a little deeper. Like the beauty you find underneath a water’s surface, you have to put those goggles on for a minute and dive a little deeper to see the rich, beautiful, meaningful, important, and valuable work that goes into the development of each of our relationships with clients. We pride ourselves on working with you to develop your financial well-being and that requires a bit more of a deep dive than some other financial advisors.

You know, as we begin the 5th year of our good work, I just think it’s so fascinating that I knew what our name would be and what our values would be before I ever even knew I would start my own company. I’ve never veered from how I run my business – or from what I named my business – and I’ve never questioned the good work, the important work, that we do.