Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sarah. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sarah, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you walk us through some of the key steps that allowed you move beyond an idea and actually launch?

Like many creative businesses, VanderRose Studios didn’t begin exactly as it exists today. It started with a passion for photography, storytelling, and creating meaningful visual experiences. Early on, my vision was much smaller. I simply recognized that I had both an interest and a talent for creating images that resonated with people, and I wanted to explore where that could lead.

As I gained experience, opportunities began to appear. One project led to another, and each experience taught me something new about the market, client needs, and where I could provide value. What started as photography gradually expanded into creative production, sports and event coverage, commercial photography, product imagery, and visual content designed to support broader business goals.

One of the most important lessons I learned early on was that having a creative talent is not the same as having a business. It’s easy to focus on the fun parts—creating, photographing, designing, and bringing ideas to life. But if you want to build something sustainable, you have to spend just as much time understanding the business side.

Before investing heavily, I spent time evaluating whether there was a genuine market need for the services I wanted to offer. I looked at who was already serving those markets, where opportunities existed, and how I could differentiate myself. From there, I worked through the less glamorous but essential aspects of launching a business: creating a business plan, defining a unique value proposition, establishing pricing, building a brand, creating systems and processes, and understanding what would be required to generate revenue consistently.

Another lesson was the importance of diversification. Creative industries can be unpredictable, and relying on a single revenue source can create unnecessary risk. Over time, VanderRose evolved to serve multiple markets and offer a broader range of services, creating a more resilient business model while allowing me to continue pursuing the creative work I enjoy.

Looking back, the journey wasn’t a single launch moment. It was a series of decisions, experiments, opportunities, and lessons learned over time. Each project opened new doors, and each challenge helped refine the vision. Today, VanderRose Studios is the result of that evolution—a business built on creativity, but sustained by strategy, adaptability, and a commitment to delivering value for clients.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My journey into photography and creative production wasn’t a straight line. Professionally, I’ve spent much of my career leading initiatives in healthcare, technology, product strategy, and organizational transformation. Creativity was always present, but for many years it existed alongside my professional career as a passion, a creative outlet, and a way to tell stories.

Over time, I realized photography was more than a hobby. I found myself drawn to the challenge of capturing moments, emotions, and experiences in a way that resonated with people. What began as an interest in portrait and editorial photography gradually evolved as I gained experience, explored different types of work, and recognized opportunities in the market.

Today, VanderRose Studios specializes in sports photography, live event coverage, commercial photography, product imagery, and creative production. We work with organizations, brands, event producers, and businesses that need high-quality visual content to engage audiences, support marketing efforts, showcase products, document experiences, and tell compelling stories.

One of the biggest misconceptions about photography is that clients are simply purchasing images. In reality, they are investing in outcomes. A sports organization needs content that engages fans and attracts sponsors. An event producer needs imagery that helps market future events. A business needs product photography that builds trust and supports sales. My role is to understand those goals and create visual assets that help clients achieve them.

What sets VanderRose apart is that we think beyond the camera. We approach projects from both a creative and strategic perspective. My background in business, leadership, and systems thinking has shaped the way I work with clients. I enjoy understanding the bigger picture, identifying the purpose behind a project, and creating content that serves a meaningful objective. Whether we are covering a professional sporting event, producing commercial product photography, or managing a larger creative production, the goal is always to create content that delivers value.

I am also a strong believer that creativity and business must work together. Many creatives focus exclusively on the artistic side of their craft, while many businesses focus only on the numbers. The most successful projects happen when those two worlds come together. Great creative work should inspire, but it should also support a larger purpose.

What I am most proud of is not any single project, publication, or client. I am proud of the evolution of the business itself. VanderRose Studios has grown through curiosity, adaptability, and a willingness to continue learning. Every project has opened new doors and expanded my perspective on what is possible.

If there is one thing I want people to know about me and my brand, it is that relationships matter. I genuinely enjoy getting to know my clients, understanding their goals, and helping bring their vision to life. The camera is simply a tool. The real work is building trust, creating meaningful experiences, and delivering something that helps people move their businesses, brands, and organizations forward.

At its core, VanderRose Studios exists to tell stories, create connections, and produce visual content that leaves a lasting impact.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

We believe reputation is built long before someone becomes a client. It is shaped by every interaction, every project, every piece of content we publish, and every decision we make about how we show up in the marketplace.

