What's in a Name, Anyway?
For the last five years, I've been operating as Lisa Sills Design. A business name so obvious it never needed further explanation. What kind of work? Design. Who does it? Lisa Sills. About as straightforward as you can get.
There was just one problem. It only told part of the story.
I'm entering a new chapter in my business, and there's no better time to name it properly.
Introducing: Ellenen Creative
I've always loved the saying "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts." It's especially true for creative work, where collaboration and unique idea generation make the end product stronger and more memorable.
That's what Ellenen is. A new word made by spelling out L and N. My initial, L, and my husband's initial, N, blended into one word. I might be the face of the studio, but this business was never built by one person alone. Every milestone has had encouragement, partnership, sacrifice, and support behind it. Ellenen just makes that visible.
It also reflects how I work with clients. Great creative work isn't handed down from a designer to a client. And it's not a prescriptive list handed from client to designer either. It's built together. The strongest brands come out of collaboration, trust, curiosity, and a shared commitment to making something that actually lasts.
The Mark
[Nerd alert] My logo is an et ligature, the historic ancestor of the ampersand. It reads almost like an E, which felt right for obvious reasons. But what drew me to it was what it represents: connection.
The ampersand has always meant "and." For me, that's partnership in every sense. Ideas and execution. Strategy and design. Client and creative. My husband and me.
The Next Chapter
Lisa Sills Design described who was doing the work. Ellenen Creative describes how the work happens. It's less about one person and more about bringing people, perspectives, and ideas together to build something thoughtful and lasting.
That's the belief this business runs on now: the best work is never created in isolation.
“
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
— Aristotle