Co-Founder & CEO @ Ruley, the E-Referee | Start Up Business Expert | Entrepreneur

After 25 years building successful companies I found myself at a crossroads. I had built companies that helped people and families. I was proud of that legacy, I knew it was time for a new chapter.

In my early 50s, I sold my third company just a year behind schedule from a personal goal I set at 34. 

During COVID, I had the space to explore ideas that truly energized me. I enrolled in a six-month coding bootcamp to learn Python and deepen my understanding of the technologies shaping our future.

Now I’m the Co-Founder of Ruley, an AI powered smart sports E-Referee API  designed to help federations, sports media and consumer brands gain fans, players and spectators by being the go to venues for sports rules and insights.

My personal mission is to fuse decades of my experience and strategic thinking with modern tech to bring people together through playing sports and watching sports.  By working with these existing sports entities we can grow sports and all the good that comes with them.

At the heart of my work is this belief: we all deserve unbiased, instant information, and we all deserve to enjoy life like we did as kids. 

These ideas aren’t mutually exclusive. With the right tools, we can help provide knowledge in unique ways and inject more joy into everyday life.

Explore Ruley and our API rollout (and more) for sports:
🌐 ruley.ai

📸 Instagram: @ruley_ereferee
🎥 YouTube: @ruleythee-referee
📘 Facebook: @ruleytheereferee

🎾 Just Ruley it!

Cassandra Toroian

Most people still think Ruley is “that sports rules app.”

And sure, that’s where we started.
Because the fastest way to prove accuracy is to
Put it in someone’s hand.

Let them test it.
Let them see it works.
Let them try to break it.

The app was never the endgame.
It was the demo. What we’re building now is
bigger. Much bigger.

APIs.
The quiet engine behind every great product.

That’s where Ruley belongs.
Because if you want to transform sports at scale,
you don’t build another app. You build the
system everyone else can plug into.

Sports apps.
Sports Websites,
Equipment manufacturers,
Sports Federations,
And so, so many more.

Emerging sports trying to standardize their rules.
Recreational programs that need consistency.
Even niche sports nobody’s ever heard of yet.
That’s where the impact lives.

We realized that if we wanted Ruley to actually
fix the rule-accuracy problem, we had to stop
thinking just about players first and start
thinking about the entire ecosystem.

So we pivoted. On purpose. With clarity.
Ruley IS designed and developed
to sit inside any sports related platform.

It’s an API designed to sit inside
any sports platform, anywhere.
Instant rule explanations.

Unbiased.
Consistent.
Sport-agnostic.

This solution grows fans, spectators
AND player knowledge.

This is how you cultivate the next generation of players and fans

We are becoming the rules sports engine infrastructure

We started small so we could prove we were right.
Now we’re expanding so every sport can benefit.

If your platform needs clarity, plug us in.
Fair play starts here.

We can't clean the ocean, but AI can.

Not someday.
Now.

The Ocean Cleanup uses AI-powered sensors
to spot where debris gathers..
Then directs cleanup vessels straight to it.

No wasted time.
No wasted effort.

It’s already happening off Florida’s coast,
Where every current brings back what we’ve
thrown away.

Bottles.
Bags.
Microplastics.

AI is doing what we should have done
tracking the damage,
and fixing it.

Not to make headlines.
To make progress.

Because real innovation isn’t about noise.
It’s about outcomes.

If AI can clean our oceans,
Imagine what it could clean up next
If we pointed it at the right problems.

The tech isn’t the challenge anymore.
The intention behind it is.

What ChatGPT gets wrong about sports rules.

Here’s a fun experiment.
Ask AI a niche tennis rule.
Wait for the confident wrong answer.

I tried it this week.

My question:
“I accidentally double hit in tennis. Do I lose a point?”

ChatGPT’s answer:
“No. Any double hit is an automatic point loss.”

Sounds firm.
Sounds correct.
And it’s completely wrong.

Here’s the real rule:
If the ball hits your racket twice in one
continuous motion, unintentionally,
It’s legal.

The only time it’s illegal is:
If the player intentionally hits the ball twice.

Unintentional double contact, which is what actually
happens in real rallies, is allowed.

This is straight from the ITF rules.
One tiny detail. Massive difference.
 
And this is the bigger issue with AI in sports:
It predicts common answers.
It doesn’t understand nuance.
It doesn’t know how players actually argue on court.
It doesn’t know the rules the way the sport requires.

Sports don’t run on “close enough.”
They run on precision.

And this is exactly why Ruley exists.
Not to replace humans. But to replace confusion.
Sports deserve better than “close enough.”

What would it feel like to play tennis If you were color-blind?

Would there be a struggle with depth perception? 
To follow a game where the lines
And the ball looks the same shade?

VR technology is now letting athletes experience
exactly that. Simulating visual impairments in real time.

It’s confronting.
Because once you’ve felt the limitations,
You start to question how the game is designed,
and who it truly includes.

That’s where technology can shift the conversation.
Not to replace sport, but to expose blind spots
in how we design it.

If AI or VR can help athletes, coaches, and officials
understand those perspectives,
It doesn’t just build better tech.
It builds better empathy.

And maybe that’s what the next era of sport looks like..
one built on awareness as much as performance.

