Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sarah Welch. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Sarah thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So, one thing many business owners consider is donating a percentage of sales or profits to an organization or cause. We’d love to hear your thoughts and the story behind how and why you chose the cause or organization you donate to.
In the fall of 2019, I found an opportunity to marry my professional work (book editing) with one of my passions: animal rescue by creating and selling a book, AUSTIN BROWN DOGS: THE SHELTER DOGS WHO RESCUE US, designed to celebrate rescue dogs while supporting local rescue organizations. Here’s the story:
My husband and I lost the very first dog we’d adopted together in the fall of 2017. It was sudden, and we were devastated. I needed time to heal, but I knew that, when I was ready, I would continue working to give rescue dogs—especially seniors—a chance to live as all dogs deserve: spoiled rotten and loved unconditionally.
Fast forward to December of 2018. I was madly in love with a beautiful lab puppy we’d been gifted after Hank’s death, but I was still yearning to do something to support senior dogs. We decided to foster, and we brought Bo into our home. But, four months later, distraught at the idea of sending him away, I made him an official member of our family.
Clearly, fostering was not the way I was going to broaden my impact.
But what if I could marry my passion—book development—with my purpose—supporting senior dogs? Fostering may not have been my skill set, but storytelling is, and I’m so fortunate to live in one of the most dog-crazy cities in the country. Why not leverage those two things to create a beautiful book that celebrates Austin’s love for rescue dogs and raises awareness and funds for the pups who need our help the most?
The result was a book called AUSTIN BROWN DOGS: THE SHELTER DOGS WHO RESCUE US, published in October 2019 and featuring stories and photos of about 80 Austin-area rescue dogs. From the profits I earned during the launch event—including both book sales and a silent auction—I was able to donate $500 each to two animal rescue nonprofits that are near and dear to my heart.
I loved getting to create something beautiful that supported a cause I was passionate about. But from a professional standpoint, publishing my own book was a powerful experience that gave me a much deeper appreciation for what my clients are going through. Ultimately, I learned just how incredible it feels to finish a work you’re proud of, get it out into the world, and bring together your community to celebrate your accomplishment. Because to publish a book is a true, enormous achievement.
https://www.inkdroplit.com/products-and-services/austin-brown-dogs
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?
I’m Sarah Welch, a book editor working with independent authors, publishers, and corporate leaders to develop and perfect their stories, polishing them so they’ll move readers in all the right ways. I strive for a collaborative, uplifting process that leaves authors feeling empowered and confident in their abilities to write and publish compelling stories.
My path here was a bit circuitous (whose isn’t), but every step was invaluable. In college, I double majored in English and theater. At the end of my sophomore year, I was accepted into the advanced poetry sequence and the advanced poetry sequence. Throughout the year, I came to learn that, while I very much enjoyed writing for myself, what I looked forward to most were the workshop days, where I would get to help my peers problem-solve, overcoming blocks and challenges in their own work. It was in these moments of connecting with an author, championing her work, that I knew I was doing what I was supposed to do.
Once I realized this might be something I wanted to pursue after college, I began looking for internships in the publishing field, just to be sure. I was fortunate to find some incredible mentors, from poetry editors to independent press owners to literary agents, who took me under their wings and showed me the ropes, helping me confirm that books—in some form or fashion—were the right path for me. After finishing my undergraduate degree, I went on to Emerson College in Boston, where I earned my master’s degree in publishing, with a focus on editorial work. While there, I had the opportunity to intern for a wide range of publishing houses in a wide variety of departments, learning not only the art but also the business of book publishing.
Upon graduation, while I knew the epicenter of the publishing world was New York City, I also knew that wasn’t my scene. At the time I was finishing grad school, my boyfriend (now husband) was looking for a new job. We were both from Texas originally, so we decided to move back closer to home, where we had family nearby and it didn’t snow so much! There, I landed a marketing role at a small startup, where I learned a lot about running a business and made some incredible friends and connections along the way, all while building up my editorial business as a side hustle.
After a couple of years, the startup I worked at came to a point where it made sense for me to dial down to part-time, providing a good financial safety net while I grew my editorial business even further. Eventually, I was able to “take the leap” and become a full-time book editor and writing coach. That was in the fall of 2017, and I’ve never looked back.
What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?
My editorial business was a side hustle at first. I knew I wanted to work for myself, but I also knew that I wanted some traditional work experience under my belt, and I knew I needed financial stability while I worked toward my goal of entrepreneurship.
So, when I first moved to Austin, I found a job as a marketing manager at a small, communication-centric startup. There, I met some of my best friends in the world and gained incredible insights into what running a business looks like (there were only eight employees when I started, so we all got to do and see a lot of things).
Getting my own business off the ground—and growing it to the point where it could pay my bills—was all about meeting the right people. There are two in particular who I really credit with helping me get where I am: the first is a friend of a friend of the family who ran a local magazine here in Austin. She took me on as her copyeditor and, more importantly, she introduced me to everyone she knew who was writing (or even thinking about writing) a book. From her, I gained a fantastic list of clients as well as a whole lot of confidence. The second is a brilliant editor and business owner who runs an editorial business here in town. Years ago, she took the time to respond to my cold outreach, let me buy her a hot chocolate, and shared advice for upwards of two hours. Since then, I’ve considered her a mentor and an example—and she’s contracted out countless clients and projects to me, as well.
About two years after staring my marketing job, my business had grown enough that I was spending long nights and early mornings editing before getting up to go into the office every day. Around that time, the startup was making some changes, and I was able to work with the CEO to dial back to part-time, maintaining my “safety net” while I poured the extra time and energy into my editorial work. Three months later, I was able to officially “take the leap,” going fully solo in the fall of 2017. I’ve never looked back.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
I will never cease to be in awe of the process of creating something beautiful and tangible out of an idea. To me, artists of every stripe are miracle workers, and to get to help authors—especially first-time authors—through that process of bringing their vision to life on the page is incredible every single time. I love to be there to support and encourage my clients through writer’s block, to watch them develop confidence in their abilities, and to celebrate their successes every step of the way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.inkdroplit.com
- Instagram: @inkdroplit
- Other: https://www.inkdroplit.com/products-and-services/austin-brown-dogs
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NHS5D8Z/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1639423615&refinements=p_27%3ASarah%20Welch&s=books&sr=1-1&text=Sarah%20Welch
Image Credits
Mabel Rodriguez