Patti Weber – Croixstone

Congrats to the SEED20 Class of 2024

“We distributed awards totaling over $41,000! With Wells Fargo’s generous match, our fundraising total surpassed $60,0000 (a new SEED20 record!) and continues to grow.”

– Social Venture Partners Charlotte (Host organization of SEED20)

What a night! On Tuesday, March 26, ten leaders from local Charlotte region nonprofits took the stage at the annual SEED20 pitch contest hosted by Social Venture Partners Charlotte (SVP), the unique nonprofit organization that hosts this annual program to identify, spotlight and support the Charlotte region’s most innovative ideas for tackling pressing social issues.

An electrified atmosphere. The SEED20 Class of 2024 took the stage at Central Piedmont Community College’s New Theater and captivated us with their inspiring narratives on how they are transforming the greater Charlotte area for the better. Our very own Mark Weber (Managing Partner and Co-Founder) also took the stage to share the story about his personal involvement with SEED20 and host organization SVP. Mark is a former board member with SVP and he and Patti Weber (our CEO) are long term Partners (donor volunteers) with this innovation-centric nonprofit.

Congrats! Croixstone extends a hearty congratulations to the SEED20 award winners.

• Wells Fargo People’s Choice Grand Prize of $20,00: Day Services Program at Children’s Attention Home
• Second Place Prize of $7,000: Arin’s Good Girl Dog Treats
• The Brand Building Shop’s Brand Narrative Package valued at $8,000: Rooted Hearts Ministries
• The Professional Video Production Package valued at $3,500: Siloam Educator Institute at the Charlotte Museum of History
• Coaches’ Award of $2,000: Our Daily Bread Foundation
• Community Vote Prize of $1,000: Day Services Program at Children’s Attention Home

Learn More. Click here to learn more about the SEED20 Class of 2024.

Croixstone is named to Inc. Magazine’s List of the Mid-Atlantic Region’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies

We Did It Again: We are celebrating some big news today! For the second consecutive year, Croixstone was named to the Inc. 5000 Regionals: Mid-Atlantic list as one of the region’s fastest-growing private companies.

Our Ranking: Croixstone is ranked at #83 on this year’s annual list of the fastest-growing private companies based in the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. The 2024 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2020 and 2022.

“We are thrilled to land on the Inc. 5000 Regionals list for the second consecutive year,” said Patti Weber, Croixstone’s Chief Executive Officer. “This achievement is fueled by the passion of our employees and consultants to fulfill Croixstone’s vision to lead in the delivery of professional services that transform careers and businesses.”

Learn More About the Inc. 5000 Regionals: Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals: Mid-Atlantic list can be found at inc.com/regionals/mid-atlantic.

Read Our Press Release: Click here.

Social Venture Partners Charlotte wins CATALYST 2023 Fire Award

Snapshot: Last week one of the most unique nonprofit organizations in Croixstone’s home city of Charlotte, NC scored a big, high-profile win. Social Venture Partners Charlotte (SVP Charlotte) was honored to win the Charlotte Business Journal’s 2024 CATALYST Fire Award.

What are the Fire Awards? The annual Fire Awards program honors the people, companies and organizations that keep the Charlotte area’s innovation ecosystem going. SVP Charlotte was one of 24 organizations or people nominated across 6 categories for blazing a trail in Charlotte’s innovation ecosystem.

Who is SVP Charlotte? SVP Charlotte is a nonprofit organization that passionately attacks social and economic inequality across the Charlotte region through venture philanthropy. Croixstone’s co-founders, Patti Weber and Mark Weber, are long-term Partners (volunteers) with SVP Charlotte. Additionally, Mark served on SVP Charlotte’s board for 4 years and served as Lead Partner for the organization’s annual SEED20 pitch program.

