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Why is the logo for this company a bunch of leaves? What’s with the greens? Are you a florist?

Those were three questions I got from strangers when I debuted the Polyphronetic Consulting logo at a Salesforce event recently. A little discouraging, honestly. I thought the connection between the leaves and the company would be obvious.

I was ready to scrap the whole thing when a colleague from another consulting firm picked up my card, smiled, and said: I love that your logo is basil leaves.

That was the moment.

Over the next couple of days the reactions were mixed. People who have known me for years got it immediately. To everyone else I just said the leaves are Basil. Like me.

The old adage is that a picture is worth a thousand words. I’m a little less ambitious than that. I just want it to stand in for a few.

If polyphronetic implies strategy and sophistication, the leaves are a reminder that the most powerful forms of intelligence are not manufactured. They are cultivated. Innovation does not only come from systems and screens. It grows from experience, from patience, from knowing when to adapt and when to hold your ground. That is what basil does. That is what I do.

I hope the logo invokes growth, life, and a connection to nature. I hope it shows perseverance and versatility. Now I get to do the work of building a brand to match my name and my reputation.

I am proud of the name my parents gave me and the company I am building to help put a mark on the world.