SARAH MCDONALD by SWIMPACT

Thank you Sarah!

2024-02-14 03:43:01 UTC

Thank you so much for coming to share your story in our class today. It was so inspiring getting to hear your start and your journey and how you made it to BYTE. I felt that it was really rewarding to hear that you bounced around with jobs in the beginning. I think especially our generation puts so much stress on getting jobs and succeeding in the first job you get, but it was really comforting to hear that it took you longer to find your passion and get involved in BYTE. The part of your presentation that stuck with me the most was your passion for finding the story behind the smile. It was cool to hear about how you took it from just a new and upcoming dental product to creating a brand story and heart behind the product on social media. Thank you again! (I really want to get BYTE now LOL).

Thank you Sarah!

2024-02-14 03:47:41 UTC

Thank you so much for sharing your very interesting journey with us. I found it particularly inspiring the way you faced the different challenges when you started marketing Byte. Indeed, making Byte known and quickly becoming a reference both for the product and for its marketing campaigns even though you originally had neither a team nor a budget is impressive. Your success story is both motivating because it highlights that despite the difficulties, when you believe in it and give you best, it is possible to achieve your goals but it also reminds us of reality by showing us that the path may be fraught with pitfalls and that we will not necessarily end up where we initially thought we would arrive so you have to know how to be flexible during your career.

Anouk

Thank you!

2024-02-14 05:48:52 UTC

Sarah, thank you so much for such an insightful lesson on your marketing and social media journey and your position at Byte. I definitely resonated with you and enjoyed hearing about your experience of not knowing where you want to go with marketing, and you kind of “fell” into your position at Byte. Seeing the work you did with Byte Cares was very special, and it was amazing to see the work you did for that.

Thank you Sarah!

2024-02-14 07:21:27 UTC

Thank you so much for coming and shared you amazing experience with our class! I had a great time listening to your story, telling us how you were interested in fashion or entertainment industry in college but end up working in the medical industry instead and now successfully at BYTE. What most inspired me was how brave you were especially having a great success in your first job but still wanting to do something else and willing to start at a low position. Your passion and braveness gave me a huge impact today and great to see you being so successful right now. I currently also at the stage of finding internship and not very sure on what industry I am truly interested in. Maybe just like what you said today, answer might flow out after we start working. Thank you again!

Best,

Joyce

Thank you!

2024-02-14 17:37:35 UTC

Thank you so much for coming to speak to our class. It was very inspiring hearing about how you were able to create something as simple as aligners, and turn the focus onto something so creative and new in the dental space. I also loved how you said that we can always choose to pivot our career, no matter how old we are. I believe a lot of people are afraid that once they choose a career path that they won't be able to choose another. It was truly eye-opening that you were not only able to pivot careers, but you were able to find something you were passionate about in an industry that you never saw yourself in before. I loved hearing about your journey, thank you so much again!

-Marina

Thank you Sarah!

2024-02-14 19:07:28 UTC

Thank you so very much Sarah for coming to our class and sharing your expertise with us! Sarah is the Former Chief Brand Officer of Byte, who bootlegged this company to be sold for $1 billion. Sarah talked about her goals for Byte, the challenges she faced, and the ideas she presented to the founders. She explained how she did not want the company to be just another one of the company's that shove product down your throat, and have no brand identity to stand on. The most inspiring part to me was her idea of Bytecares. Sarah's goal was to give back to the community, and to make oral care and confidence accessible to all. She explained the notion that if you do something good, and lead with pure intentions, good will come back to you. "When you do things for the right reasons, and are purposeful, it comes back to you." This was extremely inspiring to me, because as someone who thoroughly believes in this, and believes that what you put out in the world will come back to you, it is calming to know there are more people out there who lead with this value. I could feel Sarah's authenticity and passion, and for that it was an extremely motivating speech. Thank you again!

- Halie Bissell

Thanks so much, Sarah!

2024-02-14 21:27:41 UTC

Sarah, your presentation was so informative and insightful! I loved how you shared the specific challenges you faced (such as finding a balance between being trustworthy/informative and trendy/aesthetic) and the strategies you implemented to overcome each one. It's so inspiring how you found the "why" of the brand and tapped into that greater purpose—you definitely got me thinking about how I can implement that with my own social media. It was really cool to see all the steps you took—from finding brands for inspo (like Glossier) to picking out the color red as a through-line on the feed to sourcing before/after user stories. Your journey is so impressive!

