Performance Issue — Sebastian Account Management

Overview

During the Feb 20, 2026 end-of-week call, Axley was cited as one of two recent client losses directly attributable to failures in Sebastian's account management. The loss of Axley, combined with the near-loss of Advanced Health & Safety and the earlier loss of Trocte, triggered a formal decision to place Sebastian on a strict performance plan rather than terminate him outright.

What Happened

Axley departed as a client. The loss was referenced alongside Trocte as part of a pattern of account failures under Sebastian's management during the same period. The specific operational failure at Axley was not detailed in the meeting, but it was grouped with the Advanced Health & Safety incidents as evidence of Sebastian being "not in the game."

Mark noted that the Axley news arrived the previous evening and was described as "the straw that broke the camel's back" — the event that prompted him to begin investigating the former partner's data access and to seriously model cost-cutting scenarios.

Contributing Factors

Sebastian's performance issues were attributed in part to significant personal disruptions:

A recent breakup with his girlfriend
A felony charge
Nomadic living situation (described as moving between places, dog-watching, living in Denver)

These factors were acknowledged as context, not as excuses. Mark's position: "We can't really afford to have somebody who's not in the game."

Decision

Sebastian was not terminated. The decision was made to retain him and place him on a strict performance plan, communicated by Melissa. Key conditions:

Zero additional client complaints
Nothing slipping through the cracks
Full re-engagement with his remaining accounts

Mark framed the next 60 days as a probationary window. Any further failures would make Sebastian "the first choice" for a cut.

Current Account Load (Post-Losses)

At the time of this meeting, Sebastian's remaining accounts included Cordwainer and others. He had recently lost:

Axley (departed)
Trocte (departed)
Advanced Health & Safety — still active but at risk; see ^[1]

^[2]
^[1] — second at-risk client from same period
^[3] — performance plan context
^[4] — broader financial decisions made in same meeting