Finding My Voice
Recording the audiobook for The Intentional Organization led me to reflect on finding my voice as a founder, a leader, and myself.
Read post →Hi, I'm Sara.
I’m Sara Hicks, a founder, product leader, executive coach, and author. Over more than 20 years in technology, I’ve built products, teams, and companies from zero to one and beyond—from founding and leading venture-backed Reaction Commerce through its acquisition by Mailchimp to later serving as Mailchimp’s Chief Product Officer.
Today I’m building HappyHQ, writing and podcasting about intentional leadership, and coaching startup founders and technology leaders navigating growth, change, and the complicated work of leading. 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 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
Season 1 is complete
Join Mathias and me for conversations about the everyday work of leading teams—from difficult conversations and feedback to meetings, values, and accountability. Choose a topic that’s on your mind.
Start here: Navigating Difficult Conversations
A conversation about one of leadership’s most familiar challenges.
Explore Season 1
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1. Navigating Difficult Conversations
Why difficult conversations feel so stressful and how to approach them with intention.
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3. Feedback
Make feedback a regular, specific conversation instead of saving it for an annual review.
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4. Meetings
Why meetings go wrong and practical ways to make them more purposeful and effective.
What I Write About
Leadership
43 posts
Hiring, feedback, one-on-ones, and what I've learned building and running companies.
5 Things 24 postsWeekly roundups of five reads worth your time.
Reading & Watching 20 postsRecommendations and what stuck with me from the books, articles, and movies I've read and watched.
Philosophy 14 postsReflections on purpose, mindfulness, and the bigger questions behind the day-to-day.
Executive Coaching 14 postsFrameworks and real, anonymized sessions from my executive coaching practice.
Intentional 13 postsSmall, deliberate habits and choices for living and working with more purpose.
Random 8 postsTravel notes and everything else that doesn't fit elsewhere.
Photography 6 postsA few personal photos, taken on trips and at home.
Cooking & Gardening 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.