-Ingrid Gessert

Thank you Sarah!

2024-02-14 21:29:49 UTC

Thank you for taking the time to come talk to our class. I gained so much insight and it was incredibly inspiring to hear your story and how you've turned traditionally mundane products into exciting lifestyle brands. I appreciate that you didn't sugarcoat your experiences and talked about the pushback you've gotten throughout your career. I thought it was particularly genius how you decided to focus your efforts on the consideration stage, as that's a strategy I just learned about in another class. I also appreciate how you walked us through your strategy with Byte and I was able to see the concepts we've been learning about in class applied so successfully to the brand. I further appreciated your advice in finding a mentor. It can seem daunting to formally seek out a mentor, and the fact that you can find one in a work friend a few steps ahead of you is incredibly reassuring. Thank you again for the amazing talk and for answering all our questions. Your career is so inspiring!

-Annabel Lee

Thanks Sarah!

2024-02-14 21:42:35 UTC

Thank you Sarah for taking the time to come speak to my class. I sincerely appreciate how real you were when speaking about your experiences. It was nice to hear how you navigated your career journey and landed somewhere where you least expected. It just shows how life is full of surprises. Most importantly, I loved how you mentioned countless times that if you give back, the universe will find a way to give back to you. I strongly believe in doing good and life will reward you. I also loved how determined you were when sharing ideas with the Byte founders. Sometimes you just have to keep trying and be determined. I wish you the best in your career and look forward to hearing more about the awesome things you will be involved in. Take care & stay safe.

- Daisy Gomez

THANK YOU SARAH!!

2024-02-15 00:17:14 UTC

Thank you so much for coming in and sharing your journey and experiences with us. One thing that you discussed that really stuck with me is how no matter where you went, or how different the environment you entered was from where you were used or what you had imagined, you always showed up exactly how you were. It was so impressive how you used your background and experiences to cultivate BYTECARES, which really shows that no matter how far you got, you always looked back at your roots and gave back to your community. As someone who also grew up in a low-income community, in Compton, I really want to be able to give back in some way, shape, or form. And you demonstrated that even though you were working for a dental company, there's always room to give back to the community and help where help is needed. I admire you so much, and again thank you!

Thank you Sarah!

2024-02-15 03:56:14 UTC

Thank you for sharing your journey with us. Your insights and experiences have left a lasting impact on me. Your journey from navigating various career paths to finding your passion at BYTE resonated deeply with me. Your honesty about the twists and turns along the way reminded me that life's journey is full of surprises and unexpected opportunities. Your commitment to authenticity, passion, and giving back, particularly through initiatives like BYTEcares, inspired me. Your belief in the power of doing good and leading with pure intentions resonated strongly with my values. I was especially moved by your emphasis on the importance of perseverance, flexibility, and believing in oneself, even in the face of challenges and uncertainty. Your willingness to share your experiences, insights, and lessons learned is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your authenticity and the wisdom you imparted to us.

Nic

Thank you Sarah

yonggypa — 2024-02-15 07:41:00 UTC

Thank you so much for coming in and chatting with us about your journey to BYTE. It was very interesting to hear about the ups and downs you went through before finding your place. It is in some way relieving to know that it’s okay not to have everything figured out from the start. I do not doubt that your story about moving from job to job in the early days resonates with many people these days. It’s comforting to see that taking time to find what truly excites you can lead to amazing places, just like it did with your role at BYTE.

I was drawn to how you talked about BYTEcares and the idea of doing good with what you do. It is inspiring to see that you have not only made a significant impact through your work but also stayed true to values that matter. Your approach to building a brand that genuinely connects and gives back, rather than just pushing products, really made me think about the kind of work I want to be doing in the future.

Your emphasis on perseverance, staying flexible, and believing in your own journey despite the challenges was really motivating. It reminded me that the path will not always be straight, but it is going to be worth traveling with passion and purpose at the end.

Thanks again for sharing your story and insights with us.

-Brian Park

Thank you Sarah!

2024-02-15 09:19:19 UTC

I remember hearing about Byte last semester from a previous class, but you managed to add bits and pieces into your guest presentation that I didn't hear last time! One of my favorite perspectives that you talked about this time around was regarding how you convinced the founders to buy into social impact programs. I love how you described the "he said/she said" mentality and how to avoid it between you and the founders. It was very aggressive yet methodical at the same time, where you immediately present facts to start the conversation, then convince them as well as possible so that they will never argue about it again once the conversation is over. Truly a brilliant mindset.

