In my attic I have a box from a computer I bought in the 1990s from a company called “Gateway 2000.”

2000 sounded so futuristic back then. But by 2001, it was like spotting holiday lights still up in April.

I’ve come to realize how important it is to choose a good name from day one, because the name you start with will almost always stick.

Today, we still call the production software we developed to schedule work “the production program,” which is a mouthful to say the ten times a day we refer to it.

“Chappaqua Framing,” the name of my first business, turned out to be a great name because it’s simple, clear, and says exactly what it is and where it’s located.

And for the most part, my kids all go by their given names, something my husband and I had to stand by when relatives tried to shorten or sweeten them.

It’s a reminder for everything with longevity.

Taking a headshot seems like just another task to fit into your Tuesday afternoon, except it follows you for years. So yes, get your hair professionally blown out.

Choosing a friend as a business partner might seem like it will be as laid back as your weekend hangouts, until you’re stuck navigating their habit of arriving late for the next 40 years.

And given what a hassle it is to change, choosing a bank and insurance company call for careful consideration. I deliberately chose our business’ bank because it was in a supermarket, and with 3 kids in tow, I could also pick up some bananas and a rotisserie chicken.

Early decisions often deserve more thought than we sometimes realize.

Turns out the handle @HighSchoolForever might seem charming now, but it won’t work forever.