We had the good fortune of connecting with Sarah Gemmell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
Integrity and authenticity are the top two important values in my life in my business. Let’s chat business, though. Selling is what keeps the lights on figuratively and literally. In order to keep serving our higher purpose, as business owners we have to sell. Unfortunately, selling has been made to have such a stigma around it and a lot of entrepreneurs get hung up in the mindset that they are being “icky” or “spammy” by selling, which can create major cash flow issues and can even lead to their demise. I figured out early on that if I wanted to succeed I needed to sell, but I needed to find the way of selling that works for me and that aligns with who I am. Enter integrity and authenticity. There are two pieces of advice that have stuck with me forever. One: “switch selling for helping.” This is the idea that I am not selling you something you don’t need. I am helping you by giving you a solution to your problem. Second: “you are doing your ideal client a disservice by not selling.” Plain and simple: there are people out there who need what I have, it is my job to make sure we get connected and that I show the value. By always operating in integrity and authenticity, I feel really confident in who I am and how I operate in my life and in my business. I attract my ideal clients and I sell relatively easy because I will only sell to someone who is truly a good fit. A lot of other business owners look at me crazy when they hear how many potential sales I have turned away based on it not being a good fit. This builds more brand trust than having a higher closing rate. Not to mention, the relationships I have are so much more enjoyable and beneficial to all parties when I keep it real with them and operate in integrity.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am most proud of my resilience and my ability to persist through challenges. I was married and divorced before 24 years old, which is actually what pushed me into entrepreneurship. Shortly after a career change out of addictions counseling into fitness, I found out I needed to have a spinal fusion, which really through a wrench in all my plans – personally and professionally. About 2 years after my fusion the pandemic happened, which was challenging but ultimately it led me into peak success in my fitness business. We grew to be a global fitness platform! This was all great and wonderful until I decided to up and move solo from Philly to Gainesville, GA without knowing anyone here, which also meant a complete shift in the business, too. WHEW! It’s been a journey and I have found that through all of this, I have cultivated my own resilience and unmatched confidence, but it also inspires the people around me to challenge themselves as well. Hindsight is always 20/20, right, but I am grateful for everything I have been through.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love to take my friends and family to Ponce City Market because it offers a little bit of everything. I love to find new places to eat all around the metro on the Atlanta social media accounts. A place super underrated: Gainesville!! I love just spending time there and showing people around. There is so much happening there and things to do, food to eat. After we spend some time in Gainesville, I take my visitors to North Georgia for the hiking and the waterfalls.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I refuse to call myself “self-made” because I am not. I am God made and I am support made. My family has not always understood my decisions, but they have never waivered in their support for me. Outside of my family, I have worked really hard to curate a support system of like minded entrepreneurs and referral partners (because, duhhh, I am the Queen of Networking!). I overall feel extremely blessed in the people that I have chosen and the people that were chosen for me.

Website: www.sarahjeanco.com

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahgemmell_

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