Meet Our New Account Executive: Sara Waldner
We are so excited to announce the addition of our new Account Executive + Business Development, Sara. Since starting at TSH, Sara has fully jumped into all kinds of projects and accounts, and we have been loving her tenacity! When she’s not in the office, Sara can be found spending quality time with family and friends or going through yoga training classes. Get to know her a little bit better below! We are thankful to have her! Cheers to joining the crew, Sara, we can’t wait to see what you do at TSH!
Name: Sara Waldner
College: Augustana University
Hometown: Hartford, SD
Role: Account Executive + Business Development
Birthday: February 13
Instagram handle: @sarawaldner
Coffee Drink of choice: Iced sugar-free vanilla latte with almond milk
HOW DID YOU FIRST LEARN ABOUT TSH AND WHAT DREW YOU TO US?
In 2020, I began serving on the American Advertising Federation - South Dakota chapter board as the Education Co-Chair. Val and I started our terms at the same time and “clicked” during board retreats and meetings. Since then, I’d always been a fan & supporter of The Sampson House’s work.
WHAT ARE 3 WORDS TO DESCRIBE THE SAMPSON HOUSE?
Aesthetic. Nimble. Polished.
WHAT PROJECTS ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON? AND WHICH HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE SO FAR?
I’ve been diving into all of the things for all of the clients, from email campaigns for Zephyr to putting on a soy wax candle event with Hungry for Truth to helping multiple housing authorities with new websites. The variety of client industries, target audiences, and project types is my favorite part of the job – there is never a dull moment!
WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO WAKE UP AND GO TO WORK?
I always strive to make things better – whether that’s encouraging our team to think outside of the box to reach a unique target audience, pushing myself to accomplish a new goal, or elevating the quality of work we deliver to our clients. The drive to be better for myself, my team, and my clients is what motivates me daily.
WHAT DO YOU SPEND YOUR TIME DOING WHEN YOU’RE NOT AT WORK?
I’m one of those annoying people who are “always busy,” and I have a lot of different things that occupy my time outside of work. From yoga teacher training at Revolution to get my 200 hour yoga instructor certification, to completing my fellowship researching ways to better compensate farmers for their efforts toward a more sustainable planet, to people watching from my Phillips Avenue apartment, to hanging out with friends and family, I’m always up to something!
WHEN DID YOU DEVELOP AN INTEREST IN ART, DESIGN, AND MARKETING?
When I was in high school, we were encouraged to take a career aptitude test, then job shadow and intern in that field. My mom is a nurse, and I spent my whole life up to that point during my junior year thinking that I’d follow in her footsteps. However, the career aptitude test recommended that I look into jobs in the field of marketing. I had no clue what that meant or what it was, but I started with a job shadow at South Dakota Soybean with Sarah Tveidt, who was their Communications Director at the time. I was fascinated that there were jobs that paid you to help communicate the truth of what our farmers do every day to feed the world, but I wasn’t quite sold yet. It wasn’t until interning for Joni Ekstrum at South Dakota Biotech that I solidified my pursuit of marketing.
When I reached out to Joni about the internship, I told her that I saw myself working in a lab someday to help further biotech and ag research. Joni took me under her wing, and we visited several of the South Dakota Biotech members to check in on their needs so that I could see an up-close look at the career I thought I wanted to be in. Joni and I were driving back to Sioux Falls from one of these visits, and she asked, “So what do you think? Is that something you see yourself doing?” And I responded, “No, Joni, you’re right. I don’t want to be a scientist.”
She always saw something in me that I couldn’t for some time see in myself. Joni is still an incredible mentor and friend to me. We all need people in our lives that encourage us and give us the opportunity to see the best version of ourselves.
WHAT’S A CURRENT MARKETING TREND YOU SEE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW?
Content is king, and I think the biggest trend right now is what I’m calling niche micro-influencers. Because of the way we consume short-form videos as well as the number of creators producing content, I think people are now drawn to very niche topics that appeal to their specific interests. We form personal relationships with creators – people we never have met in person – and feel connected to more than just their content, but their person as a whole. I’m personally curious to see how this affects our actual interpersonal relationships in the years to come.
WHO WOULD BE YOUR DREAM CLIENT TO WORK ON AND WHY?
My dream client would be AirBnB. They’re tech-forward and innovative, and they fall in the travel and tourism industry, meaning that I could combine my love for travel with my job. Sounds like a win, win to me!
BEST ADVICE YOU'VE EVER RECEIVED?
My mom always told me growing up, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” That has stuck with me ever since – allowing me to be my own individual self without worry or care about what the people around me think or do. I actively try to practice non-judgment towards myself and others – giving ourselves & others grace is so important.
DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN 3 WORDS -
Outgoing.. Headstrong. Go-getter.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR POSITION?
My favorite part about my role at The Sampson House is working in collaboration with our team and clients throughout the entire process to create innovative, creative strategies that deliver results. I love meeting new people and learning from everyone and everything around me, and I’m grateful for a role that allows me to do that everyday.
WHAT’S YOUR ULTIMATE BUCKET-LIST TRAVEL DESTINATION?
I really need to make an official travel bucket list! I have SO many places that I want to see – from the pyramids in both Egypt and South America to braving the cold of Antarctica to gallivanting around the major European cities. There’s too many to name just one!
IF YOU COULD MEET ANYONE, LIVING OR DEAD, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
There are so many influential, intelligent leaders throughout history that I’d love to meet to get advice from and hear stories about their experiences. That being said, I’m not a Kardashian person, but I think a conversation with Kris Jenner would be fascinating to get a look behind the curtain of her mastermind scheming skills. Love them or hate them, you can’t deny that Kris has built an empire out of perfectly-orchestrated public relations stunts.
FAVORITE RESTAURANT?
Depends on the time of day & mood, but my consistent go-to is Crave. Looooove their Mexican Roll.
3 INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT YOU:
I’ve been an aunt since I was six years old.
I can touch my nose with my tongue.
I am allergic to strawberries, which were my favorite fruit previous to this discovery.
WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY LISTENING TO ON YOUR PLAYLIST?
Lots of T-Swift + my Spotify Unwrapped for 2022. I’m in The Chicks top .1% of listeners this year and very proud, BTW.
GO-TO TV SHOW?
Black Mirror is my go-to show if I’m looking for something to rewatch & pass the time. I’m currently binging “Industry” on HBO, however.
HOW DO YOU DEFINE SUCCESS?
Success looks different for everyone (can I say it louder for the people in the back!!!), but for me, success is feeling fulfilled and challenged with my work; connected to my friends, family, and community; and confident and uplifted in my core. Oh, and if I can afford any shoes that strike my eye, that would be success too. ;)
WHAT DO YOU BRING TO THE TABLE HERE AT TSH?
One of my biggest realizations professionally is that you need to not only have the capacity to dream big and out-of-the-box, but also the skill and determination to execute. I think that, along with empathy and passion, are what I bring to the table.