-Kevin Chang

Thank you Sarah!

2024-02-15 18:12:30 UTC

Hi Sarah!

Thank you so much for coming in on Tuesday to talk about your career journey and your time at Byte. Honestly, as a graduating senior who has no idea what is coming up after this semester, it was amazing hearing from a professional who has not only found success, but has found a fulfilling career. Many times, people talk about knowing exactly what they want to do out of college, but your stories of exploration, experimentation, and discovery really inspired me to take my time. You game me the perspective that I am not, in fact, running out of time--that I should, instead, take the time to branch out and its never too late. Additionally, I loved hearing about your process with Byte. I would have never expected a dental care company to seem so exciting to create a brand for. I usually skip past the marketing jobs for medical groups, but seeing how you were able to make Byte a lifestyle brand with so much creativity and vision is amazing. Relating Glossier and dental care was not on my 2024 bingo card, but I loved it! I learned so much from your presentation that I hope to apply to my own career.

Thank you so much and I hope your journey with the silent wheel company goes well!

Best,

Emily Phan

Thank You Sarah!

2024-02-15 19:02:14 UTC

I thoroughly enjoyed hearing from you about your experiences during our class session this week. While there were many insights throughout, if I had to sum them all up I think what stands out to me most is your story about taking a relatively "not attractive" product and finding creative ways to market it in an exciting manner. With Byte, you did incredibly well at finding what the story was or the "why" behind the product to have substance to use for your marketing. This, combined with finding brands such as Glossier for inspiration and consistently tapping into your own background are what I learned are the keys to success in effective brand marketing. Overall, this session has inspired me and shown me new ways to tap into my creativity both personally and in future marketing positions. Thank you Sarah!

Bradley Norton

2024-02-15 19:54:22 UTC

Hi Sarah,

Thank you so much for coming in and speaking! I had such a great time listenig to your journey/advice. I love how you included the picture of you in college because it really helped me put myself in your shoes and relate to your journey. One piece of advice I really enjoyed was how we should always show up to a job as ourselves and know how to talk to different people with your own personality. I feel many people try to fit into job descriptions instead of focusing on adding value by being themselves and being open with their diverse background. Thank you again!

-Malia Lee

Thank you Sarah!

2024-02-15 21:07:18 UTC

Sarah, thank you so much for sharing your career journey and insights into marketing and social media with us. For a student like me, your story was a powerful reminder that a career path might not be a straight line - and actually maybe should not be in order to develop a range and, with it, perspective and creativity. Your story was very reassuring, especially your points about finding passion in work as well as about how getting fired isn’t the end of the world but can also be a redirection toward finding something better. It also emphasized to me the crucial role that mentorship and networking plays in our careers. You helped me to believe that with passion, adaptability, and the right people around you, you can build a career that is not only successful but also incredibly fulfilling. From a marketing perspective, you illustrated to me the importance of brand purpose and positioning and encouraged me to think out of the box like you did when tapping, for a dental product, into lifestyle aspects with your smile focus and when using UCG to build up brand authenticity and connection. I appreciated your admission that it is often not possible to manage all social media channels with the same intensity and that it might be a better ROI to focus on one or two. Another key takeaway for me was your bytecares story, which highlighted to me the importance of societal impact and community giving back in order to become a truly successful company. - Jil

Thank you for your insights and time Sarah!

2024-02-15 21:36:01 UTC

I'd like to thank you so much for taking the time and coming into our marketing class this week, it means a lot to us students to be able to interact with amazing industry leaders like yourself! I was especially fond of your experience going into the start-up field since I myself am currently working on launching my startup! I look forward with communicating with you in the future and getting to know more about how you used your skills and passions to create stunning visuals and ideas that generate high revenue!

