Our Values

Today I’m still doing the same thing, albeit on a much larger scale. Lawn mower doesn’t run? Take the carburetor apart, put it back together, and the lawn mower usually runs again. It’s curious the things you see and learn when you break something down to its pieces.

When I started working with computers, I was building them from scratch, piece by piece. I got to know them from the inside out. Nowadays I find that I tend to approach issues in the same way. Take it apart, look at each individual piece, see how it fits, determine what its purpose is, and put it back together again. A common phrase you’ll hear from me is, “Let’s put all the pieces on the table . . . ”

It changes everything, when you look at something not just at face value, but as a sum of parts—parts that you intricately understand. When something isn’t working, if you understand each piece, each connection, each function of every part, solving problems becomes much more efficient and effective.

You see, that’s what we do at Sterling Ideas. We take your entire IT system—infrastructure, hardware, software, applications—and we learn it, top to bottom, inside and out. We learn your systems, your company, your employees’ needs. We “take it apart and put it back together,” so that we have an intricate knowledge of your IT. We take the time to look at your unique, complex systems and find customized, intelligent solutions. There is no one-size-fits-all IT system, which means there are no one-size-fits-all solutions.

That is what we do for our clients. We learn their systems, optimize their infrastructure, and implement new technology where it enhances their business. We protect and defend their technology, solve problems, and create tailored technical solutions.

We get up every morning. We put all the pieces on the table. And we get to work.

~ Todd

Without proper communication, teams fall apart, chaos ensues, and the enemy wins. For me in the military, this meant making sure everyone’s radios were functioning, satellite dishes were operational, and computers were running at their peak performance prior to every single mission. I had to ensure that everyone could communicate safely and effectively when it really mattered.

Now you might be using laptops rather than radios and WiFi instead of satellites, but that does not change the fact that maintaining communication is key. If your computer crashes or glitches, you may not get that important email out on time.

If your systems are architected inefficiently, causing lags in communications and operations, your business will slowly but surely begin to bleed. Customers will grow impatient, staff will grow frustrated, and your business will do anything but grow. This lack of communication will lead to missed deadlines, unhappy customers, and a suffering business.

Here at Sterling Ideas, we don’t just fix communications issues quickly—we strive to prevent them from happening in the first place because when it matters most, you don’t have time for downtime. Our team works hard so that you can communicate effectively and securely—to do your job and serve your customers well.

~Jonathan

Invariably, the cheap doll’s arms, legs, or even head would pop off and require forceful reassembling mid-play. I remember complaining to my mother about the deficiencies. She wisely responded with, “You get what you pay for.” It didn’t take long for me to understand that nothing had been saved; in fact, I had lost money.

It’s a lesson I’ve remembered all my life and one that has informed many decisions, everything from the minor (such as purchasing appliances for the home) to the major (such as educating my children). In my roles of Compliance Manager at Sterling Ideas, it is my passion to serve not only our clients well but also our employees, and it is then that my mother’s words come back to me: “You get what you pay for.”

This means we take good care of our employees. We invest in them personally and professionally because we want to see them thrive in all areas of their lives. It also means we take good care of our clients. We invest in solid, proven products that safeguard our clients’ businesses. We don’t skimp or make do. We are not interested in wasting our employees’ skills or our clients’ time and money. You see, we are old enough to know that “you get what you pay for.” It’s a sterling idea, and it makes for good business.

~ JoAnn

When I grew up I had less and less time for those little projects. I worked plenty of jobs where I was just a sheep in the flock, doing the same thing as everyone else. I worked in offices, did paperwork, made appointments, scanned documents, you get the picture. For years I did these jobs where I wasn’t doing anything that particularly excited me, but I did it because I thought that’s how it was for everyone. Then, I decided that I was done. I was done being just the girl in the office people asked to get coffee.

I joined Sterling Ideas, and it was almost like whiplash. I was blown away by the amount of love they pour into their work, employees, clients, and community. I saw the way they connect with their clients and really get to know them and care for them. I saw the way they cheer on their staff to do what they dream about. I expressed my love for creating and being artistic, and they pushed me to do just that. Now I get to design instead of filing papers, I get to dream of ways to market instead of reminding people they have a meeting, I get to dream big and be who I want instead of just being another employee.

My favorite thing about being part of the Sterling Ideas team is that they appreciate all individuals’ strengths. Not only do they recognize that everyone has their own passions, but they encourage everyone to do what it is they love and try to find ways to incorporate those skills into their work.

Sterling Ideas understands that every employee and client has unique needs, and they do their best to cater to that.

~Harleigh