By Scott Ronalds

I went to the Auto Show on the weekend to check out the latest and greatest (I’m a car fan, but by no means an expert on what’s under the hood). There was a wide range of vehicles, bells & whistles, and price points. And no shortage of jargon. I couldn’t help but draw some similarities to the investment business.

For a non-gearhead, I can see how it can all be overwhelming. Looking at all the steel and rubber, though, got me thinking – If Steadyhand were a car, what would it be?

We actually went through this exercise recently when we were reviewing our brand and refining our messaging. It can be an interesting and revealing task for any business, new or old (try asking the key stakeholders in your company the question and see what type of responses you get).

There were a few key brands that kept coming up in our discussion: Audi, Toyota and Tesla.

Audi is symbolic of entry-level luxury, with a value tilt. It’s an understated brand relative to Mercedes or BMW, yet comes with plenty of luxury features and a lower price tag. We like these attributes.

Toyota wasn’t mentioned as frequently in our session, but was commended for its strong track record, service and leadership in hybrid technology. Again, impressive traits.

Tesla came up several times. It’s a disruptor and does things on its own terms. Elon Musk’s company is trying to shake up and redefine an entire industry, from the way cars are manufactured and powered, to how they’re sold. It’s a trailblazer and a game changer. Lots to be captivated about.

We feel Steadyhand has elements of each of the above brands. So if there was a vehicle symbolic of our brand, it would probably be a marriage of the three ... a Teslaudiota. Coincidentally, our head office is right in the middle of two of these dealers (Audi and Tesla, which is scheduled to open soon on West 4th). Maybe we’ll bring it up at the next block party.