- Olga Izarraras

Thank you Sarah!

yanziguo — 2024-02-15 22:03:26 UTC

Hi Sarah, Thank you so much for sharing your enriching insights with us during your visit. Your narrative about your career exploration journey left a lasting impression on me. Hearing about your initial interest in the fashion industry, transitioning to the medical field, and ultimately finding success at BYTE was truly inspiring. As a senior grappling with the decision of whether to pursue graduate studies or dive into the workforce for a few years, I find myself at a crossroads. Additionally, I'm torn between pursuing a career as an artist or delving into branding design within the marketing industry. The multitude of paths available is both exciting and overwhelming, making it challenging for me to pinpoint the right direction.But after the speech, your experience of navigating various professions, starting from entry-level positions and eventually achieving success, really inspired me. I think i should embrace the uncertainties and complexities of choosing a career path and to stop overthinking but start trying different internships and jobs resonated with me. I may find the answer through my own experiences.Thank you Sarah again for generously sharing your journey. Your insights have provided a valuable perspective as I navigate my own career decisions.

Yanzi Guo

Thank You!!!

2024-02-16 00:20:14 UTC

Thank you so much for taking the time to come and not only educate us on your career path, but inspire us! I think many of us can attest that it is difficult to find a niche in today's market, and you showed us how anything can be rebranded with the right thoughtfulness and creative lens. I also really appreciated your humility in discussing the confusion of post grad, reminding us of the spontaneity of life and how opportunities manifest themselves in different ways. Building the company in the way you did is no easy feat, so thank you for being a role model in the marketing world and good luck on your future endeavors!!

-Ashley Whalen

thank you sarah <3

2024-02-16 00:25:23 UTC

thank you so much for all your insight and encouraging words! I feel like I am in the same boat that you once were in, because I also love fashion and beauty, and it can be challenging to find resources related to those topic at school. I loved how you were able to bring beauty and fashion into Byte, and make a teeth straightening product, fashionable and trendy. I also loved your creation of Bytecares, and how you gave back to your community. Not only did you help those who purchased Byte, by helping them become more confident with their own smile, but you also helped those who can’t get easy access to Byte, by providing toothbrushes to your community. Thank you once again for all your insight and words of encouragement!

Danielle Jimenez

Thank you!

vcyang — 2024-02-16 00:40:26 UTC

Thank you so much for taking the time to speak to your personal journey. It's always so reassuring when industry professionals come in and explain the "behind-the-scenes" of how a whole myriad of positions, experiences, and insights led up until they found a workplace / role they truly felt home in. As a graduating senior, I feel a little more comforted knowing that I don't necessarily have to feel like I have my pathway set from the start.

I also appreciated hearing about the "smile" campaign - I think so many products/services are built with a heteropatriarchal focus and it's so refreshing to see such a condescending and uninvited statement ("You should smile more!") be flipped on its head and be an empowering mantra instead for BYTE.

-Vivienne

Thank you Sarah!

2024-02-16 02:01:46 UTC

Thank you for sharing your personal and career journey with our class today. I was really inspired by your drive and vision, particularly in regards to building Byte's brand from the ground up. I appreciated your openness while discussing the challenges you faced in searching for a job you were truly passionate about after graduating college. I admired your resourcefulness, creativity and bravery during the process of establishing Byte's vision, social media presence, and outreach initiatives. Your story reminded me that a position or project that might not seem immediately interesting or exciting can turn into a life-changing experience. I especially resonated with your comment about how seeking to do good in one's community is an important part of running a business and can even have a positive financial impact. I wish you the best with your current pursuits and once again appreciate your time.

- John Thornton

Thank you so much!

2024-02-16 02:02:52 UTC

Sarah,

Your journey inspired the entire class to take the leap in exploring possibilities in the startup world. I found it fascinating that you went from medical sales to branding one of the most successful companies in the dental industry. Something that stuck with me was when a brand can be inaccessible to some, ensure to make it accessible. I aspire to be as creative and talented as you one day. Thank you for sharing your journey with us! I learned so much in the 2 hours you shared. -Haylee

Than you Sarah

2024-02-16 02:09:06 UTC

Thank you Sarah for sharing your professional journey with us, and in particular your work at Byte. I really appreciated the way you presented your thought process throughout the development of Byte. It's really impressive that you were able to create the brand identity almost from scratch, with a mini marketing budget and on a team of 1. I also liked that you explained how useful it is to have a mentor. It's a great lesson not to neglect the people you work with, because they can bring you so much.

Celia Truchet

Thank you!

2024-02-16 02:10:53 UTC

Thank you for the valuable information you shared with the class! It was so nice to hear about your journey and the steps you took to get there!

