The day I decided, April 2015 PGC Bangalore (only one they ran in India).
Used Max Carson (as pseudonym), to sell mobile app and game development services. Before that I was Rachel, before that its Patricia. Lead Generation role taught me a western name opened more inboxes than mine did, and I had no reason to argue with the data.
The day it happened (PGC Bangalore 2015), meet Sumit (then GM Zynga) ran a session and gave my studio's art breakdown 30min feedback. I took notes. I looked around the floor, Founders running their own studios/companies (Moonfrog, GreedyGames…). Everyone of them standing behind their own work under their own name.
3 jobs, 1 failed start-up, first gaming deal with SG university. None of it carried my name. Its the event and moment I decided to start take the initiatives of working with my own name. Weeks later, the next prospecting email went out as Cartic (not as Max).
Got pushback from people (who meant well), use a generic name. Use something clients can pronounce, it converts better. Suggested me to be Cartic Peters or Carl, like Malayali name Riju Mathews/Sanju Samson. I kept Cartic.
Picked iCartic as my Skype ID, not a brand. It became Twitter, then LinkedIn, FB, then a newsletter….
What I learnt here
A pseudonym closes the deal in front of you, it cannot close the one 3 years out.
Nobody refers Rachel, nobody remembers Max/Patricia.
11 years of one name, in public, every week.
This month it turned into my first international speaking confirmation. Topic and details soon.
PS. if you're running a second name because someone told you it converts, how many more years are you giving it?
tCARe, CARtic P
iCartic.com