Meet Sarah Williams... Rebel Office Owner
Sep 18, 2019
This week I had the absolute joy of interviewing fellow Canadian Sarah Williams about her incredible business, and her journey through entrepreneurship!
About Sarah:
Sarah Williams is the owner of Rebel Office, an online resource and community platform for ambitious, female entrepreneurs embracing the laptop lifestyle and using their businesses as a platform to design their dream life.
The following is our interview, my questions in BOLD and her answers follow:
What kind of work do you do?
I create and curate highly practical resources and trainings for female entrepreneurs, provide mentorship and guidance (because we all need someone in our corner that roots even our craziest ideas on), and ultimately strive to be a catalyst to help others build their legacies, empires, and limitation-free lifestyles.
What inspired you to get started as an entrepreneur?
I didn't even want to be an entrepreneur. I did a joint business & mathematics degree in university and remember being invited to the entrepreneurship club on campus. I remember laughing and saying that I didn't want to build businesses; I wanted to go in and fix existing ones. Fast forward to about 8 months into my first job out of school: I was a marketing coordinator for a consulting firm. I quit and spent two months soul-searching around Peru, Bolivia & Chile. Luckily, when I got back, people knew that I did graphic design and was pretty darn good at it. The side jobs turned into big jobs and I was able to make a living off of it.
What was your biggest struggle to get things going for your online business?
Feeling aligned. There are SO many opportunities in the online space and it's so easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing. To be able to put blinders on, focus on what I wanted and staying true to my own values has been a muscle that I've definitely had to build.
Was there a time you thought about giving up? What kept you from quitting?
A couple of years ago, I did kind of give up. There were a few instances before when I had applied to jobs that I saw posted, but always ended up turning them down when I was called for an interview. But about two years ago, business was slow (I was in the middle of pivoting my business structure) and I had a mortgage to pay and family to support. So I went back to full-time. I was transparent that I was going to still be running Rebel Office on the side, but something about that rubbed my manager the wrong way I think. We DID NOT get along. To say that we had two very different mindsets and approaches to team work and collaboration would be an understatement. I was there for just over 4 weeks. For the second time in my career, I was reminded that there is a different way to do business... a better, kinder, more ethical, more creative and innovative way. I've never thought about giving up again.
What have you learned since beginning?
Trust your gut. It's always right. And f*ck what everyone else tells you is the right or wrong thing to do. There isn't ONE right way to live life or run a business. Dig deep, trust yourself, and always, always keep learning and experimenting.
What’s the best advice you’ve received?
Don't plan too far in advance. The overwhelm of the task will stop your progress. Think about 1 thing you can do TODAY to get you closer to where you want to be. When that's done, focus on the next.
What advice would you give someone just starting out?
Be yourself. I know, I can feel the eye rolls, but seriously. I spent way too long at the beginning trying to be "corporate" or "professional" just so that I would be taken seriously. The truth is, business is personal and your clients or customers or audience... they're all just people. Think sustainably and build an epic business, but don't be something you're not (or don't want to be).
What’s the professional win you’re most proud of?
Landing my first big-time municipal consulting contract. Or... getting my very first paying Rebel Office member. It was back when my monthly fee was too low and I was giving too much away for free, but I still remember when I got that notification that someone (who I didn't know) PAID to access my platform, my community and my resources. I had worked SO hard at building it & putting it out there, and when that came through, everything was validated for me: my business model, my scaling goals, and my vision for Rebel Office.
Is there a book you’d recommend to help with success and personal development?
So many!
WorkParty by Jaclyn Johnson made me change my mindset around "being the boss".
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert just totally changed my life when mindset and personal development WAS NOT a priority for me.
Contagious by Jonah Berger for strategy & marketing has changed the way I market Rebel Office and has taken the way I communicate and sell to a totally different level.
Do you have a routine that you attest to your success? If yes, what is it?
Writing out my 1 year vision every day. There are other things that I like to include in my daily routine, but writing out my vision daily is a non-negotiable. Other things include: drinking warm lemon water, dry brushing + showering, meditating & writing out my top 3 priorities for each day.
How has social media played a factor in your success?
Social media has really helped me connect with the coolest collaborations, the most ambitious people that I now call best friends, and the most brag-worthy clients. And that's really what it's all about - connection.
What are the biggest social media mistakes you see commonly made?
Not engaging. And this isn't even just because of all the algorithm changes either. If you're not engaging with the people sending you messages, interacting on your stories or feed posts, you are missing a PRIME opportunity to start building (or maintaining) that relationship.
What is the business tool that’s been most helpful?
Asana is life.
Is there something you wish everyone knew?
We, as business owners, make the decisions. We decide who our suppliers are, what our values are, how we treat people... So if there was one message that you take away from this, it would be: It is totally, 100% possible to make a wild profit, treat people well AND take care of the planet. They are not all mutually exclusive. So while we need to buy better as consumers, we also need to build better as business owners.
What’s coming up for you in the next few months?
The 2nd annual Freedom Summit is going down October 10th + 11th! It's a totally free, entirely online two-day event focused on helping you find freedom through entrepreneurship. We also have some EPIC new resources going into The Collective including a brand template library and cool new trainings to help you level up.
What has being successful taught you?
New level, new devil. But it's important to always take the time to feel grateful for how far you've come because there is always a younger version of yourself that wished you were where you are now. Appreciate the journey and be proud of yourself.
What are some fun facts about you?
I live in a forest on a lake with my boyfriend and CUTEST golden retriever ever, Trigger. I used to be pretty darn good at bass guitar. I lived in the Mediterranean (shoutout to Malta) for a year. I like to order chicken pot pie at restaurants and I get made fun of every single time I do it.
Connect with Sarah:
- Rebel Office membership: http://rebeloffice.ca/join
- The Freedom Summit: http://freedomsummit.rebeloffice.ca
*Some clickable media, usually the book recommendations, are affiliate links, and should you choose to buy through using those links then The Infinite Power of You Inc. may earn an affiliate payout commission. This is at no additional expense to you, and helps keep this blog going.
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