We’re often asked about the kinds of clients Sage serves and what their experience is like. So we asked one of our former clients, Ron McClurg, chief financial officer of Incisive Surgical, if he would tell the story of how he came to Sage and what he valued about his company’s experience with us. Hearing his story reaffirms for us that we’re not only doing what we love, but we’re doing it with great clients.

When a longstanding bank relationship was no longer viable for medical device manufacturer Incisive Surgical, Chief Financial Officer Ron McClurg explored options with a handful of asset-based lenders.

It didn’t take long for Ron to make a decision.

“It was clear from the first phone conversation that Sage was different. They were interested in our story,” Ron recalled.

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by Cathy Sedacca

Happy New Year!

I’m not sure what it is about January 1 that feels so different from February 1 or March 1 or October 1, but it starts with a sense of hope and good intentions. And I always like the idea of a fresh start at the beginning of the year.

Merriam Webster defines “New Year’s resolution” as a promise to do something differently in the new year. I can’t be the only one surprised the definition does not end with, “typically broken by mid-February.”

Like most people, I have a spotty record when it comes to resolutions. Whether it’s been plans for reducing my weight or increasing my bank account, I’ve had my share of setbacks.

But last year I tried something different and it made a big difference.

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by Karen Turnquist

I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.
           – Albert Einstein

Growing up, there were nine people in my family: Mom, Dad, two sisters and four brothers.

We were a happy family, although, as you can imagine, it was chaotic and unpredictable at times. At a relatively early age, I found the best way to navigate my way through our family dynamic was to be in the know, which I accomplished by asking questions and putting 2 and 2 together.

It must have been my mother who coined the now-revered parental phrase: “Because I said so.” It quickly became her auto-response to the relentless slew of questions I directed at her about pretty much everything.

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By Cathy Sedacca

We get it.

The news is discouraging. Politics seems uglier than ever. Social media is full of toxic talk. And to top it off, our long, dark winter appears to have arrived well before Thanksgiving.

So, yeah, it’s understandable to be a little disheartened about the world.

Despite all that, here at Sage, it’s generally a pretty cheerful place. And I think that’s mostly because we choose how we see and respond to the world. A little bit of hope and optimism seem to be the simple and contagious remedies to the negative forces at work in the world. Remember the old expression, “The grass is greener where you water it”?

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By Craig Siiro

For the past 30 years, I have aided the development of entrepreneurial companies using the “Evolution of a Business” model.

Among the highlights of the model, which is based on a Harvard Business Review article, is the fact that many entrepreneurial businesses start with a person who feels they have identified a better or revolutionary way.

Often a single leader at the outset, ideally a management team as the business matures, the success of these businesses is frequently based on the owners’ “intestinal fortitude”—their commitment to overcoming the challenges inherent in starting a business.

In good times and in challenging ones, it’s strong leadership, supported by sound financial and operating systems, that keep entrepreneurial businesses running.

It’s a model that I’ve seen repeatedly demonstrated in my clients, including one that recently faced a stiff challenge.

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We’re often asked about the kinds of clients Sage serves and what their experience is like. So we asked one of our former clients if he would tell the story of how he came to Sage and what he valued about his company’s experience with us. We were delighted with his response and captured it in the case study below. Note: We’ve changed his name and omitted his businesses’s name for privacy reasons.

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by Cathy Sedacca

Attracting and retaining good employees is a hot topic and an especially tough challenge.

As Sage’s Cal Walker addressed last fall, (Attracting Employees Like Bees to Honey) the ability to attract good employees can be influenced by things like the right culture, values, work space, and social-impact statements.

But when it comes to retaining those good employees, multiple studies have found that people often leave managers, not companies.

With that in mind: What kind of manager are you?

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 by Karen Turnquist

Recently, a longtime friend went through a business ownership breakup. At the beginning, with solid sales and plenty of money in the bank, the partnership worked.

But when the economy softened and revenues dried up, the owners’ differences began to cause significant rifts, damaging their relationships and the business.

A business friend of one of the partners strongly advised a dissolution or sale, but the partner deflected the advice. It seemed drastic, daunting and difficult to even broach the subject with the other partners.

But over the next three years, the business continued to struggle and the partnership grew even more troubled. The same friend enlisted the help of two other business acquaintances and the trio implored the partner to buy out his partners.

This time the advice stuck and the partnership was eventually dissolved. Today, with the disputes in the rear-view mirror, the business is thriving and everyone is much happier.

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By Cathy Sedacca

I got the opportunity to catch up with a longtime friend of my 18-year-old daughters recently.

He was full of excitement and enthusiasm as he told me about getting into his dream college, his plans for a double major and the career he hopes to build from there. I was so impressed and proud to hear him explain how hard he worked to get the ACT score he needed and the financing required to make his dream school a reality.

He had a lofty goal and he achieved it.

Now he’s moving on to his five-year goal of graduating with a double major, earning several internships and securing a solid job offer.

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by Karen Turnquist

As I write this, I’m waiting for my son and my 8 year-old grandson Blake to arrive at my house.

Earlier in the week, I had slated this time to do some of the things on my massive to-do list, including an important proposal that I’ve promised to a prospective client.

But I’m on my front step in a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt, waiting for Blake.

And I owe the change in plans to Barbara Bush.

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