Her Story
About Sarah
Sarah Brown serves as a field sales consultant with American Express in Scottsdale, Arizona, a position she has held for three years. She entered the finance industry in 2017 after working as a stay-at-home mom for eight years and has built her career through persistent networking. In her current role, she works with businesses generating between $20 million and $300 million in revenue, identifying opportunities to implement American Express corporate card programs by addressing vendor payments and other pain points. Previously, Brown was a practice manager at Raymond James, where she supported a complex director and about ten financial advisors by managing high net worth client portfolios, handling 401Ks, investments, trading, estates, and reinsurance arrangements for auto dealerships. She also held a similar position at Ameriprise Financial and contributed to marketing efforts, including serving on Raymond James' advisory board to organize client events and materials. Her educational path began with high school in New Hampshire, followed by one semester at the Boston Conservatory and studies in dance education and journalism with mass communications at Arizona State University. She taught dance for six to seven years earlier in her career. Brown credits her achievements to her determination as a single mother of two daughters, viewing her work as an example of independence and ambition for them. She values trustworthiness, kindness, respect, loyalty, and self-advocacy, and she recommends that young women in sales focus on continuous networking, learning from mentors, asking questions, and rejecting limiting mindsets while remaining resilient amid daily rejection.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sarah
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think it's really just, you know, a mentality of, I kind of pay my respect to the fact that I was a single mom at such a young age, and I had my first baby at a young age. I think just being an inspiration to them. I have two little girls, and every day just kind of like that's really my motivation, is just showing them, you know. I'm alone, like, you know, I don't have any help, it's just me, and, you know, I just want to keep building for them, and make sure that they know to be independent. To not rely on anyone. And that they're able to do whatever they want.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
I think for me, it was just kind of never giving up, and never stop pursuing what you really want, because I felt like I had so many limitations... I was a stay-at-home mom for 8 years. And then I was trying to get back in the workforce... I just kind of networked my way and found a career... always networking, always finding different opportunities, and never limiting yourself... never having that limiting mindset.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I think always like networking with people, I think that's been my biggest, you know, that's been the way that I've really succeeded with, is always finding people that you can learn from... Learn from people above you, and to never stop asking questions, to not have regular coffee chats with people, have regular go out and do different networking events... even if a leader or someone you work with isn't necessarily the role you want to go into, I've just found that even like setting a 10-minute coffee chat, you can learn so much from people.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think the biggest challenge is corporate America can be hard sometimes, you know, especially as a woman, but keeping yourself grounded. I think for us, it's just the grind every day of trying to find new businesses, new doors to open. I think that that's our biggest challenge, is just continually prospecting and trying to find new opportunities, and not taking no as an answer, being very resilient. Because in our field, like sales, we get a lot of rejection on a day-to-day basis, and just not letting that affect the trajectory of your year, and just to learn to hear no, no, no, no, no, and just keep fighting through the day.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I think the most important values for me are to be very trustworthy. To be kind, to center yourself in kindness, and treat others how you want to be treated. Respect others, and I think just being loyal and ambitious to yourself, because always advocating for yourself and being strong in that way as a woman.
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