about-us

ABOUT US

We started Sage Business Credit to support the growth of small businesses and empower the entrepreneurs who built them. We don’t think slow or tight cash flow should hinder your business’ ability to grow. So we provide simple and straightforward financing options to give you the short-term breathing room you need to keep it running. And to help spark long-term growth and clear a path to traditional financing, we offer free access to proven entrepreneurial building blocks.

what-we-offer

WHAT WE OFFER

Flexible, Creative Financing

Even when traditional bank financing isn’t an option, your business still needs the cash flow that’s the lifeline of any business. We offer flexible and creative financing options, including lines of credit based on asset values or on sales, to keep your business running—and growing.

Resources for Growth

Once short-term financing is in place for our clients, we turn our attention to their future growth. All Sage clients have access to our extensive and valuable network of resources, from contract CFOs to alternative lenders and other capital sources.

Entrepreneurial Insights

Financing is our business. Working with entrepreneurs is our passion—and one of the value-added benefits of being a Sage client. We know what it takes for small businesses to thrive and we love helping entrepreneurs build value. Let us help you take your business where you always believed it could go.

quote

A WORD FROM OUR FOUNDER

“I know what it takes to build a business from the ground up. I’ve done it for myself. The best part of my work at Sage is helping entrepreneurs do the same thing for their business.”

KAREN TURNQUIST, PRESIDENT, SAGE BUSINESS CREDIT

relationships

OUR RELATIONSHIPS

WHO WE HELP

There is no typical Sage client. Our clients come in all sizes and from many industries: manufacturing, distribution, business services and transportation to name just a few. From startups to more established businesses, what they share is an inability—at least temporarily—to get traditional bank financing. They also share a belief in their business and the desire to see it grow.

In the short time that we work with our clients, we get to know them and their business. We’re open and honest as we learn about their challenges and goals. And we quickly earn their trust as we become knowledgable and passionate advocates for their business.

FREQUENT CLIENT QUESTIONS

What size businesses does Sage work with?

We work with businesses of many sizes, typically with annual revenues between $600,000 and $50 million.

What if I can’t qualify for bank financing?

Then you’ve come to the right place! Helping businesses that are unable—for a variety of reasons—to secure traditional bank financing is exactly why we’re here. Our goal from day one of our relationship with you—through financing and our value-added entrepreneurial expertise—will be to help your business become bankable as quickly as possible.

Do you help start-ups?

Yes! As new businesses, startups are especially receptive and eager partners for our entrepreneurial coaching and often benefit from our extensive network of growth resources.

Our business has a challenging credit history, are we out of luck?

Not at all. In fact, this may be your lucky day because our focus is on our clients’ future sales, not their past. We’ve successfully helped clients with a wide range of credit histories—setting them up for future success by transitioning them to traditional forms of financing.

Do you require long-term contracts?

One of the things our clients appreciate about us is that our goal isn’t to lock them into long-term contracts. As part of our commitment to helping your business become bankable as soon as possible, we offer minimum contract terms for maximum financing flexibility. And if your referring bank extends a financing offer before the conclusion of your contract with us, we’ll gladly release you from it with no penalties.

This sounds great! How do I get started?

You can start the process by simply clicking on this link. We’ll get in touch asap and show you what we can do for you and your business!

sage-advantages

SAGE ADVANTAGES

From flexible and creative financing options to a focus on nurturing bankability, we know we have a lot of advantages to offer our entrepreneurial clients and banking referral partners. The fact that we don’t take that for granted may be why, in a largely transactional industry, we’ve been able to build such strong relationships.

advantages-for-entrepreneurs

ADVANTAGES FOR ENTREPRENEURS

Cheaper Funds

There’s more than one way to get financing for your business. We’ll look at your needs with creativity and flexibility. And through options like blended loans with banks, we’ll help you secure the financing you need at the lowest possible cost.

Fast Track to Bankable℠

Forget long-term contracts. Our goal from day-one of our relationship is to put you on the fast track to traditional bank financing and long-term growth. We have the knowledge and resources to get you there.

