We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sarah Hernholm. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sarah below.

Sarah, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

There’s no magic formula for turning an idea into reality. At the end of the day, it all boils down to one simple truth: I just have to start.

Sure, that might sound like a cliché—and it’s definitely easier said than done—but it’s the truth. The more compelling question, though, is this: why don’t we start? What really holds us back?

For me, it often comes down to excuses. Some are the usual suspects: “I’m too busy; I’ll start tomorrow,” or “I need to finish this one thing first.” Others wear a more selfless disguise: “I should help ___ before I focus on myself.”

But let’s be honest—no matter how they’re dressed up, they’re still just excuses.

Even with WIT, where we’ve successfully launched countless programs and products, I still encounter the same roadblocks. The most persistent one? That nagging voice whispering: “What if it fails?” It’s like the final boss of excuses, showing up right when I’m on the verge of taking action.

Here’s the truth: I don’t always silence that voice. I still feel the fear of things not working out, of missing the mark, of not connecting with our audience. And you know what? That fear is normal—especially when stepping into the unknown.

But here’s what I’ve learned: for every misstep we’ve had, we’ve also experienced incredible wins. Those wins are what make starting worthwhile. They remind me that the risk of failure is far outweighed by the possibility of success—and that’s where I choose to focus.

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 back background and context?

How did I get where I am? Well, it definitely wasn’t a straight path. I started my professional life in tv/film and then got off that path (story for another time) and found myself teaching PreK. The experience changed my life so much that I decided to go back to school to get my teaching credential. After earning a Master’s in Education, I spent five years as an elementary school teacher. In 2009, inspired by my students’ potential and uninspired by the public school system, I left the classroom to establish WIT—Whatever It Takes—a nonprofit dedicated to empowering teens to launch businesses, nonprofits, and social movements.

At WIT, we’re dedicated to empowering tweens and teens by teaching the essential skills that traditional classrooms often overlook. Take financial literacy, for example—it’s a foundational skill for success, yet rarely emphasized in school.

Our mission is to help young people develop both the knowledge and soft skills they need to thrive. Whether it’s turning a business idea into reality or cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset, we guide them every step of the way.

We accomplish this through innovative college-credit programs, engaging competitions, and dynamic hackathons. At WIT, we’re constantly evolving to support the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs!

Beyond WIT, I run a media company called 360 Self, Inc., write for Forbes and Today Show Parent, host the “DO WIT” podcast, and am currently working on the launch of WIT Magazine. If any of your readers have an inspiring story of how they are “doing Whatever It Takes” please have them reach out to us!

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

When I started WIT over 15 years ago, I was swept up in the entrepreneurial culture that glorified constant hustle and the relentless “grind.” I genuinely believed that devoting every waking moment to my work was the only path to success. In fact, I started to thrive on the burnout, convincing myself it was a badge of honor and an unavoidable part of building something meaningful.

But over time, reality caught up with me. That mindset, while celebrated in the business world, was unsustainable—and more importantly, harmful. The toll on my well-being became impossible to ignore, and I began to notice how it also impacted the quality of my work and relationships. After hitting that wall more times than I care to admit, I came to a profound realization: success is about more than constant work. Life is about more than just productivity. A balanced lifestyle isn’t just important—it’s essential for long-term success and happiness.

It took longer than I would have liked to internalize this lesson, but I’m grateful I did. The even better news? At WIT, we’re committed to sharing this understanding with the next generation of entrepreneurs. Through our programs, we teach young leaders that building a business or pursuing a big idea doesn’t have to come at the expense of their health or happiness. Success can—and should—be sustainable.

Have you ever had to pivot?

At WIT, we began with a focus on in-person classes and hackathons. These programs were the cornerstone of our mission to support young entrepreneurs, and for years, they shaped how we connected with our audience. However, in 2020, like so many organizations, we faced an unexpected challenge: the need to pivot to online programming.

What initially felt like a hurdle quickly became an opportunity. Shifting to virtual platforms opened our eyes to the incredible potential of reaching a far broader audience. Suddenly, geographical barriers disappeared, and we realized we could connect with young innovators from across the country—and even around the world.

This shift wasn’t just a temporary adaptation; it became a transformative moment for WIT. We embraced virtual programming wholeheartedly, leading to the development of the dynamic virtual classes, competitions and hackathons we run today. By leveraging these platforms, we’ve been able to collaborate with prominent brands to create impactful events that provide young entrepreneurs with critical funding, mentorship, and education to bring their business ideas to life. At the same time, these partnerships offer brands a unique opportunity to engage meaningfully with a younger, highly motivated demographic.

Our commitment to learning and refining the art of running successful, engaging, and impactful virtual programs has paid off in ways we couldn’t have imagined. Today, we’re able to support a significantly larger number of young leaders and innovators than ever before, helping them build skills, launch businesses, and shape the future.

For more information on our current virtual competitions and how to get involved, visit our website: doingwit.org.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.doingwit.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miss_wit/. https://www.instagram.com/doing_wit/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahhernholm/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DOWITPodcast
• Other: https://medium.com/wit-magazine