How We Chose "Forest"

Naming is not an easy task. A name is a key piece of something’s identity – be it a product, a brand, or a person. You can just as easily over-simplify as you can over-complicate. As with most things in life, the sweet spot lies somewhere in between those two extremes.

Arriving at the name Forest was not void of comical detours. As we started the naming process, there were very little bounds. We brainstormed, fell down a rabbit hole of keywords, spent a lot of quality time with an online thesaurus, and went through a long list of potential candidates before ultimately realizing we needed a framework – something to anchor our ideas to and guide us down the right path. 

Led by our marketing and design leads, Sarah Blau and Ben De Rienzo, we put some rhyme to our reason by establishing a framework that ultimately led us to a name that we love. Here’s how we did it. 

Our naming framework set non-negotiables for every potential name:

  • It must connect to the Clareo mission of “Make Innovation Work”;
  • It must fit with the way our product works;
  • It must be unique in the market and not already claimed, with trademarks and web domains available;
  • It must reflect our values at Clareo (Service, Teamwork, Respect, Integrity, Delight, Entrepreneurialism);
  • and it must represent words we wanted the brand to embody – Inspiring, Inclusive, Dependable, Strong, Dynamic, Purposeful, Respectful, Creative, and Experienced.

These parameters provided the structure we needed in our naming process, and led us down a much more intentional path to Forest

So Why Forest?

“Everyone wins when forests are healthy.” – Arden Tree Farms. 

We believe the same is true for companies. The best corporate innovators build a new vision within a strong existing one, in order to make the whole company healthier and set it up for future growth. They respect and leverage the legacy of the core. Forest represents that truth.

Here are six characteristics of a forest that align perfectly with our vision:

  1. A forest is interconnected. The root system of trees in a forest is interconnected and interdependent. Trees share resources freely to repair, grow, and edify one  another. Each tree is just one component of a whole.

    Implication: The most innovative companies share resources efficiently and effectively.
  2. A forest leverages diversity. Forests often appear to be uniform from a distance, but are extremely diverse when you get inside. Forests are massive ecosystems that house countless species of plants, trees, bugs, birds, and animals – all of which work together to make a forest flourish and thrive. 

    Implication: Diversity drives creativity, and the most cohesive, comprehensive solutions.
  3. A forest recycles everything. Trees die and fall to the ground, providing the nutrients for something new to grow. Every tree has a lifecycle and plays a unique role in a forest’s evolution. While once strong and freestanding, it serves another purpose by feeding the potential of the new.

    Implication: The legacy business that paved the way created invaluable assets for everything new.
  4. A forest provides habitat flexibility. The habitants of a Forest have different needs. Some need a hiding place, others reach for the sun, and others need a place to care for their young. A healthy forest provides all of these in plenty.

    Implication: 
    Successful innovation requires treating each opportunity differently and giving each what it needs to thrive – be that protection or scrutiny. 
  5. A forest is planting continuously. Countless seeds are being planted naturally everyday within a healthy forest. Many seeds die, but some seeds grow to be the future pillars, up to the canopy. A forest scales up and down its planting based on the season, but its process is continuous.

    Implication:
    Winning companies place small bets widely and often with discipline.
  6. A forest is generous beyond itself. The healthiest forests not only take care of their own needs, but also provide a large majority of the oxygen and clean water needed for the rest of the planet to survive. Their purpose extends beyond its own survival.

    Implication: Companies with an expansive purpose create significant outcomes that can impact the world.

The characteristics of a forest embody everything that Forest is. We believe in empowering innovators with the right tools and capabilities to create new opportunity and growth so their companies can flourish, and ultimately create a much brighter future for the world at large. 

How We Chose "Forest"

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