You won’t find a straightforward CV when it comes to Sarah. Her career path is as varied as the stories she has brought back from her travels: from event management to documentary filmmaking, perfumery and a law firm, her curiosity has repeatedly driven her into new worlds. This took her to Brussels, the heart of European politics, and later to France, where she ran a small château as a cultural centre with a chambre d’hôte. It was here that she discovered her passion for tourism and developed a keen sense of just how crucial the balance is between guests’ needs and the business vision. In 2014, her path led her to Austria. Another château, this time as head of tourism. Yet another new perspective.
She brings all these experiences – the kind you won’t find in books – to Solid & Bold, transforming them into brand strategies, stories and guest experiences that linger in the memory.
Most people underestimate how much weight individual words carry in brand strategy or storytelling. We always choose every word carefully here, because it really does make a difference whether the text says ‘good’ or ‘not bad’. The tone, subtext and the emotion evoked change depending on the word. During some brainstorming sessions, where synonyms fly back and forth, outsiders would probably think we were mad.
Structured thinking and organisational skills are also a superpower. These are often dismissed as the norm, yet you only realise how important they are when they’re missing – for example, when a project isn’t running smoothly or things aren’t thought through properly. In such cases, the initially »invisible« work of structuring, planning and thinking things through – with all the consequences that entails – doesn’t always have it easy. It took me a long time to realise just how valuable this is and that it’s my talent, because it isn’t as obvious as, say, artistic talent.
Everywhere! No matter where I am or what I’m doing, inspiration follows me. After all, the brain carries on working even when you’re not actively thinking about a particular topic. And suddenly, a flash of inspiration strikes – in the shower, at an exhibition or whilst flicking through the newspaper.