Chasehill & Co.

My mother's maiden name is Chase and my mother-in-law's maiden name is Hill, so it was obvious what our family's business name should be. Wait a minute – family business? You may be like my husband and asking, "Don't you already have enough business names? And then he starts to name them to make his point: Cynthia Dye Studios, Praiseworthy Arts, Chase for Charity, Dye-agram Books, Ashton Gardens Art Gallery . . .  That's when I say (before he realizes there are more), "Stop. Yes we need another business name. One that the kids can carry on when I'm gone." And that's when my husband (and perhaps you, too) very carefully back out of the room so as not to disturb a woman who is playing serious pretend. (See the heading "Dye-agram Books" for more about pretend.)

Chasehill & Co. will be the business that someday manages to get things moving in the Dye book world. It's the business that my children – or my children's children – can run. Can't you just picture it now? Hey! All you little grandkiddies come here and we'll play Chasehill & Co. Let's say you get to be the Chief Executive Officers and tell everyone else how to do their jobs. You get to be the bosses! And figure out how to make the money, too. And eat donuts while you're at it. I'll pretend like I'm your goofy grandmother. 

Aw, my mother and mother-in-law would be proud. To think, a multi-million dollar pretend business named after them!