Hi, I'm Sara.
I’m a product leader, company builder, 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.
Some random tidbits about me:
- I’m a fourth-generation Californian.
- I once worked in a salmon-canning factory in Alaska. It taught me that 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.
- I hope the open web continues to thrive.
- I’ve built and scaled global companies, products, and teams.
- I co-authored a book that is part memoir and part guidebook on how to humanely build companies and teams.
- I like to root for the underdog.
- I believe in dreams and mysticism.
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.
My 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
My 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
Hiring, feedback, one-on-ones, and what I've learned building and running companies.
#ReadingWatching 18 postsRecommendations and what stuck with me from the books, articles, and movies I've read and watched.
#5Things 15 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.
#Random 8 postsTravel notes and everything else that doesn't fit elsewhere.
#Coaching 5 postsFrameworks and real, anonymized sessions from my executive coaching practice.
#Photography 5 postsA few personal photos, taken on trips and at home.
#CookingGardening 3 postsRecipes and notes from the kitchen and the garden.
Recent writing
All posts →Get occasional updates
A note now and then on product, leadership, and whatever else I'm thinking about. No spam.