Tanj

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CMO of an annuities and insurance platform company.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Platform for commission-free annuities and insurance for financial advisors and consumers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Tanj to accomplish?

• Help name and develop messaging for our platform that would work for our audiences of financial advisors and consumers.

SOLUTION

How did you find Tanj?

Referral

Why did you select Tanj over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Tanj were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

The project was to find a name and develop initial brand language/messaging for our technology platform that would powerfully extend our company brand and reinforce our positioning as an innovative, trusted, industry-leader to key target audiences  Project scope of work and deliverables included:

Scope of Work:

Naming

• Define in detail the goals for the project and desired outcomes.
• Define taget audience profiles for name and messaging.
• Analyze the landscape to understand the opportunity and solidify strategic direction.
• Tanj developed initial list of names for consideration and screened names for trademarks and alignment with goals.
• Tanj presented a list of 20+ names for us to select favorites.
• Working with Tanj team, we narrowed list to 2-3 leading contenders, and eventually chose the name after further interal screening.
• Develop language playbook with value propositions and key messages for each target audience

Deliverables:

• Project brieft with goals and approach
• Detailed industry landscape analysis through naming lens
• Initial list of names for discussion
• Short list of names with considerations
• Brand language playbook
• Multiple discussions about name and brand language led by Tanj to help us clarify our goals, and develop a strategic approach

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Soft launch of name and messaging has been positively received both internally and externally.  Looking forward to full launch early in new year.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Tanj was well organized and delivered on time. Importantly, they were very responsive to our needs and sensitive to our schedules and availability. Excellent project management throughout. 

What was your primary form of communication with Tanj?

Virtual Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

First of all, they do great work. They are very creative and open to new ideas and input, rather than trying to force something they like on the client. Their senior people work on the project and make themselves available throughout. And, they are really nice people. 

Are there any areas for improvement or something Tanj could have done differently?

Scott and the rest of the Tanj team were so responsive to our needs that nothing felt it needed to be changed.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of MOVO, an early-stage software company. We do real-time location compliance for mid-cap to larger Fortune 500 companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tanj?

We needed help with naming.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Tanj helped us with naming for two different projects. The first time, they helped us name one of our company divisions. The second time, they helped us rename our company. We conducted a discovery process, providing them with relevant documents and internal materials. 

Additionally, we established regular checkpoints throughout the project. Tanj came up with a long list of name candidates and then narrowed it down to a shorter list. They also helped us with the trademarking process. Tanj worked with other firms that did pre-screening of the name candidates.

What is the team composition?

We worked with their founder and CEO, alongside two other teammates from Tanj.

How did you come to work with Tanj?

We found them through a referral from one of our agencies. We interviewed about half a dozen firms.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $10,000–$15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from July 2021–November 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Tanj delivered excellent names and high-quality work. Their work was certainly better than what we could have come up with ourselves or what we could have gotten from any of their competitors. The names could grow with us as we grow as a company. We added a couple of different business lines since the pandemic, and the name works for all of them.

How did Tanj perform from a project management standpoint?

Tanj delivered on time and within the budget. We mainly used emails and phone calls to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Tanj was able to engage with us and get a sense of what we were doing with the company. There was incredible strategic value in that. Ultimately, it was the creativity of the team that impressed us. The creative horsepower and the quality of the creativity we achieved with Tanj were crucial. They were simply more creative than anyone else we’ve talked to.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there weren’t any. They also evolved with the times. They utilized the latest technology to conduct trademark searches more efficiently and cost-effectively for their clients. Tanj was a very modern and well-run agency.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice on naming is to name the vision, not this year’s business plan. The name should stretch and grow with you. Tanj is world-class in doing that.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of brand strategy and communication for Orium, a professional services company, which means I'm responsible for the branding and public-facing identity of our organization. We work in the composable commerce space, primarily focusing on software integration. We’re a systems integrator and consultancy in the software space.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tanj?

We decided to rename our organization. We’d been known as MyPlanet for over a decade, and we were shifting to a new gear. We were in a new category, getting external funding, and pushing to the next level. We’d always wanted to change our name but had hesitated over doing so. We felt that was the right moment to do it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Tanj helped us generate a new name. Once we decided on them, we had an initial conversation where they talked about their process and introduced what they’d be doing. We discussed our organization and provided them with an overview. We shared our brand documents, company history, and other relevant information, as well as where we had already been as an organization, so that they were immersed in us.

Tanj took all that away and did an initial round of 50–100 names based on broad strokes. They showed us the buckets of the way companies get named in our space. They broke it down into categories and came up with suggestions within each category, mapped against the brand attributes and some of the details we shared with them.