I thought it was especially interesting where at Byte, you were paying creators nothing upfront. Instead, you were paying them straight commission. I really appreciate you taking the time to explain to me, your strategy when reaching out to these influencers. I am definitely going to be using your advice by hopping on calls with them instead of virtual messages. It makes a lot of sense how they will be more connected with you and more likely to engage with you after a meeting like that. Thanks again for the help!

Best,

Jack

Thank you!!

2024-02-16 02:29:23 UTC

Hi Sarah! Attending your guest lecture was a truly enlightening experience. Your personal narrative about persistently exploring diverse interests, ranging from the dynamic world of music to the intricate field of medicine, was particularly inspiring to me. Learning about the challenges you faced after graduating college and finding a passionate job is indeed insightful for me. As a college senior, I'm having a very hard time finding out my real interests. As a person who has a broad interest across different fields, my passion switched from art and media to finance. Thus, I found your experiences highly relevant to mine, and they are truly thoughtful. I wish you all the best with your work and life!

-Michelle

Thank you Sarah!

2024-02-16 03:33:51 UTC

Thank you so much Sarah for taking the time to share your experience and story with our class! It was incredibly interesting to hear about your journey with BYTE and how you unexpectedly landed into something that you became incredibly passionate about and that ultimately pushed your creative thinking and growth. It was really refreshing and reassuring to hear about how you navigated your career trajectory and the perseverance and flexibility you had and how you cultivated that into being a pivotal skill and asset. And of course hearing about how you built BYTE into such an incredibly creative and visually and narratively compelling brand it is today. Thank you again for sharing your experience with us!!

Thank You!

2024-02-16 06:40:45 UTC

I wanted to express how grateful I am to you for taking the time to speak to our marketing class. Your presentation was incredibly insightful and thought-provoking.

I especially appreciated your innovative approach to showcasing how a brand can be both diverse and authentic while standing for something meaningful. Your emphasis on creating a brand that resonates on social media without being overly promotional resonated with me.

Your discussion on tapping into conversations that may be considered taboo and taking a stand as a brand truly highlighted the power of brand values. The example of "Don't tell me to smile more" was particularly enlightening, showing the importance of aligning with the values of your audience.

- Nancy

Thank you!

2024-02-16 18:22:12 UTC

Thank you Sarah for coming in to our class! It was very inspiring to hear how you built the brand of a startup, specifically for a product that doesn’t inherently belong on social media. One of the biggest takeaways I have is to always be a strong advocate for your ideas, as you showed up through your emphasis on importance of brand, having a why and a cause, and taking a risk with the “Smile More” campaign. I also appreciated your message of do good and good will come, and it is so impressive how you build Byte cares and transformed it during COVID. Thank you again for speaking!

-Siena

Sarah, Thank You !

2024-02-17 00:58:32 UTC

I would like to personally thank you for having dedicated time to come and share your experience with us. It has been enriching to hear from a person that has put social media in the center of her career. I felt personally inspired by the story you told about starting from zero and using social media, influencers, customer proofs, ... to make a name in the game. I wish you all the best for your future !

Lucas Lecanu

Thank you Sarah

2024-02-17 01:53:55 UTC

Thank you so much for visiting our classroom and sharing your journey and advice to us. I found it relatable to my current journey of how you never expected yourself to get into the dental industry yet your mentor was able to convince you to have a meeting with the creators of BYTE that would eventually become a life changing moment for you. Sometimes your journey in life takes twists and turns and is filled with unexpected events but in the end it leads you to the right destination. I was really inspired with how you made the most with your marketing strategy in the beginning especially without a budget or team at your disposal. They way you changed the perception of aligners and made it become more aesthetically pleasing and creative is beyond impressive and is an important tool that we should all learn from in the social media marketing space. I really liked the objective of the company being an affordable option to get straight and white teeth for those who can't afford the more expensive alternative. A piece of advice you shared with the class was my biggest takeaway from the entire presentation, which was "When you do things for the right reasons, and are purposeful, it comes back to you." I really resonated with this quote and truly believe that this is the right mindset to have not just in your professional career but in life in general. I will take this advice and implement it into my career and on a daily basis.

I wish you the best in your career and look forward to hearing more about your journey.

