186 - Just Believe in Yourself with Sarah Vernon-Brunner - a podcast by Nicole DeBoom

Sarah is one in a million. In 2006 she visited Boulder to interview for Skirt Sports, this crazy little company with a powerful mission. I hired her immediately, or at least after I asked her to help us move boxes around the warehouse and I realized how strong she was! ?

I had the honor of working with Sarah for over 15 years, longer than I thought I would actually still be at Skirt Sports myself! Sarah came on board a year after she finished college; she held almost every job at Skirt Sports, except for the most creative, technical roles. For the last 5+ years, she held the title, President, and basically ran the company.

This conversation is both a celebration and a form of closure for me & Sarah. When we sold our last unit on August 16, 2020, Sarah and I were the last-women-standing. We had spent three months effectively closing down the company, and were thrilled that we had turned the finish line into a baton handoff, but the very end it was anticlimactic. We weren't even in the same room when the final unit sold. I think I texted her and that was it.

15+ years of working together can't end on a text! Sarah wrote me a beautiful note, that was full of emotion and I wrote this on a piece of paper, "Write Sarah a letter." Then I never did it. And I realized that this conversation could be the best way to gain a little more closure.

It's a bit of a tell-all, so get ready to hear what REALLY happened at Skirt Sports along the way. What a ride. I hope you enjoy the retelling as much as we did.

Notables from today:

Laughter is one of the best ways to deal with stress!

Two thumbs up (you have to listen)

Relationships: That's what everything is built on in the end. Be sure to nurture and honor them.

ALL THE PEOPLE! We riff on the amazing team we had the honor of interacting with over the years. If we missed you, it doesn't mean we don't love and appreciate you. It was like an Oscars speech and we were getting pushed off the stage!

Sleep is for the weak! (at least before kids!)

Fred Factor: Every interaction is a chance to practice customer care

The crazy times: Getting sued (twice), the eviction (not ours), Skirt Chaser 5k Races, the entire wholesale apocalypse, the ROLLER COASTER!

Gaining new titles while at Skirt Sports: Wife, Mom & more

Thanks for listening. If you want to reach Sarah, send me a note and I'll get it to her!

And please write me a review on iTunes! It helps!!!

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