The People Behind the Name and My Inspiration

The question I get the most is where did I come up with my business name?  Gene is a family name.  My grandfather's name was Eugene, it is part of my mother's name, and my own.  And of course, my grandmother's name was Nellie.

My grandparents both came from humble beginnings.  Both grew up during the Depression, and my grandfather served in WWII, receiving a purple heart for being wounded during the war and for his bravery.  My grandfather worked as the janitor in our middle school, and as a plasterer before that.  My grandmother worked at the local five and dime store, and as a cook in a local restaurant.  

While neither of them held fancy jobs or had fancy titles, they both took great pride in the work they did, and were thankful to have it.  I never heard them complain about the jobs they held.   I vividly remember how much fun my grandfather had spending time with the middle schoolers - he looked forward to seeing them every day, and they looked forward to seeing him.  My grandmother would share recipes from work with us - a secret recipe not so secret.

So as I thought about what name I wanted for my company, Nellie & Gene - Accounting for Startups and Dreamers seemed a perfect fit to honor their memory and serve as a reminder that we can find happiness in the work we do for others, should be proud of our accomplishments - big or small - and be thankful for the opportunity.