I’ve seen too many small business owners struggle to implement inclusive practices or access meaningful leadership development. That gap, coupled with my own lived experience, is what truly motivated me.
This Founder Friday welcomes Raffy Sgroi, the founder of Sage Advice. With a fearless heart and passion for shattering stuffy industries, Raffy is rewriting the playbookon what leadership can mean, one bold, inclusive step at a time
Spark behind Sage Advice
For Raffy Sgroi, Founder of Sage Advice, the motivation to launch her business came from a place of deep conviction and personal experience. “A deep desire to create real change, particularly in industries where inclusive leadership is often overlooked, is fundamentally what drove me to start Sage Advice,” she shares.
Having spent decades as both an entrepreneur and business strategist in the automotive sector, Raffy witnessed firsthand the glaring gaps in leadership development and the persistent lack of diversity. “I saw firsthand the lack of leadership development and limited diversity, especially when it came to female representation in trades and other male-dominated fields,” she says.
It wasn’t just observation, it was lived experience. “I have personally experienced initial reluctance from colleagues to embrace me as a female leader in the automotive sector,” Raffy recalls. That resistance wasn’t always malicious, she explains, but often rooted in uncertainty. “Some are simply unsure of how to navigate inclusivity in a way that’s suited to their operations.”
That insight became the foundation for Sage Advice, a business built to spark a culture shift in how Australian small business owners understand and implement inclusive leadership. “I started Sage Advice as a means to progress a culture shift in the way Australian small business owners view, approach and reap the rewards of inclusive leadership,” Raffy says.
The focus, she explains, is especially needed in trade and service-based industries, sectors where underrepresentation and misunderstanding are often deeply entrenched. “Trade and service-based industries often present unique external and internal challenges for women and those with ‘invisible disabilities,’” Raffy says. “Many carry a belief that their voices aren’t relevant in these environments, when in fact, they are essential and moreover, can be extremely advantageous to a business’ bottom line.”
Over the years, she has seen too many small business owners wrestle with these issues. “I’ve seen too many small business owners struggle to implement inclusive practices or access meaningful leadership development,” Raffy explains. “That gap, coupled with my own lived experience, is what truly motivated me.”
From the beginning, Raffy wanted Sage Advice to be different from traditional consulting outfits. “I started Sage to offer more than just generic consulting,” she says. “I provide tailored, practical strategies that empower leaders to build diverse teams, foster inclusive cultures, and implement policies that allow every employee to thrive. My goal is to help businesses grow stronger through the power of inclusive leadership and to support a new generation of leaders who understand the value of diversity at every level.”
Breaking barriers boldly
Very targeted marketing has certainly helped to grow Sage Advice
For Raffy, one of the most pivotal choices she made early on was to reject the standardised approach many coaching and consulting firms rely on. “One critical decision crucial to the growth of Sage is a deliberate avoidance of a cookie cutter approach to coaching and consulting,” Raffy says. Over time, she has found that word-of-mouth from satisfied clients has reinforced the value of this strategy. “Referrals from past clients have proven to me that this approach has been hugely beneficial,” she adds.
At Sage Advice, there is no room for generic solutions. “There’s no ‘one size fits all’ servicing at Sage Advice,” Raffy explains. Instead, every engagement is shaped by the client’s unique context. “My business is centred on bespoke and tailored solutions to address each client’s unique challenges,” she says. These include everything from designing flexible workplace policies to rethinking recruitment strategies that attract more women into male-dominated industries. “Working with Sage will result in both cultural and commercial results for each client,” Raffy adds.
She points to targeted marketing as another factor that has helped the business grow. “Very targeted marketing has also certainly helped to grow Sage Advice,” Raffy notes. In a crowded industry, she says it made sense to focus on clients in sectors where she could offer the most value. “The field of business coaching is quite saturated so it has served me well to really centre on servicing businesses in traditionally male-dominated industries because it is in these industries that I hold decades of practical experience, so I can relate to my clients.”
As the business evolved, she recognised the importance of diversifying the offering without losing its core mission. “I believe that expanding our offering to include an element of more general consulting, online workshops and coaching programs like Todei has also contributed to growth,” she says. Todei, she explains, is a cultural change initiative focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Although Sage Advice primarily serves trade and service-based industries, its reach extends beyond that niche. “While Sage services a niche in trade and service-based industries, that doesn’t mean we engage only in these industries,” Raffy clarifies. Hosting networking events has played a role in expanding the brand, and from day one, she has placed a strong emphasis on building trusted relationships. “I’ve prioritised building strong relationships with industry leaders, empowering teams from within, and embedding diversity and inclusion into the DNA of every program we offer.”
In keeping with her values, Raffy made a conscious decision not to monetise everything. “I have opted against offering my clients a business directory,” she says. “Instead, I offer a group of Preferred Partners to help my clients excel in marketing, website development and other tasks.” Importantly, those partners are not charged. “For me, authenticity and trust are key to business longevity,” she adds.