Who are the fellow Fire Award winners? SVP Charlotte is one of six blazers honored at last week’s innovation awards. As the winner in the “Catalyst” category, SVP Charlotte joins the following innovation blazers:

Energy: Atom Power
Fintech: Passport
Health Care: Premier Inc.
Innovation: RXO Inc.
Software/AI: PetScreening

Learn more: SVP Charlotte is seeking Partners and Corporate Sponsors to help broaden and deepen the organization’s impact across the greater Charlotte, NC region. Click here to learn more about the SVP Charlotte story.

Croixstone is ranked #28 on the Charlotte Business Journal’s 2023 “Fast 50” List of Fastest-Growing Private Companies

The big reveal! Last evening the Charlotte Business Journal hosted its annual “Fast 50” awards event and revealed the rankings of the fastest-growing private companies across the Charlotte, NC region. Croixstone’s CEO Patti Weber accepted an award for the firm’s ranking at #28 on the list. The ranking is based on average percentage of annual revenue growth from 2020 to 2022.

Our second year! 2023 marks the second consecutive year that Croixstone has landed on the “Fast 50” list. In 2022, Croixstone was ranked #2 and Patti was featured in an interview published by the Charlotte Business Journal.

2023 has been a remarkable year! Croixstone’s latest honor contributes to a remarkable year of growth-related honors for our firm.

• In February, Inc. magazine revealed that Croixstone ranked No. 11 on the publication’s fourth annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: Mid-Atlantic list of the fastest-growing private companies in the region.

• In August, Inc. magazine revealed that Croixstone ranked nationally at No. 511 on the 2023 Inc. 5000, the annual list of the fastest-growing private companies in America.

• Also in August, Inc. ranked Croixstone at No. 8 as the fastest-growing private company in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia NC-SC metro area. Additionally, the magazine ranked Croixstone at No. 16 in our home state of North Carolina, and at No. 56 in the Business Products & Services segment.

We are grateful. Croixstone launched our firm in 2016 with a vision to lead in the delivery of professional services that transform careers and businesses. We thank our employees, consultants, executive search candidates, clients, partners, friends, and family who fuel Croixstone’s journey in fulfilling our mission.

Read our Press Release. Click here to read our Press Release about Croixstone’s latest achievement.

Say “Hello Pancreas” this November

We are partnering for your pancreas! Croixstone has joined forces with the Charlotte Pancreatic Cancer Alliance to create awareness on behalf of your hard-working digestive organ during November’s “Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.”

Who is the Charlotte Pancreatic Cancer Alliance? Charlotte Pancreatic Cancer Alliance is a nonprofit community group founded by three of Croixstone’s leaders (Patti Weber, Grace Lynch, and Mark Weber) to create awareness of pancreatic cancer on a local, regional, national and global level. The group was founded in 2020 and is a member of the World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition. The group was founded in memory of Patti’s father (Jim Benson), Grace’s niece (Carmen Reyes), and Mark’s mother (Shirley Weber).

Say “Hello Pancreas”! The average person around the globe knows very little about one of their hardest working organs – – their pancreas. Leaning into this year’s global awareness campaign, Croixstone and the Charlotte Pancreatic Cancer Alliance invite you to say “Hello Pancreas” this November to get to know your pancreas buddy a bit better.

Two Ways to say “Hello Pancreas”! Here are two fast and easy ways to get to know your pancreas this month.

• We invite you to visit hellopancreas.com as the first step in getting to better know your pancreas.

• We encourage you to read the Charlotte Pancreatic Cancer Alliance’s November newsletter that features a variety of actions and events in which you can participate to build your friendship with your pancreas.

Croixstone Debuts on the 2023 Inc. 5000 List

“Our debut on the 2023 Inc. 5000 list is fueled by the incredible support that Croixstone receives from our talented consultants, employees, clients, partners and friends.”

– Patti Weber (CEO and Co-Founder, Croixstone Consulting)

We have big news to share today: Croixstone is excited to share the following news as announced this morning by Inc. Business Media.

• Croixstone is debuting at No. 511 on the 2023 Inc. 5000, the annual list of the fastest-growing private companies in America. This ranking puts our firm among the top 10% of the fastest-growing private companies in the USA.
• Croixstone is debuting at No. 8 as the fastest-growing private company in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia NC-SC metro area.
• Croixstone is debuting at No.16 as the fastest-growing private company in our home state of North Carolina.
• Croixstone is debuting at No. 56 as the fastest-growing private Business Products & Services company in the USA.