-Dro

Thank you Sarah!

ksgarcia9 — 2024-02-17 02:55:30 UTC

I wanted to express my gratitude for your fantastic presentation. Your insights into the world of marketing, especially within the context of social media, were incredibly informative and eye-opening. I was very impressed by how you navigated the challenges of working with a limited marketing budget ($0!) and a small team, yet still managed to exponentially grow Byte’s presence on social media. Your emphasis on authenticity and quality content over quantity resonated with me, and I'm excited to apply these principles to my own social media endeavors. Also, I loved hearing about your journey from majoring in marketing in college to working in medical sales to then leading a successful business venture as it is inspiring. I appreciate how you shared your experiences, from drawing inspiration from vanilla brands like Glossier, but also edgy brands like Supreme to leveraging platforms like TikTok. Your ability to adapt and innovate, especially in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, is commendable. I found it crazy that Byte went from 60 to 600 employees in just one month. Furthermore, your advice on showcasing effort and creativity in our work, even without a vast portfolio was valuable. Thank you again for sharing your expertise and experiences with us!

-Kaelia Garcia

Thank you Sarah!

2024-02-17 04:26:37 UTC

It was truly inspiring to hear about your journey and experiences. As a senior graduating soon in May, I'm nervous about entering the corporate world. Your words reassured me and your confidence pushed me to believe every step is worth something. The way you mentioned how every decision was something you'd never imagined before, really expanded my scope of thinking. It's truly amazing how you projected your ideas into establishing Byte as the trendy brand it is today. I learned that not every marketing tactic needs to be overly promotional because effectively communicating and reaching a consumer is the first and most important goal. Building a genuine brand identity is vital to creating a sincere and loyal consumer base. Thank you for taking the time to talk to us, not just as a guest speaker, but as a teacher in life, and our career. - Lyme

Thank you Sarah!

2024-02-17 04:49:34 UTC

Thank you so much for coming to class to share your experiences. I loved hearing about how you were able to connect community values with Byte's brand, and I especially appreciated you sharing how you've made a case for yourself. After hearing your presentation, I feel so much more prepared to advocate for my ideas. Now, if I ever need to prove the importance of brand and social media, I can point to Byte as an example of how a strong aesthetic and community values can lead to brand success. Thank you again, and good luck with your next project!

Lauren Schatzman

THANK YOU SARAH

2024-02-17 04:52:13 UTC

Thank you for sharing your insights and journey with BYTE. I really appreciated how you talked about BYTE being an opportunity you weren't too fond of since it was a part of an industry you had no interest in. As someone who's looking for a marketing position for post grad, it gives me a sense of relief that marketing in unfamiliar industries can be fun and rewarding. I also really liked how you said one part of your recipe for BYTE involved beautiful packaging. As someone who appreciates aesthetically pleasing products, I'm glad to see others prioritize product design as well - and it worked extremely well for BYTE and the iconic red packaging and clean logo. Thank you for answering my questions on running campaigns and tracking KPI's. I wish you the best of luck in your consulting with the medical field wheel brand. Best of luck :)

David

Thank You!

2024-02-17 05:01:32 UTC

Thank you so much for sharing your journey with our class! It was inspiring to hear about your success, even in an industry you weren't planning to be part of. I also liked hearing about how you were able to market a new brand without a budget so well and appreciated how you applied what you liked from other brands to your work. I liked that you can take ideas and aesthetics from another place and make them your (or Byte's) own. Your lecture gave me a sense of relief since I'm looking for a post-grad marketing job currently. It made me realize that no matter where I end up, there are ways to apply creativity to any industry. Good luck with your consulting, and thank you again for taking the time to speak with our class!

-Halle Thompson

Thank you Sarah!

2024-02-17 05:05:29 UTC

Thank you Sarah, for coming to our class and for sharing your remarkable journey with BYTE. I found very inspiring how your innovative approach to branding and marketing, especially through the use of social media and influencers allowed you to build strong trust and engagement in your product. It also stood out to me to see how you've transformed dental care into a cool and desirable part of daily lifestyle, proving that with creativity and a clear vision, it's possible to overcome initial obstacles like limited budget and lack of credibility. Your success story is truly motivating; in fact, it shows how through dedication, hard work, and a focus on taking advantage of every opportunity such as a black swan like covid it is possible to achieve professional success and make an impact.

-Alessio

Many thanks, Sarah!