Within these five bucketed categories, they gave us one high-level concept to work around, such as futuristic and innovative, or playful and dynamic. We took that first group and did a gut check. We asked if they felt right, sounded right, and were in the right vein. We also checked if we’d missed the mark or if it was in the direction we wanted to go.

From that initial list, we gave them feedback. Tanj took that information back and did a much deeper dive and a more thorough effort for us. The second round was more specific categories, thoughts, and vibes.

We did one more round after that. The team devised new names but kept the ones that struck a chord with us. We had a list of 50 names, then a shorter list of 25–30, and finally a much more refined set that we felt good about.

My CEO and I took that away and did our own assessment. We pulled about half a dozen names we felt good about. We conducted a round of testing against several metrics and concerns we had. We wanted to ensure the names worked in other languages and resonated with our client base. We also tested them internally to ensure our team felt motivated and excited by them.

How did you come to work with Tanj?

My CEO found them. We did a big canvas of the industry to find the right fit. We determined that Tanj seemed like a good match and fell within the scope of our rates and other factors. We conducted an assessment and felt they were good, so we went with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested $35,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in December 2021. The process was largely contained within the first quarter of the year and finished in April 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We don't have numbers because there were so many other things going on. However, I really enjoyed working with Scott and his team at Tanj. They were easy to work with and thoughtful about their process.

They structured the process with an initial information gathering. I had the opportunity to compare their process with a friend of mine who worked in naming as a copywriter, and I realized Tanj does what professionals do.

The team did some research on their end and came back with a big bucket of things to help everyone gauge and get on board. The next round brought that circle in a little tighter and refined it. The next round focused on the things we'd identified and what was working and what wasn't.

Tanj continually incorporated our feedback and used it to refine their work. Naming a business is a creative and potentially boundaryless endeavour. Tanj stuck to a level of professionalism and structure that really worked for them. We felt safe and guided through the process. We felt confident throughout because they helped us find the right thing.

When we conducted testing with clients and prospects on our own teams, many of the names we'd selected met the notes we wanted them to hit. We had these attributes laid out, and all of them were doing the right thing. That was a testament to Tanj figuring that out upfront and helping us leapfrog to that stage much more easily than if we'd tried to do it ourselves.

How did Tanj perform from a project management standpoint?

Tanj met our expectations. The indication we got from them was that if none of the names worked for us, they'd go back to the drawing board. They didn't stop the process. There was a tipping point for them, but they didn't just give us three rounds and then stop. They made it clear they'd keep at it until they found the correct name.

We primarily communicated via email and occasionally used Google Meet.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Tanj was excellent, clear, and helpful.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not that I can recall. There's nothing like this again, unless you're a serial entrepreneur, in which case you're naming a company, not renaming it. And you're probably not investing in this way because you're just getting anything out the door. It's a big, scary one-time thing, like a wedding.

I don't have a lot to compare it to, and we had Tanj guide us through the process, making us feel good. I didn't question it then; the result was great, and I enjoyed the process. So I don't question it now. There's nothing they need to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Provide Tanj with as much information as possible and be clear about the direction you want to head. All that helps guide them. Their job is to help you get from point A to point B. It's easier for everyone if you weed-whack a bit of the path first instead of meandering forever. The more information you provide upfront about who you are and what you want, the better.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CMO of a SaaS AI company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tanj?

We needed help coming up with a name for a new company that was breaking off from our main company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Tanj has helped us name our new company. They've reviewed all the strategic elements of the business, including our mission, vision, and audience. We've had work sessions around that, and Tanj has developed a strategic document that looks at the competitive landscape and how other companies in our space have been branded. The team has come up with conclusions on how we can stand out and insights into areas for innovation.

Tanj has created a long list of names, and we've had sessions to rank them and talk about what we like and don't like. We've narrowed the list down and are now working with their trademark attorney to complete the trademark process.

What is the team composition?

We've worked with two people from Tanj: Scott and Jill. Jill is one of the creative directors. We also work with their trademark attorney.

How did you come to work with Tanj?

We found Tanj through the agency we're using for the design portion of the project; they recommended Tanj as a naming partner.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent between $10,000 and $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2025. The naming part of the engagement is complete, but we're still working on the trademark process.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Tanj has helped us find a name that we're happy with.

How did Tanj perform from a project management standpoint?

Tanj has met deadlines and stayed on budget.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We've been impressed with Tanj's attention to detail and customer service.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There's nothing that Tanj can improve on — they've done a great job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Do the strategic work upfront, and don't skip it. That's where a lot of the value comes from in terms of narrowing down what's correct for your brand.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Oars, a marketing company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tanj?

