When her parents first asked if she wanted to join the family business, Wendy Shu was hesitant. “I had grown up around the technology and didn’t really feel like it was for me,” she explains. Founded in 2011, SAGE Millimeter designs and manufactures high-frequency electronic components and subassemblies, which are used by numerous companies to create cutting-edge technology. “We help them push towards 5G wireless and the Internet of Things,” says Wendy. It’s an active market that increasingly requires SAGE to generate leads among a young, digitally savvy audience. Wendy, now Director of Business and Legal Affairs, is leading that charge.
“We needed to improve our digital presence. Google provided a solution that tied everything together.”
Wendy Shu, Co-owner & Director of Business and Legal Affairs
Related: Riffraff [Google Case Study]
SAGE made a strategic decision to make better use of the web by improving their digital presence and redesigning their website to add e-commerce capabilities. They turned to AdWords, Google’s advertising program, to get the word out about their business. “We knew we needed to go to AdWords if we wanted our website to be a big part of our marketing strategy,” Wendy says. “We now rely on it to attract customers who are new to our technology.” The company uses Google Analytics to optimize their website and improve customers’ online experience. “A key part of our branding strategy is to make it easy for our customers to shop,” she adds. G Suite tools, including Docs, Drive, and Hangouts, keep their growing team collaborative and nimble.
SAGE Millimeter has 34 employees.
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Since 2016, SAGE has nearly doubled in both revenue and staff. They ship their products all over the world—nearly half of their business comes from international markets. And they serve customers across various industries, from leaders in aerospace and R&D to companies like Google. “As a small business, it’s amazing to participate in a business ecosystem alongside such innovators,” Wendy says. Today, Wendy is more than happy with her decision to join the family operation. “I may not be a scientist or an engineer, but I’m working to move technology forward and make a unique contribution to the broader tech community. And that’s very fulfilling.”
For more information on the SAGE Millimeter case study, visit https://economicimpact.
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