Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sterling L. Morris II. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Sterling, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry?
What Corporate America misses in consulting is integration — it splits strategy, finance, tech and leadership into separate lanes, leaving founders to navigate between them.
At Acuxcel, we take a different approach. We connect these areas into one cohesive strategy, giving business owners advice that actually works together.
The traditional consulting model forces founders to piece together advice from multiple specialists who rarely communicate with each other. We see it all the time: a founder invests in a comprehensive rebrand that conflicts with their financial reality, or implements an expensive tech solution that doesn’t align with their customer experience goals. This disconnect costs founders more than money — it drains momentum, clarity, and sometimes their entire vision.
At Acuxcel, we believe the solution isn’t just better communication—it’s rethinking how founders get support. Founders don’t need scattered advice; they need integrated guidance that ties strategy to personal vision and moves the entire business forward. That’s the gap Acuxcel is built to fill.
Sterling, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My background:
I’m originally from Youngstown, Ohio, raised by a father who was both a banker and U.S. Army soldier and a mother who ran her own cosmetology business. From them, I learned the value of structure, independence, and building something that lasts.
After earning my finance degree with a minor in accounting from Youngstown State, I spent over a decade in mergers & acquisitions, consulting and relationship management across industries like healthcare, tech, and consumer goods—advising startups to large corporations and closing more than $3 billion in transaction value. I became a Director in mergers & acquisitions at Equifax, a Fortune 1000 company, before 30, after holding roles at firms like KeyBanc Capital Markets, Fifth Third Securities and Raymond James. I now serve as Chair of ACG Atlanta’s Emerging Leaders Group and Co-Chair of the Emerging 100 of Atlanta’s Data & Finance Committee.
Outside of work, I unwind through water activities like swimming, jetskiing, and boating, volunteering in my community or by spending time with friends and family.
Bridging the gaps in consulting:
Over time, I saw firsthand how fractured the support system is for business owners. Juggling different advisors — each with their own lens — leads to misalignment and burnout. After a clarifying experience in corporate in early 2024, I began building the model for Acuxcel: a firm rooted in the belief that exceptional leadership requires unity across your business, professional and personal goals.
Our services:
Headquartered in Atlanta, Acuxcel offers integrated, founder-focused advisory services designed to support that full picture.
At this stage, our current services include:
– Business: Brand Strategy, Marketing, Capital Readiness, Fundraising Strategies, Business Optimization and Technology Solutions
– Professional: Personal Branding, Fashion & Styling
– Personal: Financial Literacy and Physical Fitness
Though these services are distinct, they work together as key drivers for sustainable success. When founders align their strategy, brand, wellbeing and leadership, they unlock clarity, confidence and long-term results.
My point of pride:
I’m proud that Acuxcel’s response has confirmed what we believed all along: this model is needed. From joining Chase’s Coaching for Impact program to partnering with Decide DeKalb Development Authority, we’re clearly filling a crucial gap—offering founders a trusted, holistic advisory experience.
What makes us different is our commitment to the whole leader. Founders don’t separate their business, leadership and personal lives, so neither do we. Our integrated approach helps align all these areas for real, lasting success—not just surface fixes. Seeing founders gain clarity, confidence, and momentum has been the most rewarding part of this journey.
At the heart of Acuxcel is a belief that leaders deserve partners who see the full picture—and help bring it into alignment.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Looking back, there was this crucial moment right after launching my firm that completely transformed how I operate. I started with this vision of being the go-to strategic consultant for business owners – you know, rolling up my sleeves and working one-on-one with them through all their growth challenges.
But I hit this wall that so many service providers face. I kept asking myself: How do I make this affordable for clients while valuing my time appropriately and still delivering that premium experience they deserve?
I was wrestling with this impossible triangle of affordability, scalability and high-touch value when someone gave me advice that just stopped me in my tracks. They said, ‘If your business requires you to be personally present for every single client interaction, you’re building something that can never truly scale.’ And it clicked – I was just trading hours for dollars in a model that would eventually burn me out.
That was my wake-up moment. While I loved the depth of one-on-one work, the reality is that it creates this cycle where every client needs something different, every project becomes completely custom, and suddenly your calendar is so packed you can’t even think straight let alone build something sustainable.
So I made what felt like a radical shift. Instead of trying to serve everyone who came through the door, I am developing a competitive advisory program where I select just two or three founders to add to my group that I actually work with. It completely flipped my approach from wide too deep – giving these select founders the undivided attention and strategic partnership they truly need.
The funny thing is, this model ended up aligning perfectly with what actually matters to me: delivering excellence without compromise, being intentional with my time and theirs, and producing real, measurable results. That pivot wasn’t just about business sustainability – it protected the very quality and integrity that made me start this journey in the first place.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
Though we’re in our early days, word of mouth has quickly become our strongest client source. We haven’t explored many marketing channels yet, but we’re already seeing clients enthusiastically connect us with others in their network.
I believe it’s because we’ve hit on a combination that resonates – corporate-level strategy and professionalism delivered with boutique-level attention and care. Founders seem genuinely surprised to find a team that’s thoroughly prepared, proactive about their challenges and intensely focused on measurable results.
Our transparent, value-based pricing approach reinforces this. When clients experience ROI they can actually measure, they naturally want to share that with others facing similar challenges.
While we’re still building our marketing foundation, seeing word of mouth work so effectively this early suggests we’re filling a real gap in the market. It’s validation that our approach matters and gives us confidence in how we’ll grow from here.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.acuxcel.com/
- Instagram: @acuxcel
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/acuxcel.com
- Twitter: @acuxcel_
Image Credits
Credit “Don Hansen Visuals” for everything except the headshot