We hired Tanj for their naming services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Tanj helped us create a company name that delivered our message. We did multiple brand identity workshops. After we refined our messaging, they started working on our company name. 

What is the team composition?

I was mainly in touch with Scott (Founder & Managing Director) and Jill (Branding). Scott and Jill handled all project management tasks. 

How did you come to work with Tanj?

We found Tanj through Google and chose them because of their previous work. Moreover, their founders were knowledgeable during our Zoom calls. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested around $25,000 in this project. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement lasted from May–July 2024.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Tanj delivered exactly what we were looking for, and we were pleased to work with them. 

How did Tanj perform from a project management standpoint?

They communicated well with us and over-delivered. We used emails, phone calls, and Zoom meetings to communicate. 

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

Jill was super helpful and knowledgeable, and her energy was amazing.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were amazing.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there weren’t any. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the senior director of marketing at a national upscale nonprofit program focused on helping overlooked talent land lucrative jobs in the tech industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tanj?

We were at an interesting point with our organization's brand. We had been around for a few years and were experiencing some early success. We knew a big part of what we needed to do was revamp our brand and reconnect with our customers. We needed to create a brand that was more customer-centric and customer-focused, which required a lot of research to know our customers better. We also needed support creating our brand messaging.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, we provided Tanj with internal research we had done 1–2 years prior to our engagement. We also offered some intel and customer interviews, high-level brand guidelines, and previous work. We shared with Tanj what information and work about our company's foundational principles and our products to align with our brand. We knew these were questions we needed to answer for Tanj.

Tanj conducted robust market research where they interviewed our profile customers who weren't our actual customers. The team also interviewed users who started our recruitment process but didn't complete it to understand their reasons and spoke to our founders. Tanj conducted research to help us understand our audience and then developed our brand messaging and positioning to use in our marketing and target those audiences. 

What is the team composition?

Scott (Founder, Managing Director) was my main contact. We also worked with three other teammates, including the head of research and a writer. 

How did you come to work with Tanj?

I found Tanj through a recommendation by an investor of an agency I worked for. I didn't personally know the investor but had used his recommendations in the past. I looked at Tanj's website and reached out based on their work.
How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $120,000 on this project, which included the validation study, messaging, and positioning.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with Tanj between August–December 2023.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Tanj's work was very impactful for our business. We saw an internal excitement for our brand, which is important for our employees' morale. Our previous messaging wasn't great, but now our internal team is excited, creating helpful energy for a startup. We're going through several changes as an organization, and the sophistication and level of deliverables Tanj provided were hugely helpful in increasing confidence internally. Additionally, Tanj's work was supported by research.

Moreover, we brought in other partners for this work, including a content agency and an influencer agency. Tanj provided us with all the necessary information regarding messaging decks, which made our organization quicker to ramp up and be more successful with other partners. 

We launched a new brand design with an agency recommended by Tanj in January 2024. Our site's bounce rate decreased, and we also saw a higher acquisition propensity among users who want to apply to our program. 

How did Tanj perform from a project management standpoint?

Tanj was gracious to make up for the time when we were moving slowly. The team was flexible and aware of the project's timeline, ensuring we stayed on track. Tanj stuck to timelines and was incredibly clear about the project's progress. 

Tanj communicated clearly, and I was always aware of the project status and requirements. We used Basecamp for project management. Tanj was one of the few agencies I've worked with that was very clear about their capabilities, the deliverables of the project, and the timeline. 

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

I want to highlight Scott's work. I was very impressed by how involved he was in the project and how he communicated with us. Tanj's work was about helping customers clarify what we were trying to say, but I also received clarity from the team. Clarity was part of Scott's personality, and he helped have a smooth process because he was clear from the beginning and throughout the project. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Tanj was kind but firm, which was a hard balance to strike. From a project management perspective, the team was flexible but didn't push work when we missed deadlines on our end. Tanj managed the project in a way that always felt very positive and productive. Tanj steered us in the right direction in an understanding way but also firmly without going outside of their process. Tanj's project management was productive and gratifying for both parties.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

Our project with Tanj required a lot of research and iterations of presentations. The process and organization of internal deliverables could improve because I found myself going back through my email, searching for each email to find specific files or work. It would be great if Tanj created a unique folder or platform for deliverables. 

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Tanj is an expensive team and represents an investment for customers. I recommend preparing the customers' executive team or the necessary team to ensure they understand the value they'll get from working with Tanj. I suggest having some previous work with the customers' executive team to let them know the value the company will get. 

Tanj can help explain work that will be a large-budget item. We're a nonprofit organization, and this project was a big jump for us because of our tight budget, but our entire team knows it was completely worth it. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of an AI company. We use AI and apply it to productivity platforms.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tanj?

