Managers Aren't the Overhead. They're the Point.
AI makes good management more important: building trust, coaching people through change, and turning faster output into meaningful outcomes.
Read post →Hi, I'm Sara.
I’m Sara Hicks, a product leader, founder, executive leadership coach, and author. I’m the founder & CEO of HappyHQ. I’m also a founding partner and executive leadership coach at The Intentional Organization. I enjoy art, cycling, cooking, and yoga.
A few things about me:
- I’m a fourth-generation Californian.
- I once worked in a salmon-canning factory in Alaska. It taught me I can do anything. I’m also a vegetarian.
- I started my tech career at GeoCities.
- I’ve been blogging since before it was called blogging, and I still believe in the open web.
- I’ve built global products and teams, and led a startup from founding through acquisition.
- I co-authored a book—part memoir, part guide to building companies and teams humanely.
- I root for the underdog.
- I believe in dreams and mysticism.
Read more about my work and background, or explore executive leadership coaching.
I send my newsletter about once a month or whenever I have something worth sharing. It’s often filled with recommendations, stories, photography, and things I’m thinking about.
Our Book
The Intentional Organization
A Leadership and Management Guide
A practical guide to building human-centered organizations, covering meetings, strategy, feedback, delegation, and trust, with real stories and reflection questions along the way. Co-written with Mathias Meyer.
“A practical, down-to-earth handbook grounded in real-world experience — a powerful guide for breaking out of firefighter mode.”
Gina Trapani, former CEO and startup founder
More about the book →“Distills years of experience into a thoughtful, deeply human framework for leadership.”
Camille Fournier, author of The Manager's Path
Our Podcast
The Intentional Organization Podcast
Conversations on building human-centered organizations, including topics on leadership, feedback, and the everyday work of running teams with intention.
Listen to the latest episode
More about the podcast →What I Write About
#Leadership
34 posts
Hiring, feedback, one-on-ones, and what I've learned building and running companies.
#ReadingWatching 19 postsRecommendations and what stuck with me from the books, articles, and movies I've read and watched.
#5Things 19 postsWeekly roundups of five reads worth your time.
#Philosophy 12 postsReflections on purpose, mindfulness, and the bigger questions behind the day-to-day.
#Intentional 11 postsSmall, deliberate habits and choices for living and working with more purpose.
#ExecutiveCoaching 8 postsFrameworks and real, anonymized sessions from my executive coaching practice.
#Random 8 postsTravel notes and everything else that doesn't fit elsewhere.
#Photography 6 postsA few personal photos, taken on trips and at home.
#CookingGardening 3 postsRecipes and notes from the kitchen and the garden.
Get occasional updates
A newsletter on product, leadership, and whatever else I'm thinking about. No spam.