Our Name and Logo Explained

Behind the Name

Initiative - to act first.
Seems like a simple name for a brand, right?
But for me, it's much more than that.

You see, the number 2 holds deep meaning for me.
It's tied to the day I was born, the year I graduated,
and the moment I decided to chase my dream.
It also represents the message I want to convey through this brand.

I'm also a big fan of Japanese culture, probably from watching too much anime.
Even my pen name is a Japanese word - Kaizen, which means improvement.
In Japanese, the number 2 is written as "二" (pronounced ni).
While thinking of brand names, this lingered in the back of my mind.

After several days of brainstorming, I hit a wall.
No name felt quite right.
Then, out of nowhere while I was at work, I heard a word that stopped me in my tracks.
It clicked.
I instantly knew, it was the one.

And that word was Initiative.
Even the number 2 is subtly embedded within it.
I paired it with our tagline: "Take the first step."

"Ni" represents learning and improvement.
"Initiative" represents action and progress.
Together, they express the heart of what I want this brand to be.
A source of inspiration for people to take action,
to strive for growth, and to bring their dreams to life.

Behind the logo

With the name set, the next challenge was the logo.
I had no design experience, and no budget to hire a professional.
So, I did what I could: I researched, drafted, and experimented.

Our first logo was simple but meaningful, the Japanese kanji "二".
It was the best I could come up with at the time, and I was proud of it.
We launched three drops using that logo.
But then, we ran into our first big setback.

We got scammed.
We lost our budget. Our releases stopped. And honestly, I was devastated.
I considered quitting and just focus on my corporate job.
And for a year, we did stop.
It was easier to walk away, but it wasn’t what I truly wanted.

So I came back to it, little by little.
Eventually, we had the resources to begin again.
Not from scratch, but from where we left off.
I knew I wanted to redesign the logo before we relaunched.
This time, I had grown. I had improved.
And I wanted our logo to reflect that.

Our new logo is the letter N, with two stars on each side.
I didn’t want to completely abandon the original design,
so I made sure it still paid tribute.
If you turn the new logo sideways, you’ll see it - 
a subtle nod to where we started.

Now, our new website is live, and the relaunch was a success.
We’re incredibly grateful - for both our loyal customers and new supporters.

We’re not just improving the logo, we’re working to improve everything about the brand.
And one thing is certain: We will never fully stop.

To everyone who's supported us - thank you.
We promise to keep creating stuff you'll love,
that will inspire you to keep moving forward,
and help you manifest the dreams you’ve been holding onto.

Yours Truly.