Sari is the founder and CEO of S Kern Consulting, a business strategy consulting firm which focuses on using data to drive business decision-making.  Her diversified career as an entrepreneurial and strategic operations executive has touched various industries and markets such as healthcare, health-tech, clinical research, strategic consulting, nursing, leadership, visual arts, scuba diving and poker.  Sari’s experience and approach give her an edge when it comes to discovering and interpreting information to develop comprehensive and evidence-based strategic business plans.

In addition to her consulting experience, Sari has worked on the corporate side of companies of various growth stages and industries, developing strategic corporate plans, financial projection models for boards and investors, and developing and growing new verticals.

What are you passionate about?

The power of data.  And data is not just the abstract information floating in the clouds for big companies to use – it is every bit of information generated by the day-to-day operations of a business.  In the right hands and with the right methods, data can change the world.  It begins with empowering innovative, small, start-up companies to have a deeper understanding of how to measure success and how to curate evidence-based strategies.  And if the ethical, world-changing companies can navigate their way to profitability, they have a chance to compete on the world stage.

What one piece of advice would you give to an early stage startup regarding your area of expertise?

It is not about how much information you collect – it is about the quality.  Always make sure the data you are collecting is relevant to your goals, mission, and vision as a company.  Track it, understand it, and make strategic decisions that are informed by it.  Gut instinct is wonderful, and important, but it works so much better when used to fill in gaps and ambiguity for a data-driven approach.

What do you like best about mentoring at the Preccelerator?

I love helping companies really start to understand their business model.  There are so many big, strategic choices that need to be made in the first few years that define the business. When data is collected and tracked early, the information can really help to lay the foundation for the company as a whole.