From the beginning, we have given a great deal of thought to the kind of brand we wanted VanderRose Studios to become. While photography and creative production are at the center of what we do, the business has always been about more than creating beautiful images. We wanted to build a brand that reflects professionalism, authenticity, integrity, and a commitment to delivering exceptional experiences.

In today’s world, it is easy to focus on short-term wins. Social media often rewards immediate attention, but attention and reputation are not the same thing. We see many talented creatives undervaluing their work, giving away services without understanding their value, or presenting themselves in ways that may generate engagement but ultimately weaken the brand they are trying to build.

For us, reputation has always been connected to long-term thinking. Every decision is viewed through the lens of where we want the business to be years from now, not just next week or next month. That means being intentional about the clients we work with, the projects we take on, how we communicate, and how we deliver on our commitments.

Trust has been one of the most important factors in building our reputation. Clients are often trusting us with important moments, significant investments, or critical marketing initiatives. Earning that trust requires consistency, professionalism, and follow-through. It also requires patience. The strongest client relationships are not built overnight. They are built project by project, conversation by conversation, and through consistently delivering value over time.

We believe one of the reasons VanderRose has continued to grow is because we focus on relationships rather than transactions. While every business needs revenue, our goal has never been to chase a single sale. Our goal is to create long-term partnerships with clients who see us as a trusted creative resource. When you prioritize relationships, maintain high standards, and stay true to your values, reputation becomes something that develops naturally over time.

Ultimately, we believe a strong brand is built on alignment between what you say, what you do, and what people experience when they work with you. That consistency has been one of the most important contributors to our reputation and something we work hard to protect every day.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

One of the most significant pivots in my life happened long before I started VanderRose Studios.

Like many people, I found myself at a point where I had to make a difficult decision about the future I wanted for myself. I was in a relationship that had become increasingly limiting and unhealthy. For years, every effort I made to pursue higher education was discouraged or sabotaged. I had dreams of going to college, growing professionally, and creating opportunities for myself, but those goals always seemed just out of reach.

Eventually, I reached a point where I realized that if I wanted a different life, I would have to make a difficult change. In the same month, I moved out, filed for divorce, and enrolled in college. At the time, it felt terrifying. There were no guarantees. I simply knew I could not continue living the life I was living.

What I didn’t realize then was how profoundly that decision would reshape everything that followed.

I stayed in school for the next fifteen years, ultimately earning two master’s degrees. Along the way, I had opportunities I never could have imagined. I studied in Hawaii, where I graduated. I participated in a study abroad program in Shanghai. I worked for Real Salt Lake during a transformative period in the organization’s history. I built a career in healthcare, technology, and global product leadership. Eventually, that journey led me to entrepreneurship and the creation of VanderRose Studios.

Looking back, none of those experiences would have happened had I not been willing to take that initial leap of faith.

What that experience taught me is that pivots are rarely just about changing careers or starting businesses. Often, they begin with a decision to believe that something better is possible. The hardest part is usually taking the first step when you cannot yet see where the path will lead.

Today, whenever I face uncertainty, I remind myself of that chapter in my life. Some of the best opportunities, relationships, and experiences I have ever had were on the other side of a decision that initially felt impossible.

If there is one lesson I carry with me, it is that courage does not mean having all the answers. Sometimes courage simply means taking the next step and trusting yourself enough to keep moving forward.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.vanderrose.com
• Instagram: @vanderrose_studios
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahnavarre
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@VanderRose
• Other: https://www.sarahnavarre.com

Image Credits

1. Rachel Marie PC: S. Navarre, Wardrobe: S. Navarre
2. Marissa Ivie, David Velazquez, Jr., PC: S. Navarre
3. David Velazquez, Jr., PC: S, Navarre
4. David Velazquez, Jr. , Kenedi Hindmarsh, PC: Mike Wolf
5. Destiny Wisniewski, PC: S. Navarre, Gown: S. Navarre
6. Kenedi Hindmarsh, PC: S. Navarre
7. Kenedi Hindmarsh, Jason Man, Whitney Waters, PC: S. Navarrre
8. Mike Wolf (Co-Owner VanderRose Studios), David Velazquez, Jr., PC: S. Navarre
9. US Mens Speedskating, Utah Olympic Oval, PC: Mike Wolf
10. Anderson Julio, Real Salt Lake, PC: Mike Wolf