Who We Are
At SAGE Partners Group, we specialize in helping brands expand seamlessly across borders – whether it’s foreign companies entering and scaling in the U.S. or North American brands launching and growing in Asia. Our one-stop platform unites trusted experts in law, tax, finance, architecture, design, construction, and operations – firms and individuals with proven track records supporting international market entry across industries such as food & beverage, golf, retail, and media.
From strategy, planning, permitting, and compliance to design-build execution, we manage the complexities so our clients can focus on building their brands. SAGE Partners Group leverages deep market knowledge, strong networks, and hands-on expertise to deliver end-to-end solutions for successful cross-border expansion.
Mission
Vision
Vision
To be the go-to partner for global companies entering the U.S. and Asia.
A Trusted Partner for Cross-Border Success
30+ Years of International Business Experience
End-to-End Services Under One Roof
Deep Industry Experience: F&B, Retail, Golf, Media
Strong U.S. & Asia Market Expertise
Hands-On Project Management & Local Compliance Support
Customized Expansion Roadmaps for Each Client
Meet The Team
Sid Kim
His career has focused on building, scaling, and diversifying ventures that connect cultures, markets, and industries.
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As Founder of Vatos Urban Tacos, Urban Mix, Sid Burger & Craft Beer, and KoMari, Sid has launched and managed over 20 restaurants and businesses across Singapore, Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the U.S. As Chairman of Vatos Capital Partners, he continues to oversee concept creation, fundraising, investor relations, and brand growth.At SAGE Partners Group, where he serves as CEO, Sid leads cross-border consulting initiatives helping Asian brands expand into the U.S.—and guiding North American brands into Asia. From strategy and compliance to design-build and operations, he helps companies navigate the complexities of global expansion while focusing on execution and growth.
Beyond F&B, Sid founded GolfX, Singapore’s leading indoor golf facility, and serves on the Singapore Golf Association’s Golf Development Task Force, promoting the sport’s growth and accessibility in the region.
A frequent speaker and mentor, Sid shares insights on international expansion, entrepreneurship, and cross-cultural leadership with founders, executives, and students worldwide. A Fulbright Scholar and former UC Berkeley Graduate Scholarship Advisory Board member, he combines academic rigor with entrepreneurial instinct—specializing in business development, financial strategy, and scalable global ventures.
Amy Lee
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With over 12 years of hands-on experience, Amy has successfully delivered retail, residential, and large mixed-use developments, building long-standing relationships with architects, contractors, and financial partners to ensure seamless execution from concept to completion.
At SAGE Partners, Amy channels her passion for “shaping possibilities into built success” by helping international brands enter and grow in the U.S. market. She combines real estate and construction expertise to provide both strategy and execution, bridging opportunities across borders.
As Founder and CEO of Slash Design, Amy is driven by a clear mission: to transform vision into reality and build lasting success for her clients. She believes growth is a shared journey—when her clients succeed, she succeeds alongside them. Through her work, Amy bridges opportunities across borders, turning ideas into tangible results and helping brands achieve long-term, sustainable success.
Advisory Board
In addition to our core partners, we have assembled a team of strategic advisors who are experts in execution strategy, market awareness, finance and accounting, corporate structuring, operations, and training – making SAGE Partners Group a true end-to-end consulting firm that delivers turnkey solutions.
Daniel Behrendt, JD, MBA
Advisor, Corporate Strategy & Global Expansion
Daniel Behrendt is a senior strategic advisor to SAGE Partners Group with over 15 years of leadership experience in corporate development, M&A, and international strategy across North America and Asia. He has held senior executive roles at world-class organizations including Corporate Vice President at Samsung Electronics, Senior Director of Corporate Strategy at CJ Entertainment, and leadership posts at Microsoft and Honeywell. Throughout his career, Daniel has spearheaded global expansion initiatives, led complex restructurings, executed cross-border acquisitions, and built high-performing organizational frameworks for growth.
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With a JD and MBA, Daniel brings a rare multidisciplinary perspective—combining legal fluency, financial rigor, and operational insight—to help companies navigate inflection points with clarity and precision. His expertise spans deal structuring, partnership strategy, market-entry planning, and long-term value creation.