We needed a name for our company to put out into the world that reflected our brand vision. We had a very distinct vision for how we wanted our company to look and feel, so we wanted to hire a serious naming agency to achieve that. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Tanj helped us with our naming. The process included stakeholder interviews, which was very simple because we didn’t have many stakeholders. Through this process, we outlined a pretty general strategy and then went a bit deeper into it until we had a really specific strategy.

For this project, we only focused on our naming. However, Tanj made it very clear that they were also available for copywriting and other language-related projects we could have. Still, other services weren’t necessary at this time.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Scott (Founder & Managing Director), Sophocles (Freelance Brand Namer & Strategist), and another person who was present in one of our meetings.

How did you come to work with Tanj?

We found them through research. Tanj was very well-reviewed, and we had heard a lot about them in the industry, so I contacted them and met with them. They were great, so I decided to hire them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from July–August 2023. It was a one-month project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Tanj was able to come up with a name that was consistent with our brand vision. In our minds, we had a clear idea of how we wanted our brand to sound and feel, so we tried our hardest to explain our limited vision to them. The team translated our input really well and came up with a name that matched our idea.

How did Tanj perform from a project management standpoint?

Tanj was highly responsive and delivered everything on time. To date, I can still email Scott to ask him for advice.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Tanj’s attention to detail was outstanding. They were extremely detailed in their work and research and left no stone unturned.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There was nothing Tanj could have improved on. Although I wish their price had been lower, it was consistent with the industry.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and co-founder of Swoops. We’re building a fantasy sports product where our users own the players.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tanj?

When we started, we needed someone to help us come up with the name.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially had a kickoff meeting where we discussed the goals and what we wanted to do. Tanj gave us a survey to understand who we were. From there, we had three more meetings. The first one was a deeper dive into our business to collect more information. In the next meeting, they gave us a list of name suggestions, and the fourth meeting was to hone in on the final name.

Additionally, they interviewed my co-founder and me as the primary stakeholders. They had to understand the emotions and feelings we were trying to convey. Tanj structured the whole process around that. For example, some of our themes were strategy names and futurism, so they suggested names for those topics.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 5–6 teammates from their side. Scott (Founder & Managing Director) was on every call.

How did you come to work with Tanj?

We reached out to them because my co-founder worked on a previous project with their team. They were happy with Tanj’s work, so we decided to engage them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in February 2022, and our engagement lasted six weeks.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Many of our users loved the name; it’s easy to understand and pronounce.

How did Tanj perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was excellent. They were on top of things, and the team was organized and good at explaining the process. They were also responsive and good at listening. We communicated over phone calls, Zoom, and emails.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were great at collecting our thoughts and understanding the themes behind our business to craft the name.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they were great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Think deeply about your business from a brand perspective and come in with those notes.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Treewalk, an accounting firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tanj?

We wanted to rename our firm.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

To start off the project, Tanj interviewed us in order to understand our company and competition better. After that, they presented a bunch of names and explained each of them thematically. We chose the ones we liked the most, and they used those as a basis to come up with new names that were more associated with the themes we wanted.
 
What is the team composition?

We worked with 2–3 people from their team, including Scott (Founder & Managing Director) and Jill (Director).

How did you come to work with Tanj?

We found them through Clutch.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together on this project from October–November 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We loved the name that Tanj came up with, and we’ve been using it since then. We also noticed improvements in brand awareness and engagement and received positive feedback about our new name.

How did Tanj perform from a project management standpoint?

They met all deadlines, stayed on budget, and communicated effectively. We contacted them through phone and video calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were impressed with the simplicity and clarity of their process. Also, Scott was very helpful throughout.

Are there any areas they could improve on?

No, they executed the project exactly the way we expected, and we did not encounter any problems. Overall, they were great to work with.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the principal and founder of a brand strategy firm called Highland Insights.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tanj?

We hired them to come up with a new name for one of our clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

In the beginning, we gave Tanj a bunch of materials about the background of our company and held meetings to discuss what we were trying to achieve. From there, they started with the naming process and eventually came up with a number of new names for us to choose from. They also helped us with trademarking.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two people from their side, including Scott (Founder & Managing Director).

How did you come to work with Tanj?

It was through a recommendation.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $15,000–$30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together on this project from November 2021–February 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Tanj successfully helped us come up with a solid new brand name for our client. Overall, we were very satisfied with their work.

How did Tanj perform from a project management standpoint?

They delivered everything on time and within budget. For communication, we used email and Zoom. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were impressed with their naming process — their team took into account different perspectives in coming up with the right brand name.

Are there any areas they could improve on?

I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend working with Tanj. They were great to work with.