2024-02-17 05:36:12 UTC

Sarah,

I appreciate you taking the time out of your day to share your story with us. It was refreshing to hear about your authentic career journey, the challenges you have faced and how you’ve navigated them. It was very insightful to hear all about your successful marketing campaigns and creative directions for Byte during the early social media days til now. It was interesting to hear about the importance in how a brand is presented, something as small as choosing a brand's signature color. It was really heart warming to hear about your passion for oral health, self-confidence, and your success in creating ByteCares, what an awesome way to include and give back to the community. An interesting takeaway was your inquiry “does the online dictate the physical world or does physical dictate the online”, which made me reflect on our current digital state and how much we’ve evolved and will continue to do so. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge!

Best wishes,

Delilah M.

Thank you, Sarah!

2024-02-17 08:02:46 UTC

Dear Sarah,

Thank you for sharing your journey with us. It was inspiring to hear from someone so committed to authenticity and taking aligned risks with courage and creativity. I appreciated hearing how you got to be in the spaces you dreamed through paths that might have looked different than initially expected. Your passion for finding unique ways to frame unassuming products and businesses is energizing! Thank you for sharing so many of your experiences and lessons at BYTE and giving us an inside look at what it looks like to advocate for meaningful change through your work!

Thank you Sarah!!

2024-02-17 18:23:47 UTC

Thank you greatly for taking the time and sharing your journey with us the other night. It was inspiring to hear your amazing and unique journey that you took towards getting to where you are today. Even though the path offered twists and turns along the way, you persevered and took the uncertainty clearly with great grace. Hearing how you took that leap to join YouTube and eventually Byte at age 30 inspires me to know that a career path can be nonlinear and taking pivots and adjustments towards fields that you never would have imagined yourself working in are not only possible, but potentially beautiful experiences. It was also really cool to hear how you essentially took on Byte's marketing campaign solo and turned it into something as awesome as you did. It helped me internalize even more that you can really do almost anything you set your mind to. The way you also spoke about how turning 25 is not actually as scary as it seems and you can continue to pivot and do different things made me feel lighthearted about my position since I am only 2 years away from that place. Even though I am currently unsure about what it is that I want to do, hearing your testimony gives me hope that everything really is going to be okay, and being open to potential career path changes is not something to be fearful of. Hearing what you did with Byte Cares was also so cool seeing how you turned an area of your developed expertise into something even greater, and mind you something for the greater good. It challenges me to think how I can not only make something more successful financially, but ethically and for us as humans too. Thank you so much again for sharing your experiences and your journey with us.

-- Ethan Wu

Thank you Sarah!

2024-02-20 18:57:46 UTC

ONE REFLECTION with a key takeaway.

I thoroughly enjoyed your presentation and learning about your different career paths. The largest takeaway I left with from your advice was that the company or place you work for does not have to be your dream job or dream company in order for you to be successful. You started your speech about your job out of college being medical sales and how that offered you financial stability but not the creative outlet you desired. I was so inspired by your choice to leave the stability of that job in search of something more fulfilling., You made me feel less scared about what my potential future career can look like and that it is more than normal to jump around exploring a variety of paths. Your impact and creative direction with Byte was very impressive and furthered your point that any field can be creative and companies that are not household names can have the ability to become recognized. I am excited about the greater possibilities I feel myself open to knowing that you jumped into a start-up and made it what it is now. Thank you for your inspiring words and reaffirming the fact that I do not have to have everything figured out just yet.

Thank you so much!!

2024-02-21 03:46:04 UTC

It was such an honor having you speak in our class and letting us into your career path and experiences you navigated throughout your careers. I really enjoyed hearing your personal experiences when bringing new perspectives to a startup, especially when Byte was just getting started. After hearing you share about your time with Byte, I really learned how being confident in your work and your point of view really set Byte apart in their marketing and the trajectory of the company. I am going to take that with me and try to use that energy in the future when starting to work with companies or projects, being confident in what I can bring to the table and share exactly how I can bring growth to a company, even if it is not directly through numbers or more "generic" KPIs. Hearing you speak really helped me learn that you can really do whatever it is that you put your mind to. Especially when you find yourself in a scenario that you don't originally see yourself fitting in. That really stuck with me. And now with your new job with the hospital wheel company, another place that you originally didn't think that you could help but have now found a new way to apply your expertise and perspective. I am now more excited for my next chapter after college and finding new ways for me to insert my perspective into new and different opportunities that I may come across. Thank you again for the inspiration and experiences that you shared with us, and I wish you all the best! - Rhese Abrams