In addition to his corporate experience, Daniel spent several years as a senior advisor at Octane LaunchPad, a leading Orange County start-up accelerator. There, he advised founders across diverse industries on capital strategy, go-to-market execution, market expansion, and financial planning, helping early-stage companies scale efficiently and attract investment.
At SAGE Partners, Daniel applies this breadth of experience to guide clients toward sustainable global growth while minimizing risk and maximizing strategic opportunity.
Dr. Lilly Jan, Ph.D.
Advisor, F&B Systems & Operations Strategy
Dr. Lilly Jan is a food and beverage management academic, consultant, and chef, with nearly 20 years in hospitality and foodservice, across the industry in catering and events, retail, television production, and more. She is currently a faculty member of Cornell University’s Hotel School in Ithaca, New York, teaching courses in food and beverage management, food culture, food service facility design, and hospitality leadership.
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Her research interests include food culture and restaurant culture, looking at career opportunities and progression for historically marginalized foodservice employees as it relates to funding, education, training, inclusion, cultural competency, and workplace environments.
A frequently invited speaker for executive education, conferences, and industry-related events, Dr. Jan speaks on food and restaurant trends, and F&B culture as it relates to women, racial and
ethnic minorities, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. She served as the faculty director for James
Beard Foundation’s Women Entrepreneurial Leadership (WEL) Program from 2021-2024, and
currently serves on the board of the Food Education Fund, a NYC-based hospitality leadership
development non-profit for high school students.
As a consultant, she has worked with Fortune 100 companies to craft hospitality offerings, industry NGOs to research trends, and F&B entrepreneurs having helped usher food trucks, on-demand food delivery, consumer packaged goods start-ups, and retail food stores to market.
Prior to joining Cornell, she was the Director of Culinary Operations for Newbury College in Brookline, Massachusetts, where she also served as a faculty member and academic advisor, teaching a range of classes across culinary and hospitality management. She has also taught at Le Cordon Bleu and Boston University.
Dr. Jan earned her Ph.D. in hospitality management from Iowa State University, focusing on
cultural competency in food safety and training. She holds a Master of Liberal Arts in Gastronomy and Bachelor of Science in Communications at Boston University.
Youni Kim
Advisor, Financial Strategy & Scalable Operations
Youni Kim is a key strategic advisor to SAGE Partners Group, focusing on ensuring clients achieve maximum financial efficiency and profitability during their cross-border expansion. Currently serving as the Chief Growth Officer at IQ BackOffice, Youni brings direct, executive-level experience in managing and optimizing complex back-office functions—including finance, accounting, and payroll—for scaling businesses. Her career history includes serving as a Chief Revenue Officer for a high-growth accounting services firm and VP of Global Operations leading large-scale digital and operational transformation initiatives. This broad experience in financial governance and operational change management allows Youni to offer a truly strategic perspective.
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Youni’s primary value lies in translating SAGE's comprehensive, multi-disciplinary model into measurable cost savings and operational excellence for the client. She provides critical guidance on establishing the most efficient financial structures and systems for international brands entering the U.S. or North American brands launching in Asia. This includes advising on best practices for back-office integration, streamlining accounting processes, and optimizing financial reporting to support rapid, yet financially disciplined, growth. Her expertise ensures that SAGE clients—from retail to F&B—can quickly scale their operations with a solid, cost-effective financial engine that minimizes overhead and maximizes market investment.
Jason Kim
Advisor, Food & Beverage Operations & U.S. Market Launch
Jason Kim advises SAGE Partners Group with a specialized focus on Food & Beverage (F&B) concept development and operational execution. As the Managing Partner of his own F&B consulting firm, Jason brings nearly two decades of direct, hands-on experience, including leading multiple successful Japanese concept restaurants in Southern California and holding General Manager positions with prestigious groups like Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group.
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Jason's expertise is critical in translating SAGE's design-build services into high-performing, profitable F&B establishments. He consults on everything from FOH performance optimization and guest experience to inventory management and profitability enhancement. Furthermore, his previous role as a Global Business Consultant with Samsung and LG provides a unique perspective on cross-cultural executive training and global market preparation, ensuring international F&B brands are positioned for seamless operational and cultural entry into the competitive U.S. market.