Meet sarah
From the quirky TV that resembles a piece of art and the art-deco style bar cart complete with crystal whisky glasses, to the colour-coordinated coffee-table books about a variety of subjects ranging from modern design to feminism, Sarah’s carefully curated space is an eclectic reflection of her approaches to life: if it’s worth doing, do it with intention and care, and add a personal spin while you’re at it.
This is ultimately the model she’s applied to her business GRL NATION: a professional networking platform and life-coaching service for women, designed to give them the tools they need to find their voice in the world and pursue their professional goals. 10 years in the making, the project is a culmination of her experience in fashion and talent acquisition and born from a need for increased support for women in the workplace.
No matter what you’re doing, there’s got to be room for growth and improvement. Businesses have different priorities; they’ll push you towards what they need you to do. It’s important to remember what your goals are, and to act on your own terms.
It’s a mantra she preaches, but not one she takes for granted having learned it herself through trial and error after finding herself in jobs which didn’t challenge her. Early in her career, despite being well-paid and working in a stable industry with comfortable career progression opportunities, Sarah walked away to pursue her dream: a career in fashion.
Passion must be present in whatever you choose to do. Otherwise, there’s no point in putting your energy towards it.
A move to the UK and a string of jobs followed. Starting with a customer-service role at online juggernaut Net-A-Porter and moving on to a hands-on role on the shop floor at high-end UK department stores Selfridges, Sarah would eventually make the move from fashion to recruitment amid the uncertainty of the Global Financial Crisis.
Though ostensibly a move away from her desired industry, Sarah made it work by moulding the opportunity to suit her skills and interest and recruited roles for fashion and design organisations. Later returning to fashion, Sarah worked for wholesalers for both niche and luxury labels before becoming a brand ambassador for Bali-based brands which she would later expand to Australia and, by tapping into networks, sell on The Iconic, Australia’s largest online fashion retailer.
The first half of your career is built of defining moments – it’s experiences, people and connections that get you there.
This touches on the common thread that weaves Sarah’s experience together: it isn’t fashion, but people and culture. Her experience in fashion and talent acquisition would collide when she became Talent Advisor at Forever New. Sarah’s developed a razor-sharp sense of authenticity – and it’s in peoples’ raw, authentic selves that she sees the most value.
This is an aspect of human connection she feels corporate business is missing. In the pursuit of professionalism and the bottom line, the individual can be forgotten. This directly contradicts Sarah’s values, and something she wants GRLNATION to address.
People need to have their moment, to have their voice. Being heard, being seen, being valued.
I was the youngest, the only girl and always needing to find my own way. My mum was a nurse and she worked full time. I learned early on to find and depend on myself.
Her beginnings taught her the value of heart and hustle: and while she learned the importance of self-reliance, she was also very aware of the need for support networks.
If you don’t have support networks, if you’re friends are not as supportive or they’re not from similar industries or there’s some disconnection there – there’s a real element that you become what you’re surrounded by.
By cultivating relationships with mentors and keeping in touch with those that inspire and challenge her, Sarah has built a successful career. There’s also an element of resourcefulness here. The position held during employment at Forever New facilitated her establishing a relationship with The ICONIC, and her experience at Trak recruitment would lead her to Talent Acquisition Manager at Lovisa.
This resource, the side door of business and how to tap into it, is knowledge she wants to pass on.
”I hope with this business that I can not only empower women, but I can provide them with what they need. The conversations and the support. So much of this was missing in my life and I had to find this out on my own. This business is for others, but it’s also for me to give back by providing something so invaluable and necessary. I know what it’s like to experience challenges along the way – Through GRL NATION and the community, I want everyone to have access to the driving force that inspires individual and collective action.”