“If you put energy, focus and heart into what you desire, it will unfold for you,” said Sadie Sarti, owner of Sadie Sarti Design Co. “So, be positive, think big, believe in people and businesses, and do good in your community. If we believe in ourselves and follow these ideas, we can live a fulfilling life.”
Sarti has applied her philosophy to her career, family and community, and is now leading four employees in web and graphic design.
“It’s a fun and inspiring place to work,” Sarti said. “We are a growing business where each time we hire a new employee it is like adding someone to our family. We have a great time collaborating and discussing our projects as we work together.”
The company helps clients reach target audiences with design and messaging. “I love the word-of-mouth referrals. There is no bigger compliment than someone referred by one of my existing clients calling to ask about a new website. We strive to be really authentic with everyone we work with and help them achieve their goals. It is rewarding to see that we accomplish that and our clients appreciate us for it.”
Cherishing relationships while tending to business, Sarti spends her working hours managing, supporting and interacting with clients, prospects, designers and other professionals.
“I wake up to my two beautiful boys, now 9 and 11, get us ready for the day and run them to school. When I arrive at the office, usually with a cup of coffee in hand, I look over the email communications for the day. The time I actually get to do design work is limited at this point, but I love providing feedback and pushing my designers in the direction that best fits the client.”
Sarti learned about computer systems from two brothers who tinkered building them. Her parents had careers as fine artists. The family would travel the country to galleries and museums, discussing composition and design. Those encounters were “very influential in shaping my view of art and design,” she says, and spurred her to study art and art history at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado.
Sarti had no inkling then that she would pursue graphic design, a discipline that beckoned after college and after she got married. With her first son on the way, it also gave her the opportunity to work from home.
Sarti had performed website maintenance for a fine art print company, which became her first client. She expanded services to Durango-area businesses and designed real estate flyers. When a friend established a rafting company, he hired Sarti to create the website.
“I had never built a site from scratch, but I took the challenge and learned a great deal from that experience. I found I had a real talent for understanding all the complexities of that field, as well as how to use my artistic background to help businesses visually organize their content in an effective way.”
Businesses had just begun to recognize the importance of a strong web presence, a trend still demanding quality web design 11 years later.
“It is rewarding to work with so many local businesses and organizations. The work that we do stays incredibly interesting because of the wide variety of subjects we are introduced to. From non-profit missions to selling spices, we never know what our next project will have us dive into.”
Sarti believes success is as much about an owner/manager choosing the right people as the cohesiveness of the group they have become.
“My design team [was created based on] their talent as well as how I thought they would fit into our team,” Sarti explained. “We spend a lot of time together and collaborate on most projects. I needed a team that would be good thinkers, get along and work together while complementing each other’s skills.”
Despite the pressure of so much to accomplish during the limited hours of any given day, Sarti said she loves the independence of business ownership. Her downtown Prescott location enables her to walk to many clients’ offices, providing a sense of community.
“All the hats that I wear as a business owner gets exhausting sometimes, but we always figure out how to get all the work done,” she added. “Changing technology and troubleshooting challenges are big as well; we have to stay up on these changes so that we can be current with our offerings.”
Despite the intense workload, she also has volunteered for the past nine years with Prescott Area Young Professionals (PAYP) and recently joined the board of Prescott Downtown Partnership (PDP). Yoga and hiking help her stay focused.
Family is Sarti’s greatest reward. “I have to just walk away from my to-do list when it is time to pick up my boys. I really enjoy being a mom, attending school events and watching baseball games. I make sure that I prioritize my family at every important moment.” QCBN
By Sue Marceau, QCBN
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