We were lucky to catch up with Sara Loretta recently and have shared our conversation below.
Sara, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.
I’m a big believer in saying ‘yes’ to everything that comes my way — as long as the opportunity aligns with my values and I feel comfortable, as one should.
But I’m also a huge sucker for consistency and sticking around when something is working. This is why after having 52 clients in 2021 (over 200 total in 4 years), I completely walked away from my graphic design business.
When I first launched my business, 99 & Saint Claire in 2019, I aligned myself as a design studio that was a no-holds bar place, and focused solely on helping my clients achieve more than they probably set up thinking they would when hiring me. So it’s no surprise, when my projects started focusing more on business development and operations, rather than a pretty logo & website.
This type of work tapped an internal ego I didn’t know I had. I finally felt confident in my expertise, I had actual, tangible results that the work I was doing actually made a difference, and I no longer felt emotionally connected to the design side of my business.
When I finally recognized this change in myself, it was like a light switch that was stuck and couldn’t be flipped off, and I had to take advantage of the possibility that perhaps I was cut out for more.
In March 2022, Notion invited me to go through the Certified Notion Consultant program — submit case studies, take an exam — and in turn I became the 10th Certified Notion Consultant in the United States. I shut my design business down and relaunched as a digital operations agency. It was the best decision I’ve ever made for my own career and the health of my business.
Sara, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m Sara, a nonprofit burnout, digital ops strategist, and Certified Notion Consultant. Prior to launching my business, I worked in the nonprofit space for almost 10 years, starting with teaching STEM through AmeriCorps and making my way into Adult Workforce education.
While there, I like many other individuals in the nonprofit sector, wore far to many hats and before I knew it I was managing all data for the organization, reporting to grantors, managing social media, doing video production, and yes helping with recruitment. Sure, this wasn’t the best job description, but it did help me realize my own strengths & passions.
Fast forward to 2019, I decided to set out on my own as a freelancer, and within 6 months had landed 40 clients. So I quit my day job and have been running 99 & Saint Claire full time since.
99 & Saint Claire, is a digital operations agency, that specializes in helping small teams maximize their productivity through automation and software like Notion. We are mostly known, however, for our Notion template bundle, Notion for Designers OS. Notion for Designers OS is a fully built system in Notion that allows brand & web designers to run their business using the platform.
When I’m not building for others, I’m on Youtube, Twitter & in our weekly newsletter (The Strategic Hustlin’ Squad) sharing knowledge with freelancers on how to run their business better using systems.
How did you build your audience on social media?
When I got really serious about showing up online and building and audience, it was because of my own frustration with how much information people put behind a paywall. That even their best info, still was incredibly subpar, and by buying into programs or workshops, I wasn’t actually gaining any new knowledge.
So I made it my mission that if I was going to spend time online, I needed to give away my best stuff for free, and I still do that today — I don’t worry about the length of a video or skipping someone’s question “because it’s covered in a paid product”. I take the time to talk to everyone and answer every question that comes my way.
My advice is to literally not give a shit what others are doing. Grid aesthetics don’t matter. Do what you want, and show up 110% every time you do. And remember, 100 engaged people is better than 100,000 not-engaged people. So while you’re small, practice, get good at speaking to the camera or typing out your thoughts. No one cares if you have grammar errors, the point is you’re getting your opinion out there.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
I think the biggest piece of success for us has been that we built the brand on being a “no bullshit, transparency-first” company. Our clients know that when they hire us, we might make them uncomfortable for a bit but in the long run, it’ll benefit their business greatly.
Additionally, we’re open & honest. One of our company principles is centered around the idea, that we gain nothing from holding back towards a client. So we do our research, tell it like it is, and share our opinions respectfully.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.99saintclaire.com
- Instagram: @99saintclaire
- Twitter: @thesaraloretta
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SaraLoretta/videos
Image Credits
Jessa Balough Photography