About Tocobaga

A name with roots. A campfire with a job.

Tocobaga is a local name, from the people who lived on the shores of Tampa Bay long before there were bridges, billboards, or “this meeting could have been an email.” The Tocobaga are widely associated with the northern end of Old Tampa Bay, and archaeologists strongly link their principal town to the Safety Harbor Site. [1]

If you have ever stood near the Tocobaga Temple Mound at Philippe Park, you have been close to one of the most visible remnants of that history. It is the largest remaining mound in the Tampa Bay region, built in alternating layers of shell and sand, with evidence of structures on top and a ramp that once led down toward a plaza. The site is also recognized as a National Historic Landmark. [2]

Now, the part everyone repeats at cocktail parties: “Tampa means sticks of fire.” It is a real theory, and a fun one. But the honest version is better: “Tanpa” shows up in a 1575 account by Hernando de Escalante Fontaneda, and scholars still debate what the word meant and even exactly where it was originally applied. Some etymologists argue for “sticks of fire” (often tied to lightning), others argue for “place to gather sticks,” and George R. Stewart argued it may have been a Spanish corruption of another word entirely. Some scholarship also suggests the name may have been transferred north over time on maps, potentially from the Charlotte Harbor area, which is a very Florida way for history to happen. [3]

Either way, we kept the spirit of that “sticks of fire” idea, not as a gimmick, but as a small homage. That is why our mark is a campfire. It is a reminder that the point is not the flame. The point is what you can see by it.

Because that is what we do.

We sit with you at the fire, then we lead the hike

Tocobaga is a lead generation marketing agency and SMB advisory. Translation: we help you stop guessing, start measuring, and build a growth system that holds up when you are busy, tired, and still have payroll Friday.

Our work lives where strategy meets execution:

• lead generation systems (not “campaigns” that die in 30 days)

• positioning and messaging that turns attention into action

• conversion-focused web and funnel improvements (because traffic without calls is just vibes)

• reporting you can actually use to make decisions

• fractional CMO guidance when the business is growing faster than the org chart

And yes, we care about brand. But only the kind that earns its keep. If it does not reduce CAC, improve close rate, or shorten the sales cycle, it is not a priority yet.

How we work (Field Notes style)

1. Scout the terrain
   We start with what is real: your offers, your margins, your capacity, your sales process, your current lead sources, and the ugly parts everyone politely avoids.

2. Draw the map
   We turn that into a clear route: what we are doing now, what we are doing next, and what is not worth doing yet. No “marketing theater.” Just tradeoffs and consequences.

3. Build the trail markers
   Tracking, attribution, landing pages, follow-up sequences, pipelines, and the operational handoffs that keep leads from falling into the swamp.

4. Measure the miles
   Calls, forms, booked appointments, CPL, CAC, close rate, revenue per lead. If it cannot be measured, it cannot be improved.

5. Adjust before you get lost
   We iterate like grown-ups. Not “rip everything up.” Just tighten, improve, and keep moving.

Why we chose the name

Because names matter.

The Tocobaga story is a local story. It is about place. It is about the tension between what we can still see (mounds, shorelines, artifacts) and what got erased. It is also about how quickly “new” arrives, and how much gets forgotten when it does. In 1567, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés visited Tocobaga in the context of Spanish colonial expansion and regional power dynamics, including attempts to mediate conflict with the Calusa. A Spanish mission-fort was established, and the episode turned violent and short-lived. [4][5]

We are not here to claim that history. We are here to remember it, respect it, and let it do what good history does: keep us humble while we build something useful.

If you are an SMB owner, here is the deal

You do not need more noise.

You need a plan you can execute, a funnel that converts, and reporting that tells the truth.

If you want a partner who can sit down with you, look at the map, and say, “Ok. Here is the route. Here is what it costs. Here is what we are betting on,” you are in the right place.

Let’s light the fire, get clear, and move.