Our Philosophy
Our philosophy is rooted in a belief that long-term sustainable financial value can be created when there is clearly defined “mutual ground” between our clients and us, a willingness to partner around aligned goals, and an obsession with reasonable and measurable outcomes which drive value elevation.
Our Values
Humility
Not the most popular word in business circles. I once had a boss that told me, “You are a Vice President – never apologize.” At SACRED, Humility is our first priority. We strive to live out the biblical scripture, “…in humility consider others more important than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3). We listen to hear and understand, define success based upon your needs, and then work relentlessly to ensure your goals and success are at the center of all that we do. After all, this is your business and we are your ally.
Stewardship Mentality
Stewardship is a word not often used in business ownership or leadership. At SACRED, we believe that every owner(s) and their executive team are stewards of the companies they own and lead. Why, you may ask? Because one day, the owner(s) and executive team will not be there. Therefore, how you manage the company today matters tomorrow. Maximus is right: “What you do in this life echoes into eternity.”
People Over Profit
We have all heard it ad nauseam. You know the saying: “People are your most valuable resource.” In fact, we’ve never met anyone who doesn’t agree with this maxim. At SACRED, we believe that our role is to not only work on our client’s behalf, but to work with our clients to develop their financial teams’ capabilities. Developing strong teams with strong financial acumen only benefits your organizations long-term value.
Give to Bless
At SACRED, we deeply believe “it is more blessed to give than receive” (Acts 20:35). In fact, we donate a portion of every client engagement to Samaritan’s Purse to provide fresh water for people around the globe, and for our annual clients, we provide a plaque signifying their participation in providing fresh drinking water to areas that do not have water readily available.
Willingly Connect
In a business culture which attempts to monetize every connection and every transaction, we believe it is better to be “Willing Connector.” We define “willing connector” as the intentional action of putting people and businesses together, even when there may be little to no value to ourselves. Sometimes the right relationships or connections are the final piece needed for our client’s business to achieve success.
Our Name
You might be wondering about the name, SACRED? The term sacred typically conveys the meaning of being removed from common use and “set apart” for a more elevated and often divine purpose. Now, I’m not suggesting that everything we do at SACRED is divinely inspired, but for our firm the name holds three clear purposes.
First, we want our services to be set apart in how we approach our work. To honor God and to honor our clients in every engagement we undertake.
Second, the letters represent the first letters of my wife and children (see image below). These folks have been the greatest blessing in my life.
Finally, our goal is to elevate our client’s financial capabilities, enabling every business to create meaningful and sustainable value for owners and their families, their employees, the customers, and their communities.
Our Founder
For the past twenty-seven years, Eric Stuart has been involved in key executive leadership roles, from consultant to CEO, focused upon developing and executing strategies which deliver value to shareholders, employees, and customers for global Fortune 500, as well as for small and mid-sized businesses.
His financial business case worked has spanned five continents and has resulted in over $150M in strategic financial investments for corporate initiatives. Additionally, in his leadership roles, he has held financial responsibility for over $100M annual P&Ls, as well as performed valuations, financial forecasting, and executed due diligence for partner buyouts, company start-ups, capital funding initiatives, and acquisitions/divestitures for over $75M.
