About us
You’ll Appreciate all the Reasons We Don’t Call Ourselves a Consulting Firm
Sterling Woods Data Enabled Services:
We tailor proven tools, frameworks, processes, and models to your business
Traditional Consulting Firm:
They try to reinvent the wheel or apply cookie-cutter approaches or both
We embed ourselves in your organization as an equal team member and work collaboratively to find the answer with you
They lock themselves in a conference room and then tell you the answer based on their "black box"
We are available to support you to execute and make ongoing decisions once the analysis is finished
They finish the project and then stay at arm's length with limited support afterwards
We apply the "80/20 rule" to the analysis phase, and get to market quickly so we can test, measure, and correct course
They spend months on sophisticated analysis void of practical application and then deliver a dense 100-page PowerPoint deck
We demonstrate proven mastery in very specific areas of focus
They try to be everything to everyone, a jack of all trades and master of none
You’ll Appreciate all the Reasons We Don’t Call Ourselves a Consulting Firm
Sterling Woods Data Enabled Services:
We tailor proven tools, frameworks, processes, and models to your business
Traditional Consulting Firm:
They try to reinvent the wheel or apply cookie-cutter approaches or both
Sterling Woods Data Enabled Services:
We embed ourselves in your organization as an equal team member and work collaboratively to find the answer with you
Traditional Consulting Firm:
They lock themselves in a conference room and then tell you the answer based on their "black box"
Sterling Woods Data Enabled Services:
We are available to support you to execute and make ongoing decisions once the analysis is finished
Traditional Consulting Firm:
They finish the project and then stay at arm's length with limited support afterwards
Sterling Woods Data Enabled Services:
We apply the "80/20 rule" to the analysis phase, and get to market quickly so we can test, measure, and correct course
Traditional Consulting Firm:
They spend months on sophisticated analysis void of practical application and then deliver a dense 100-page PowerPoint deck
Sterling Woods Data Enabled Services:
We demonstrate proven mastery in very specific areas of focus
Traditional Consulting Firm:
They try to be everything to everyone, a jack of all trades and master of none
Who We Are
Our Leadership Team
Rob Ristagno
Founder and CEO Rob Ristagno previously served as a senior executive at several private equity-owned businesses, including as COO of America’s Test Kitchen. He began his career at McKinsey & Company and has held roles in a variety of major organizations, including Visa, Pepsi, and Comcast.
Rob’s focus has always been on embracing digital technology and data science to spur strategic growth. At the Sterling Woods Group, he and the team are passionate about helping clients grow sales organically by applying data science.
The author of A Member is Worth a Thousand Visitors and a regular keynote speaker at conferences around the world, Rob has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox and Digiday. He holds degrees from the Harvard Business School and Dartmouth College and has taught at both Harvard and Boston College.
Rob lives in West Hartford, CT, with his wife, Kate, their daughters, Leni and Mila, and the family black lab, Royce.
Patrick Hereford
Patrick Hereford has spent his career combining business acumen with technological innovation. He has experience building software, integrating technology and performing advanced analytics for companies of all sizes, from startups to large enterprises.
Patrick has served in leadership roles at a number of companies, having spearheaded engineering efforts for Forward Financing and America’s Test Kitchen. He also has a background in developing marketing campaigns and designing and implementing market research.
Patrick holds a degree in civil engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an MBA from Boston College’s Carroll School of Management.
Rebecca Donohue
Rebecca Donohue is a sales and marketing expert with more than 22 years of experience on the agency side, including stints at FCB Chicago and Y&R/Wunderman.
Her clients have included corporate titans like AT&T, Johnson & Johnson, Nestle, Pfizer, Huggies, The Container Store and Kellogg’s. Her areas of expertise include business services and software; retail, e-commerce, and CPG; and healthcare and biotech.
Dick Ryan
Dick Ryan is a seasoned executive with over 40 years of experience in the publishing and media industries who utilizes his expertise to help companies with audience and database strategy, content and sales growth.
He has served in leadership roles at Publishers Press, The Magazine Channel, LSC Communications, Crain Communications and The IDEAlliance.
Michelle Rosen
Michelle is a marketing specialist with over a decade of experience in digital marketing, automation and analytics.
With a BA from Cornell University, she has expertise in maintaining marketing campaign analytics, writing content for award-winning websites, designing and executing email marketing strategies, coordinating webinar series and administering CRM systems.
Nichole Williams
Nichole Williams brings more than 17 years of experience in sales and marketing, on both the client and agency sides, to her role at the Sterling Woods Group.
She has worked with globally recognized brands such as McDonald’s, KFC, Neutrogena and Long John Silver’s, and her areas of expertise include retail, e-commerce and CPG; business services and software; and healthcare and biotech.
Amanda Rodhe
Jeremy Spurr
Our Proven Approach
Join Our Team
We’re problem solvers, detectives and experimenters who crave knowledge and dive into data to discover actionable insights.
We’re teachers who help clients learn and build their own capabilities.
We’re a team guided by principles of kindness, honesty and integrity in everything we do.
Interested in joining us? View our current openings below. To apply, send your CV and cover letter to
jobs@sterlingwoodsgroup.com
Data Scientist
Scout X Strategist
