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What if the secret to building a company that lasts over a century isn't disruption, technology, or even capital — but the discipline to put relationships before transactions, every single time?
In this episode of the Strategy & Leadership Podcast, Anthony C. Taylor speaks with Jonathan Iger, CEO and President of Sage, a 102-year-old commercial real estate company that has outlasted every recession, market shift, and industry disruption since 1924. Jonathan shares how Sage has stayed relevant by reading macro shifts before they hit, doubling down on what makes the office irreplaceable, and treating every tenant relationship like a long-term partnership rather than a lease agreement.
Jonathan brings a rare combination of multi-generational business stewardship and forward-thinking operating strategy, having led Sage through a deliberate repositioning from a 60-property national portfolio to a focused, asset-light branded platform now expanding across the US. In this conversation, he breaks down why most companies misread the remote work debate, how customer journey mapping drives every decision at Sage, and why relationship always trumps transaction — even in a transactional business.
Anthony and Jonathan explore how elevated consumer expectations are reshaping the workplace, why the best office environments take cues from the hospitality industry, and how a 102-year track record is built not on grand slam moments but on consistently hitting singles across every customer touchpoint.
· Why relationship always trumps transaction, even in transactional businesses
· How to read macro shifts before they disrupt your industry
· Why competing with remote work is the wrong strategy — and what to do instead
· How customer journey mapping drives better experiences at every touchpoint
· Why the best office environments are built on the hospitality model
· How Sage has retained tenants for over 30 years through deep partnership thinking
· Why time is the most valuable commodity you can give your customers
· How a 102-year-old company thinks about long-term bets and strategic focus
Jonathan Iger is the CEO and President of Sage, a 102-year-old commercial real estate company founded in 1924 and headquartered in New York City. Under his leadership, Sage has repositioned from a diversified national portfolio into a focused, branded platform operating 2.2 million square feet of Class A office space in New York City, with an asset-light expansion model now being deployed across primary and high-growth secondary markets across the United States.
Before joining Sage, Jonathan served as Vice President at P&L Investments, LLC, a boutique real estate investment and asset management firm, and was the founder and CEO of UrbanGradRealty, a boutique residential brokerage focused on the recent college graduate submarket. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of the Meatpacking Business Improvement District, a board member of the Downtown Alliance, and a member of the advisory board for the Center of Real Estate and Urban Analysis at George Washington University.
Website: https://sagerealty.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathaniger/
The Strategy & Leadership Podcast is hosted by Anthony C. Taylor, a strategic advisor to mid-market leadership teams ($30M–$300M) across North America.
Anthony works directly with CEOs and senior leaders to help them align their teams, clarify priorities, and execute strategy effectively in complex organizations.
On this show, he interviews founders, executives, and industry leaders about what actually works when strategy has to survive execution.
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Produced by Rednyne Productions https://www.rednyne.com