The Essence of our Symbol

Read on to find out more about the meaning behind our new symbol.

When LMA was founded, we thought deeply about what moved us, what motivated us and how we were going to make an impact. Being a minority female-led business added a layer of accountability, as we strongly believe in lifting up other women through mentoring and collaboration. 

Now, that our team has grown and our clients have diversified, we decided it was time to select a new logo that symbolized our passion as entrepreneurs. We spent some time identifying what our new symbol would be. To us it was more than selecting a logo, it had to be symbolic of our essence and what we stood for. One outstanding symbol was the cardinal. The cardinal, unlike other birds, does not migrate for winter, rather it stays to face even the toughest of times. That rung a bell! We felt this way through and through. We want to be there for our clients no matter what challenges came about. The pandemic was a great test of this, and we were grateful to have been there for all of our clients, regardless of the incredible challenges faced. 

The Red Cardinal

For those who are spiritual, the appearance of a cardinal signifies a message from heaven—appearing when passed loved ones are nearby.  The cardinal is also said to appear in times of stress and despair to encourage hope and persistence. This made an impact on us as well. We want to be a source of support and a resource for thoughtful guidance to our clients. Since we work with several non-for-profit organizations in fundraising and marketing, it is important for them to feel they can rely on our expertise when they face significant roadblocks. 

“The cardinal leads; that’s one of its strengths. Its stunning red color invokes passion. The core of our essence lies in these qualities as female entrepreneurs,” said Lucy Morillo, LMA CEO & Founder.  

Cardinals remind us of finding a balance in vitality and creativity. We often have projects where the client has the best intentions, but is not aligned internally on how to achieve it. One of our strengths is being able to peel away the layers and get to the root of the issue. Whether it’s staff or procedure, we guide organizations on how to look for the piece out of place. When too many cooks are stirring the pot, it’s incredibly helpful to have a subjective outside source to lean on, because perspective is important.

Now, as we celebrate nearly three years in business, we once again look inward to how we have evolved and grown during this time. As we create a new look and feel for ourselves, this beautiful bird became even more important - the cardinal became a symbol of purpose, and therefore, our logo.

Emily Dickinson wrote a beautiful poem that said, “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and signs the tunes without the words and never stops at all.” Could she have been talking about a cardinal? We’d like to think so.