All efforts to find the fault and get the ship moving were in vain. Ultimately, they summoned an expert to the task. When the expert came, he merrily strolled around the ship for about 30 min, pulled out a wrench and turned it clockwise. “It’s done,” he announced. And in a matter of minutes, the ship roared into action. He then presented an invoice of $1,000/-. The ship owner was aghast and asked why he would charge $1000/- for a merry stroll and turning a nut. “Please give us a breakdown”. “Sure,” he said. The next day the invoice with the breakdown came. It read – $5 for turning the nut. $995/- for knowing which nut to turn.

The solutions to most problems are simple. That simplicity though is evident to eyes that have navigated enough complexity to separate the wheat from the chaff. At Cignas, collective experience of over 200 years across diverse facets of businesses help us connect the dots faster. We work directly with owners of businesses and align our work to serve their long-term best interests. So we are not myopic to prioritize quick-fix solutions to boost billing. It’s because of this clarity, that clients have stayed with us for decades.

Drawing from the legacy of N A Shah, we are now Cignas – a boutique advisory firm, even more sharply focused on pure advisory. Bringing the beauty of simplicity and clarity to the table.