Entrepreneurial Resources

With the necessary financing in place, we’ll roll up our sleeves and work with you to build value in your business. If you want to realize the full potential of your business, we have the entrepreneurial expertise and the connections to make it happen.

advantages-for-bankers

ADVANTAGES FOR BANKERS

Hybrid Financing Opportunities

Our clients like the lower cost of blended loans. Our banking partners appreciate that it allows them to start new relationships sooner and maintain existing relationships longer.

Focus on Bankability

No one is more focused on helping clients quickly establish a solid foundation for growth. Refer a customer to us and there’s a great chance they’ll soon be back working with you to establish traditional financing.

A Trusted Partner

We value the relationships we build with our referral partners. We’ve worked with many of them for more than 30 years by being responsible, honest and by doing what’s right for the customers they send our way.

testimonials-two

WHAT OUR CLIENTS ARE SAYING

• Sage makes it very clear that they are there for you and want you to completely succeed. And they enable and empower you to understand many different facets of how your business can operate. It’s been an unbelievable experience for me.

  Nancy C., Food Service Company

• Sage’s questions really dove into understanding our business and its long-term needs. The lending part was secondary. It felt more like a business relationship than just a lending relationship. I couldn’t give them a higher recommendation.

  Greg A., Wine Maker

• They are down to earth, honest and open. And they just seem very motivated by helping me and my business succeed.

  Pamela J., Fire Safety Equipment Manufacturer

• They are very creative and flexible in their financing options, including partnering with traditional banks to help get deals done. That’s been huge and saved us a fair amount of money.

  Tim N., Sporting Goods Manufacturer

• Professional. Organized. Efficient. Extremely responsive. Honest. Trustworthy. Kind. They’re just really good, smart people. 

  Michael P., Consumer Goods Designer & Manufacturer

• I couldn’t ask for better communication. The way they described their costs and services was very easy to understand, even for someone who doesn’t understand finance well. I understood right away what our costs would be. 

  Tim F., Food Service Company

 

our-team-two

Our Team

We love what we do. There’s an energy and excitement that comes from working with small businesses and entrepreneurs. We come to the office every day eager to share what we know, and we have a lot to offer—more than 50 years of combined financing and entrepreneurial experience.

 

KAREN TURNQUIST

President

As the CEO and founder of Sage Business Credit, Karen Turnquist helps entrepreneurs build value in their businesses. It’s a role she relishes because she walks in their shoes and knows what it takes.

Like many entrepreneurs, Karen built her first business from nothing. Challenged to keep up with the many day-to-day efforts required to simply keep a new business running, she also managed to create long-term value.

She assembled an exceptional team. She fostered a strong brand. And she built a thriving business.

In her career, Karen’s helped hundreds of emerging businesses and facilitated more than $2 billion in accounts-receivable financing. And she comes to work eager to share her entrepreneurial insights and experience.>

She loves what she does and believes there’s no greater reward than seeing fellow entrepreneurs succeed.

CATHY SEDACCA

Director of Sales + Marketing

Cathy Sedacca has worked at companies both large and small and believes the biggest challenges—and rewards—are found in small businesses.

That’s why she partnered with Karen Turnquist to found Sage Business Credit. Like a true entrepreneur, Cathy believed they could do what had been done by others, but better.

And working with clients who share the same vision for their business is the best part of her job as director of sales and marketing.

Relying on more than 20 years of creative financing and business coaching experience, Cathy helps provide financing and insights that allow clients to jumpstart the pursuit of their dreams.

The passion and energy generated throughout that process is what Cathy believes working at a small company is all about.

JOHN MCDONALD

Credit Coordinator

Working at a small company like Sage gives John McDonald ample opportunities to roll up his sleeves and tackle a host of challenges.

And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Wearing several hats on behalf of Sage’s clients, John appreciates that his work keeps him on his toes and exposes him to many different kinds of small businesses.

And although he describes himself as “a numbers guy,” John says the best part of his job is more personal: seeing clients grow and add value as a result of the firm’s efforts.