EP 255: Beyond the sale - Sara Douglass on purpose and people in business

What makes a company truly stand out in the world of Direct Selling? Is it the products, the leadership, or the community it fosters? Today, I have the absolute honour of introducing someone who embodies all three, Sara Douglass, the CEO of Stampin’ Up! If you’re in the Direct Selling industry, chances are you’ve heard of Stampin’ Up! It’s a company built on creativity, family, and deep-rooted connections, and Sara is at the heart of its mission. I first had the privilege of meeting her at their conference in Las Vegas, a particularly special event for me, as it was one of the last in-person engagements I did before my daughter was born. That day, Sara took the stage and shared a vision that resonated so deeply with my husband Greg and I. Sitting in the green room, we exchanged a glance that said it all: "Wow, this is powerful." It wasn’t just about business growth; it was about purpose, impact, and the ripple effect this industry has on lives. What made that moment even more remarkable was learning that this was the first time Sara had shared that vision publicly. It was raw, personal, and deeply aligned with why so many of us are passionate about this industry. Today, I’m beyond excited for you to hear from Sara herself. She’s here to share her journey, the mission behind Stampin’ Up!, and what the future holds. Get ready to be inspired!   We’ll be talking about:  ➡ [0:00] Introduction ➡ [3:53] Meeting Sara and a short history of Stampin’ Up! ➡ [6:17] Turning interest in crafts into business   ➡ [10:02] Being part of the business ➡ [11:48] Being a parent vs being grandparents ➡ [15:09] Road to being CEO ➡ [17:56] Eradicating loneliness ➡ [20:48] Finding your own personal why ➡ [22:00] Being passionate about community ➡ [25:06] Sara’s tips for building a community ➡ [29:18] Patterns around behaviour of top achievers and underachievers ➡ [32:35] What the future holds with Stampin’ Up! ➡ [34:20] Sara Douglass' recommended book  ➡ [35:20] Sara Douglass’ favourite quote ➡ [36:11] Sara Douglass’ dream superpower ➡ [37:27] Sara Douglass’ advice to her past self ➡ [37:45] Final thoughts   Resources Book Recommendations: ➡ The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins:https://bit.ly/4jf2S8m   Quote: ➡ Courage is not the absence of fear - Nelson Mandela   About our guest: CEO Sara Douglass has been part of Stampin’ Up!, the world’s leading direct sales paper  crafting company since it was founded by her mother in 1988. Sara’s tenure in the business prepared her well to lead the global enterprise that sells quality stamps, exclusive color collections, coordinating inks, papers, crafting tools, memory keeping products, and all-inclusive kits through it’s over 40,000 independent demonstrators. Sara is deeply committed to Stampin’ Up!’s legacy of making a positive social difference through encouraging creativity, building personal connections and community, and helping people share what they love. She is intensely focused on helping demonstrators create success and experience fulfillment in their professional and personal lives. Her unique, visionary, and people-centric approach provides valuable leadership and insight in guiding Stampin’ Up! forward.  Sara is devoted to her husband, Sean, their five children and spouses, new granddaughter, and three granddogs.   Connect with Sara Douglass: ➡ Sara Douglass’ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/asarathing/ ➡ Sara Douglass’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-douglass/ ➡ Sara Douglass’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asarathing   Connect with Stampin’ Up!: ➡ Stampin’ Up!’s website: https://www.stampinup.com ➡ Stampin’ Up!’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stampinup/ ➡ Stampin’ Up!’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stampin'-up/ ➡ Stampin’ Up!’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stampinupofficial/?hl=en ➡ Stampin’ Up!’s Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaytKFValhfW2z3T0jsdemA ➡ Stampin’ Up!’s Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/stampinup/ ➡ Stampin’ Up!’s X: https://x.com › stampinup   Connect with Direct Selling Accelerator: ➡ Visit our website: https://www.auxano.global/ ➡ Subscribe to Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DirectSellingAccelerator ➡ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auxanomarketing/ ➡ Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/auxanomarketing/ ➡ Email us at [email protected]   If you have any podcast suggestions or things you’d like to learn about specifically, please send us an email at the address above. And if you liked this episode, please don’t forget to subscribe, tune in, and share this podcast. Are you ready to join the Auxano Family to get live weekly training, support and the latest proven posting strategies to get leads and sales right now - find out more here https://go.auxano.globalSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.