GCSEN’s tenth anniversary has been a fantastic opportunity to reconnect with our alumni for our “Where Are They Now” series! It’s always inspiring to see the diverse paths our graduates take, whether they launch their own social ventures, apply GCSEN principles in traditional careers, or continue exploring their options. Today, we’re thrilled to feature Sarah Alexander, a graduate of our very first Wheaton College Bootcamp in 2016, who came back to help us out at two other Bootcamps as well.
Sarah currently resides in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, after several years in Manhattan, and is on the lookout for her next career move. Reflecting on her journey, she emphasizes how the lessons she learned at GCSEN continue to guide her.
Sarah's entrepreneurial spirit was ignited by her grandmother, Jean Lumbard, who started two businesses and served as a major inspiration, and several other entrepreneurs in her family. “Being able to see entrepreneurship is possible is really important!” Initially after Bootcamp, Sarah had a fashion app idea that would also help unhoused people, but after luckily getting a position working on a very similar project, she recognized a critical flaw in her business model. This experience was a valuable lesson, even though that app didn’t fully take off.
Above: Sarah Alexander is top center, next to Mike Caslin, in this 2016 Wheaton Boot Camp graduation photo.
Sarah’s career path has been varied and full of learning experiences. She ventured into event planning, discovering that finding something you love to do is a key "life hack." During her first event planning job at Marina Luri, she once got painted entirely gold and posed as a statuette for a whole party! She then worked on events at Morgan Stanley, admitting to a bit of “delusional hope” while planning nine events at once. Nowadays, she indulges her love of party planning as more of a volunteer gig, as co-chair of the Wheaton Graduate Event Planning Committee (and throwing parties for her friends!) She moved on to work in sales and marketing for a few more years.
One of Sarah's most fulfilling roles was at Fur, a skin and hair company. She loved being able to build something from the ground up and implement a CRM system. This experience, she believes, will be invaluable when she starts her own venture. Sarah is now looking for sales support roles and is actively volunteering in her community, working with the elderly. She envisions creating something new to help this demographic, inspired by her grandmother and the loneliness faced by many elders, especially during the pandemic. Sarah’s entrepreneurial search has enabled her to now realize her true “Why?” She’s come to understand, via her Social Entrepreneur within, that she must center on innovative care for the aging. Sarah was inspired by another GCSEN Network News Alum feature of GCSEN’s co-founding student Marco Sachet, and his Senior Garden Villas.
Sarah acknowledges that entrepreneurship involves constant pivoting and a certain level of uncertainty. While sales can be lucrative, it lacks the security she’s currently seeking. However, the drive to create something new remains strong. At this point in her life, she’s often in touch with her mentor, Mike Caslin: “To have the support of GCSEN is really amazing. Being able to bounce ideas off Mike is invaluable.”
To Sarah, the variations in her career path and the current uncertainty of unemployment is just part of the entrepreneurial process. Pivoting is second nature to Sarah. “Find the idea that works. You throw the spaghetti at the wall until your arm is gonna fall off- because you know you’ll be really excited about the one that sticks!”
As she navigates the challenges of the current economic climate, she knows that GCSEN will always be a valuable resource and source of support.
When asked about her proudest accomplishments, Sarah said that the community she’s built in New York, especially with her fellow Wheaton graduates, is one thing she’s proud of. Especially after Covid lockdown, “Community and connection are SO important.” Her other proudest accomplishment is the deep loving relationship she had with her grandmother, with whom she lived for the last 4 years of her life. Being able to live with her grandmother was helpful to her financially after college, but moreso, created memories and connections that continue to inspire Sarah.
Sarah’s words of advice for our readers: “Reach out to the elderly in your life and make sure they don't feel forgotten! And Wheaton folks- make sure your contact info is updated so we can get a hold of you for events and networking!”
Sarah's journey is a testament to the multifaceted nature of entrepreneurship and career development. Her story reminds us that finding your path often involves trial and error, but the lessons learned along the way are always valuable. We’re excited to see what Sarah does next and are proud to have her as part of the GCSEN community.
GCSEN’s inspired and connected community is fulfilling GCSEN’s greatest hopes, namely the growth of a values-, character-, and performance-focused, “Why?”-driven social entrepreneur global network that achieves 4P Impact- for People, Profit, Planet and Place.
When our Adult Learners come to us- they ask of us- Inspire Me! Teach Me! Support Me! and in our social contract we ask them to - Make Meaning! Make Money! And Move the World to a Better Place!
