Portfolio manager Cale Smith on investing, Spoke Funds®, and Islamorada in the Florida Keys.

A fishing guide on the flats at sunset. From Pat Ford.

Funny story. This is my firm’s old logo:

After first seeing it last year, a friend up north asked, “Why is that bank robber in your logo holding a broom? Looks like he’s standing at home in Fenway ready to jack one out.”

As I explained at the time, it was actually a backcountry cowboy – a fishing guide who specializes in the flats and backcountry in Florida Bay. Kind of an iconic image down here, and I liked the symbolism. He’s wearing a balaclava as protection from the sun and holding a pushpole to move his skiff around the flats, which are often too shallow to motor through.

Behind the scenes, we’d been in a start-up mode. Every minute counted. I couldn’t find a picture like Pat’s above at the time, so I rushed into the backyard, stood on the picnic table – with a real broom – and asked Mrs. Cale In The Keys to take this pic:

Then I sent it to Gail at Gecko Graphics to work her magic. Thing was, though, I didn’t want the guy in the logo to actually look like me. How egotistical would that be?

Gail’s solution was simple. She gave the guide beefy triceps. Cuz mine are so anemic, apparently.

Below is our new logo. No artificial testosterone was used in the making of this version.

And now if anyone asks about the bank robber, I’ll just send them Pat’s photo.