Learn more about the Inc. 5000 List: The 2023 Inc. 5000 list ranks the top 5,000 privately held businesses in the U.S. by three-year revenue growth.

View the complete list here.

Read our press release: Click here.

Explore our digital library: Click here.

We are one week away from sharing big news.

“On the heels of celebrating our seventh business anniversary in June, I am thrilled to launch our countdown as we prepare to share big Croixstone news on Tuesday, August 15.”

– Patti Weber (CEO and Co-Founder, Croixstone Consulting)

The countdown begins today: The Croixstone Consulting leadership team is exceptionally excited to launch a 7-day countdown beginning today. The firm is preparing to share some big news with the general public on Tuesday, August 15.

Get social with us: We invite you to follow and engage with Croixstone on our social media platforms as we countdown to Tuesday, August 15. The sharing of big news that happens to be great news is always a happy occasion. Our social media presence is sure to reflect our excitement, and we welcome you to join in our enthusiasm.

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Threads
• Instagram
• Facebook

Learn our news on Tuesday, August 15: Join our mailing list if you aren’t already a subscriber. Read our blog. Follow our socials. We plan to be here, there, and everywhere on Tuesday, August 15.

Truist and Supplier Diversity

“Supplier diversity is not only the right thing to do, it’s a smart business strategy that helps us to bring our purpose to life for our clients, teammates and stakeholders.”

– William H. Rogers, CEO – Truist

Fast Fact: Croixstone Consulting was invited to attend this week’s Truist Tier2 Supplier Diversity Business Summit in Charlotte, NC. As a woman-owned professional services firm and a nationally-certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE), Croixstone was excited to participate in this dynamic event. Croixstone was represented by the firm’s CEO, Patti Weber, and Ed Ritter who leads the firm’s Risk & Compliance practice.

About Truist: Headquartered in Charlotte, Truist Financial Corporation (NYSE: TFC) is a purpose-driven financial services company committed to inspiring and building better lives and communities. Truist is a top 10 U.S. commercial bank with total assets of $555 billion as of June 30, 2023.

Truist and Supplier Diversity: Truist recently reported that its engagement with small, minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses led to over $1.7 billion in contributions to the U.S. economy and sustained more than 11,978 jobs. Last year, Truist purchased $870 million in products and services from diverse business in the US. The company’s total spend with small and diverse suppliers increased by 38.7% from 2021 to 2022.

Benefits of Supplier Diversity: In addition to being the right thing to do, there are sound commercial reasons for companies to create supplier diversity programs. Harvard Business Review cited the following benefits in an August 2020 article:

• An inclusive procurement strategy widens the pool of potential suppliers and promotes competition in the supply base, which can improve product quality and drive down costs;

• By providing more sourcing options, inclusiveness can make supply chains more resilient and agile – an increasingly important advantage in these uncertain times;

• The “feel-good” factor associated with diversity programs can also burnish a brand.

Learn more:

• Read Truist’s 2022 Supplier Diversity Impact Report

• Read the Harvard Business Review article entitled “Why You Need a Supplier-Diversity Program”

• View Croixstone’s photos from the Truist Tier2 Supplier Diversity Business Summit held on July 26, 2023

Croixstone Consulting Celebrates 7th Business Anniversary

“On our lucky number 7 business anniversary, I offer the deepest thanks to our consultants, search professionals, clients, leadership team, business partners, friends and family to whom we owe the ongoing success of our unique firm.”

– Patti Weber, CEO

Where it began: 7 years ago this month, our founders Patti Weber (a former leader with Accenture and public school educator) and Mark Weber (a serial entrepreneur, consulting industry veteran, and former staffing industry executive) launched Croixstone Consulting in a former photography studio loft in Charlotte’s vibrant South End neighborhood.

