Ganesh Harinath

You know, sometimes it’s tough being a first generation American. I am typically forced to explain the spelling of my name to my counterparts of European descent, I often am required to phonetically pronounce my name for wary waiting room staff and I am consistently challenged to resist correcting good-natured folks who just can’t translate the series of ostensibly unrelated letters into cohesive sounds. Still I find that my name offers me a point of differentiation in a crowded marketplace. There are distinct advantages to having a ‘unique’ name as a consultant – most notably, often getting elevated to a one-name status: a huge boon for folks who quickly need to stick out in a room full of people.

Yet, I opted to choose a twitter handle that had nothing to do with my name.

As an early adopter of the Twitter technology, I had several options for choosing my handle. What name became my brand was almost completely up to me. Despite this fecundity of alternatives, I opted for what, arguably, is a gobbledygook series of letters that form a vaguely pronounceable word.

Why? Marketability, Anonymity and Multifariousness.

Marketability.
An off-putting or hollow word for many, but a nonetheless useful one for purposes of our discussion. I would have an easier time advertising my capabilities, interests and expertise through a nom de plume. With no direct bearing on my person, I could transform into the social media whiz with a penchant for 80s TV trivia and local politics – all with the click of a mouse.

Anonymity.
While arguable similar to the above, this adds a layer of pretense to my posts. My followers and IRL friends know that I’m me – but others out there might give my ramblings an air they otherwise would not. This, ironically, speaks against commonly held practices in Twitter that require exposing the man behind the curtain so to speak, yet still works in this context. Remember, you want to engage and inspire your followers — and there is more than one way to make that happen.

Multifariousness.
I can now vacillate between personal and professional, non-sequitur and on point, ridiculous and slightly less ridiculous – all without worry or fear. Clearly the poster of a tweet is an individual who, at best, represents a few collective views and opinions. Taking this for granted allowed me to expand the scope of my discussion without needless concern for the impact.

And there you have it: the (very) basic reasoning behind my own decisions. While certainly less a ‘how-to’ and more a ‘why-I’ I sincerely hope this helps those of you out there contemplating a switch from the status quo to something new and different.

Are there any aspects of personal vs. professional that my pithy commentary failed to take into account? Please, sound off below.