At the heart of everything Sage Advice does is a belief in tailored support. As Raffy puts it, “It’s all about tailored solutions for each client to ultimately, drive wider change and a permanent culture shift in the way Australian small businesses approach inclusion and equality.”
What truly sets Raffy business apart, she says, is the depth and intent behind every strategy. “In addition to services tailored to each client, it’s the holistic, deeply integrated and values-driven approach to business transformation that sets Sage Advice apart,” Raffy explains. Rather than offering surface-level diversity solutions, she focuses on embedding inclusive leadership into the heart of each organisation’s operations.
This commitment is underpinned by decades of hands-on experience. “It’s our decades of practical, and ongoing, multi-award-winning experience in the automotive sector that makes us different,” she says. That track record matters, especially in traditionally male-dominated industries. “It’s my personal experience as a leading female automotive industry advocate that positions me so well to help empower more women into male-dominated industries,” Raffy adds.
Her work is about equipping leaders for modern challenges. “It’s our focus on developing leaders and empowering them with the skills, tools, and mindset necessary for success in today’s competitive business landscape,” she says. Raffy knows leadership today demands something different than it did even a few years ago, which is why adaptability is core to Sage’s methods. “We help leaders embrace adaptability but never at the expense of the business’ best interests,” she explains.
Innovation at Sage Advice isn’t a buzzword. It’s part of how the business runs every day. “I make it a point to practice what we preach at Sage, so innovation is never an afterthought,” Raffy says. “It’s built-in to everything we do to ensure our clients grow stronger, more inclusive and future ready.”
She also notes that Sage Advice serves not just large companies but micro businesses too. “We cater to micro businesses and help solopreneurs to develop as leaders with personal coaching services as well as business development,” Raffy says. That flexibility, she explains, allows her to support a wide range of clients, each at different stages of their journey.
As for staying ahead in a crowded field, Raffy points to her team’s commitment to listening, learning, and evolving. “We’re continuously refining our programs and services based on feedback from our clients, the evolving needs of the workplace, and the insights we gain through our real-world experience,” she says.
Leading inclusively
Like many entrepreneurs, Raffy faced significant challenges while building Sage Advice. One of the earliest and most persistent hurdles, she explains, was convincing businesses in traditionally male-dominated industries to recognise diversity and inclusion as essential, not optional. “Many didn’t yet understand the long-term benefits, so I had to be patient, persistent, and results-driven to gain their trust and demonstrate real value,” she says.
Her personal journey gave her a unique ability to connect with clients on a deeper level. Drawing from her own experience as a woman in the automotive industry, Raffy understands the barriers intimately. “I understand the barriers firsthand, from not being taken seriously to pushing back against outdated stereotypes,” she shares. These lived experiences have become a source of strength for her, helping to highlight the real impact inclusive leadership can have. She points to her own automotive servicing business as proof, noting, “Today, 40 per cent of the trainees in my own automotive servicing business are women, which is proof that change is possible with the right strategy and commitment.”
Juggling multiple businesses while growing Sage Advice was another challenge. It demanded discipline, clear prioritisation, and learning when to ask for help. “Balancing the demands of running multiple businesses while growing Sage Advice was another challenge,” Raffy admits, “It requires discipline, clear prioritisation, and learning to ask for help when needed.” She also embraces failure as a necessary part of the journey.
Perhaps the most important lesson Raffy has learned is the power of adaptability coupled with purpose. “When you lead with purpose and resilience, even the toughest challenges become stepping stones to lasting impact,” she reflects.
Beyond business basics
It’s crucial to understand that true success comes from not just making money, but from making a meaningful impact in the lives of others, especially in creating a more inclusive and positive work environment
When asked what advice she would give to aspiring entrepreneurs, Raffy emphasises the importance of having a clear vision while remaining flexible. “My advice would be to start with a clear vision and be open to change as you go,” she says. The path of entrepreneurship, she explains, is rarely straightforward. “The entrepreneurship journey is full of unexpected twists, so adaptability and resilience are key.”
Raffy also stresses the value of surrounding yourself with the right people. Whether through coaching, partnerships, or simply having a strong support network, having mentors and allies makes a huge difference. “Surround yourself with mentors and a strong support network, whether through coaching, strategic partnerships, or simply having people who believe in your mission,” she advises.
Above all, she believes self-trust is crucial. “Most importantly, trust in yourself and your abilities,” Raffy says. She knows that passion and dedication often determine the success of any business. “Always keep learning, be willing to take risks, and don’t hesitate to ask for help when needed,” she adds.
For Raffy, success is about more than profits. It comes from making a meaningful impact and fostering positive change, especially by creating inclusive work environments. “It’s also crucial to understand that true success comes from not just making money, but from making a meaningful impact in the lives of others, especially in creating a more inclusive and positive work environment,” she reflects.
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