Conversations with Sarah Tilley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Tilley.

Hi Sarah, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I am Sarah! 26-year-old typical millennial living life in the most beautiful state ever! I am not originally from Utah, I actually moved here from a very small town in Upstate, NY (shout out Naples!) and after graduating college and exploring all of NY, I knew it was time for a change. I moved out here with my dog and high school sweetheart and we are absolutely flourishing. We’re avid hikers, snowboarders, and lovers of the outdoors so we fit in quite well here. I am all about an active and healthy lifestyle- It is key to happiness!

I grew up with a passion for photography and design so back in the midst of Covid (aka found myself extremely bored when I was laid off from work) I started my own freelance business doing social media management, email campaigning, content creation, and market strategizing. I LOVE what I do. I love working with other creatives because they are just so unique and so passionate about their work. I work with wedding photographers, small businesses, and even had a chance to work with some well-known brands (GT’s Kombucha!) creating content for them! It is never boring and I am always finding myself wanting to learn more.

I feel like I am just getting started too. 26 has been hands down my greatest year of life. There has been alot of reflection, alot of growth, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally, and I can truly say I am so so happy with where I am at. My heart is so full and I am soo looking forward to everything else that is still to come.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There were struggles, absolutely! Jumping into something without knowing what could actually happen is SO scary, but oh so rewarding when you look back and can say that you did it! There are always going to challenge when it comes to stepping out of your comfort zone but it is so important to think about your long-term goals and who you want to be as a person, and what you want to accomplish and keep reminding yourself of those things! It makes those struggles alot less hard. I would say some of my biggest struggles were deciding what kind of niche I wanted to be in. I have so many hobbies and lots of different interests, so I found it difficult to narrow it down to what kind of brand I wanted to represent. You essentially can’t do it all, so it is important to focus on key concepts that are important to you. Another struggle was definitely getting my name out there as a new biz owner. It is HARD to put yourself out there and feel confident when doing so, but it really just comes down to being consistent and committing to it every day. You’ll likely find clients when you’re (not overly) persistent and staying true to yourself and what you represent.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a freelance marketing specialist! I work with photographers, brands, and small business managing their social media accounts, creating content, email campaigning, and market strategizing! I have a passion for marketing and a love for design and creativity. I have been dabbling into photography as well but keep that mainly as a side hustle 🙂 I am proud that I’ve stuck to my guns, even when things weren’t always the easiest. I’m proud that I’ve been able to make a name for myself and have found that something that is considered “work” doesn’t actually feel like work- that is happiness. I am truly an authentic, one-of-a-kind, old soul. I love what I do and I treat my clients and their business as if it was my own.

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Just start! Just do it. Write your goals out, short-term and long-term and for each of those goals write out HOW you will get there, and exactly what you need to do. Be realistic and just go after it! Be authentic and stay true to yourself. Don’t sign clients right off the bat just to say you have clients, that doesn’t work. Work with people who you can actually represent fully and well. Follow your passions. I can not stress that enough. I spent my early twenties trying so many different paths to figure out what I really wanted to do. You do not want to feel like you’re wasting your life away doing something you don’t love so follow your heart. Success to others is not the same as success to you, so don’t let others dictate what path you want to take. Basically, stay true to you. Lastly, take care of your body. Get enough sleep, drink water, and get outside.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://smphotosanddesigns.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahmtilley/ | https://www.instagram.com/sarahmtilleyphotos/?hl=en | https://www.instagram.com/smphotosanddesigns/?hl=en