The inspiration: The conventional consulting industry is notorious for recycling PowerPoint decks and burning out its consultants. These practices, along with other systemic issues in the consulting industry, contribute to the delivery of subpar services to clients. The Webers believed there was an opportunity to build a high-performing, boutique firm around consulting industry mavericks (known as constructive noncomformists) who could deliver their expertise and passions in a better way, while concurrently fueling innovation and solving problems for clients.

The name: Rivers are an indispensable part of our lives, and they are wonderful gifts from nature that have the power to teach us. The inspiration for Croixstone’s name is the St. Croix River (French: Holy Cross), a tributary of the Mississippi River that forms a border between the states of Wisconsin (the home state of the Webers) and Minnesota (where the firm’s founders each began their careers).

The right way to say our name: “kroy-stone.”

Our achievements: We’ve packed a lot into our 7 years in business. As a small but mighty firm, we not only survived, but thrived, amidst the global pandemic. We owe a huge thank you to all those who believed in our ability to deliver a differentiated business model for our consultants, clients and internal leadership team. Here are some of our key achievements over the past 7 years:

• 2016 – Croixstone was launched in Loft 309 of the former Lance Crackers building on South Boulevard in Charlotte’s trendy South End neighborhood.

• 2017 – Inspired by a future of work conference that Mark Weber attended in NYC, Croixstone relocated to the One South tower in Uptown Charlotte and is a founding member of the Industrious coworking community.

• 2019 – Croixstone launched the firm’s human capital and executive search practices.

• 2020 – Croixstone received national certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) by the Greater Women’s Business Council, a regional certifying partner of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). Additionally, Patti Weber was accepted a part of a competitive application process into FORTUNE magazine’s “Rebuild Program.”

• 2021 – Patti Weber was selected as one of only 25 women in the USA to participate in the “Accelerated Growth Program” sponsored by Wells Fargo and hosted by the National Association of Women Business Owners. Additionally, Patti was also named to The Charlotte Ledger’s 2021 “Forty Over 40” list in recognition for her contributions in making Charlotte a better place to live, work and play.

• 2022 – Croixstone landed on the Charlotte Business Journal’s “Fast 50” list as the Charlotte region’s second fastest-growing private company.

• 2023 – Croixstone was ranked #11 on Inc. magazine’s fourth annual “Inc. 5000 Regionals: Mid-Atlantic” list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Learn more: Checkout Croixstone’s Linktree to learn more about unique firm.

Why the Portfolio Life is Attracting so Many

“I prefer the term “portfolio life” over “portfolio career,” but whatever you want to call it, it’s an opportunity to gain control over your life in the midst of uncertainty and constant disruption.”

– Christina Wallace (Senior Lecturer, Harvard Business School and author of The Portfolio Life)

A new way to view career: In launching Croixstone Consulting in 2016, our firm’s co-founders, Patti Weber (CEO) and Mark Weber (Managing Partner), designed a business plan that placed “portfolio professionals” at the center of the firm’s universe. While the concept of “portfolio life” or “portfolio careers” was not well known at that time, the career framework is gaining increasing popularity and adoption by professionals who understand that the future of work demands a new blueprint for architecting one’s career – – and life.

A guide to future-proof your career: Last month, Christina Wallace of Harvard Business School published a fascinating book entitled The Portfolio Life. This on-point book serves as a guide to future-proof your career, avoid burnout, and build a life bigger than your business card.

Definition of portfolio career: We like the following definition of portfolio career as published by Harvard Business Review. Whereas a career path tends to be a singular pursuit (climb the ladder in one direction and focus on what is straight ahead), a career portfolio is a never-ending source of discovery and fulfillment. It represents your vast and diverse professional journey, including the various twists and turns, whether made by choice or by circumstance.

Four pillars of the portfolio life: Christina Wallace advises that the following four pillars are essential when adopting the portfolio life / career:

1. Identity
2. Optionality
3. Diversification
4. Flexibility

Learn more: Learn more about the portfolio life / career framework and the four pillars to adopt this increasingly popular career framework here.

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