Sarah Otto, a passionate business leader in the jewelry and education industry, embarked on her entrepreneurial journey in 2015 with the opening of The Adair.
This establishment offered beauty services and Sarah’s teachings on the art of jewelry crafting. Over the years, Sarah experienced remarkable success with The Adair, but she had a desire to make a broader impact.
In 2022, she founded LINKED, a permanent jewelry company with a mission to empower individuals from all walks of life, equipping them with the skills needed to achieve financial freedom or scale their existing businesses.
Through LINKED, Sarah provides education and training for aspiring jewelry professionals, enabling them to master the craft of creating permanent, welded, and custom-sized jewelry.
Her primary goal is to empower more female entrepreneurs to achieve sustainable success by sharing her business expertise.
LINKED’s website serves as a platform for individuals to access the resources, training, and equipment necessary to embark on their jewelry-making journeys.
Sarah’s dedication to empowering others can be witnessed in her relentless pursuit of assisting individuals in achieving their goals and fostering financial independence.
Success Story
After establishing her reputation and achieving notable success in the beauty and jewelry industry, Sarah Otto decided to embark on a new adventure as her own boss. This led to the creation of LINKED, a jewelry school that empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to capitalize on the growing trend of permanent jewelry.
Through comprehensive training programs and the provision of necessary equipment, LINKED equips individuals with the tools they need to start their own jewelry businesses.
“Instead of clasps, we zap permanent jewelry into place with a unique welding process,” explains Sarah Otto. “Our customers have the opportunity to personalize their bracelets and necklaces with gemstones and charms.
By creating these pieces during significant occasions such as anniversaries, bachelorette parties, and birthdays, they symbolize lasting bonds and make lifelong memories.”
As the popularity of permanent jewelry skyrocketed, Sarah found herself at the helm of a rapidly growing home business. According to her website, permanent jewelry has amassed over 25,000 Instagram hashtags and experienced a staggering 552% increase in Google searches. The success of this jewelry trend meant that LINKED experienced rapid scaling.
While rapid growth is undoubtedly a positive development, it presented its own set of challenges. Reflecting on the early days of LINKED, Sarah recalls, “The scale of our growth became our most significant obstacle.
We launched LINKED in August 2022, and within the first 30 days, we exceeded our projected one-year sales goal. Initially, we anticipated a gradual advancement by offering pre-orders, but we quickly realized we were mistaken. We had to adapt and upgrade on the go. The initial days of growth took us on an exhilarating roller coaster ride.”
Like many new entrepreneurs, Sarah found herself overwhelmed with an extensive list of tasks and the belief that she could handle everything on her own.
However, she soon discovered the importance of delegation. “No matter how much you want to retain control, you cannot wear all the hats,” Sarah emphasizes. “I learned to entrust responsibilities to my team and taught them to manage tasks independently. Delegating was the crucial factor that prevented this business from sinking.”
Throughout this process, Sarah learned that relinquishing control is not an easy feat. However, she soon experienced the joy of witnessing her team members grow, advance, and develop leadership skills.
Instead of micromanaging her business, Sarah focused on her team and the employee experience she wanted to create. She realized that each employee played a significant role in shaping the dynamic of the workplace, whether positively or negatively.
Observing how each team member learned, communicated, and responded to feedback, Sarah understood that tailoring interactions to individual team members was pivotal for the overall success of the business. Reflecting on her experience, she says, “Every team member is unique, and understanding how to engage with each person is a crucial factor in the success of your team.”
As Sarah invested in her team, she also learned to navigate the delicate balance between being a boss and a friend. “When employees decide to leave and pursue other opportunities, it can feel personal, but it’s important to remember that it isn’t,” she remarks. “That’s just the challenging part of being a business owner.
After building strong bonds and spending more than 40 hours a week together, it’s difficult to let go. However, over time, you realize that new talented individuals will come along, fit perfectly within your team, and contribute to the peace and success of your business.”
If Sarah could offer a message to aspiring entrepreneurs, she would encourage them by saying that launching a business is undeniably challenging but entirely possible. “If I can do this, anyone can,” she concludes. “Some days are extraordinary, while others are tough, but every day requires showing up for yourself and your business.
If you have the desire, the fear of failure should not hold you back. The worst outcome is standing still and living a life filled with regret. I didn’t want to look back twenty years from now and wonder, ‘What if?’ I took a risk, pursued my passion, and I hope to inspire others to join me on this transformative journey.”
