Doers and Dreamers – Sarah Jacob
It was very impressive to meet a woman that came to the realization that many people’s standard for success was not hers and decided at a young age to pursue her version of success here in our community. Say ‘Hello’ to this week’s Doer and Dreamer, Sarah Jacob.
Your name: Sarah Jacob
Business or organization: EssJay Consulting, LLC
Occupation: CFO Consultant
What is your approach to your business or occupation that makes you unique?
What I do is unique in this area, which is to play a CFO role as a consultant for small local businesses. Local companies with $1m to $5m in annual revenue are generally too small to employ a CFO but large enough to need the strategic financial analysis required to make informed choices. My financial models and reports bring clarity to business owners, and I provide the leadership to help them move forward confidently.
I also know that a person’s business is their life and a reflection of their personality, their spirit, and their journey. I partner with my clients and listen for what’s going on behind the day-to-day issues. Money is not a thing, it’s an outcome, and I help my clients align with the most powerful actions that will bring about the most successful outcomes for themselves and their business.
Where are you from originally?
Born in Minnesota, raised in Connecticut. I’ve got that Puritan German work ethic lodged in!
What brought you to the Kingston area and keeps you in this area?
I came for the culture of the Hudson Valley. I visited in 2010 and immediately felt that I was among my people, people with shared values of conscious living, compassion, freedom, and openness. I am now very connected to my local community and I have a strong sense of belonging, of being known, and of being supported in everything I do. I have a lot of love around me here and I’m grateful every day for the life I get to live.
What is your favorite hangout in this area and why?
I love bringing my dog Kaya to the Comeau property in Woodstock for a gorgeous walk through a magical forest. I always feel so alive and at peace there.
When you’re not in Kingston, what’s your idea of a wonderful city to
visit, and why?
Buenos Aires for sure. Why? TANGO! I lived there for 8 months when I was a tango gypsy prior to moving to the Hudson Valley, and it immediately felt like home. It’s a beautiful mess of a city with warm and lively people full of fire and grit. It’s an awesome combination of the ornate and lavish architecture of Europe, a thriving center for the arts, and the color and emotion of South America. And oh the tango…it’s everywhere…they understand that tango and connection are basic human needs!
Tell us something that we never would have guessed about you.
You probably wouldn’t have guessed that I used to be a portfolio manager in the extremely conservative Boston professional culture. I had a perfectly perfect mainstream life pursuing material rewards in a conventional box. I worked around the clock. I lived on coffee, Tums, and Advil and powered my life on stress and striving. It was a past life and my current incarnation is a big upgrade!