Such a fun time on this podcast episode with Tracy Thomas and host Bryan Fetzer

Sports Personality - Inspire / Lead / Succeed

DO YOU LIKE PICKELBALL?
Got your attention?

Curated gear that actually makes your weekend run smoother? Yes, please. 👀
On Just A Cup, I sat down with Volleybird Athletic Lifestyle founders Cassandra Toroian and Tracy Thomas to talk building a sports-lifestyle brand (tennis, pickleball, padel, golf) and their sister venture Ruley, an AI “E-Referee” that ends the rules debates before they start.

We cover: founder lessons, product curation, community feedback, and turning rec play into a real movement.

Watch/subscribe on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/eHQE4X65
Listen on Bleav: https://lnkd.in/gPQKEy8j
Episode page: https://lnkd.in/eF7rqeHh

Learn more about Volleybird https://volleybird.shop/

#Volleybird #SportsTech #SubscriptionBox #Pickleball #Tennis #Padel #Golf #WomenFounders #JustACup #Bleav

If it hits the kitchen line it’s out… right? Or is it in?



That’s always a big controversy,
especially in college pickleball.

But Brooke and Ava from
University of Miami use
Ruley, the E-Referee
So they don’t worry!

And when Brooke’s parents play,
it stops those classic “I know best”
moments that cause family feuds.

Rules made simple with our
proprietary API, so your players
can play on and enjoy the game.

#JustRuleyIt

Thanksgiving football isn’t just a warm living-room ritual. It’s a tradition steeped in real history and it teaches us something about the power of rules, legacy, and how things become meaningful over time.

Here’s the origin story:

The first college football game on Thanksgiving was in 1876, when Yale beat Princeton, 2‑0, in Hoboken.

By the 1880s, that annual matchup had become a major social event, with thousands of fans gathering in New York City.

But the modern NFL Thanksgiving tradition really took off in 1934, when the Detroit Lions hosted the Chicago Bears in a nationally broadcast game.

That wasn’t just a game, it was a masterstroke of promotion. The Lions’ owner used his radio connections to make Thanksgiving football a national spectacle.
 

Why does this matter, especially if you care about more than just touchdowns?
 
1. Tradition is not born, it’s built. What started as a college holiday game became a cornerstone of professional football through deliberate vision, not accident.

2. Legacy amplifies value. The Lions’ Thanksgiving move wasn’t just about selling tickets, it was about building identity and a long-term franchise reputation.

3. Clarity of rules matters. Football may feel chaotic, but traditions like these survive because there is a shared understanding, and respect, for how the game works. That very principle is why technology that clarifies rules (in sport or business) can be so powerful.
 
As someone who builds in the space of sports clarity, I find this intersection, history, tradition, and precision, endlessly inspiring.

What part of Thanksgiving + football tradition is most meaningful to you?


#Thanksgiving  #NFL  #Tradition  #SportsHistory  #Leadership

My recent trip to the airport was shocking.

Apparently there is a trend where some people purposefully dress inappropriately when air travelling,

Why?

From what I surmise it’s because they want to actually cause a problem or create a scene in the hopes maybe the get kicked off a plane.  

Then they can file a lawsuit. And maybe the airline writes a check!

This seems to be another example of how society has degraded.  

It’s not ok. 

Particularly since the intent behind this choice to wear an outfit that borders on socially unacceptable is to MAKE havoc.

This has to stop. 

But how does it stop when clearly so many aren’t getting taught some basic social norms?

Fortunately we have an administration that has some cajones and recognizes that some helpful hints in civility may have to be part of their job.

They put out a statement encouraging people to dress appropriately for air travelling and not show up at the airport in night clothes.

It causes disruption. It causes delays. It causes rage inside planes and people get kicked off.

We used to be a society where people would tell their neighbor or friend they looked funny, remind them to take off their cap when they go to a restaurant.

This is just yet another example of the degradation of rules in society - rules that are mean to help keep some basic order. Tradition perhaps. But also it just works.

Sad that the government has to give this basic advice. 

If you don’t like that, then please, feel free to be a good neighbor or friend and start gently point out things that you see.

Do it in a nice way. 

Do it in a helpful way.

But do it.

We all have to be part of re-elevating civility in our society again.

Do you agree?

Here’s what I heard this morning when I listened to the snow fall.

This song went through my mind. 

Because I know in two days a company I co-founded called Volleybird Athletic Lifestyle is launching a product here in the U.S. that will be game changing.

For the sports of #tennis and #padel.

So to me it feels like a combination of Christmas Eve and this song. 

The future is so bright I gotta wear shades.

If you’re in the #sports #tennis or #padel industries and want to get our announcement DM 💬me your email address and we’ll add you to the list.🔥

Open video: Timbuk 3 - The Future's So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades Lyrics on youtu.be

Timbuk 3 - The Future's So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades Lyrics

Someone asked where I learned to be resilient.



Resilience doesn’t just happen.
It’s trained through experience.

Was it through sports? Or from
growing up as an only child?
For me it was both.

When you playing solo sports
you learn early that no one’s
coming to rescue you.

→ You problem-solve.
→ You stay resourceful.
→ You make things work.

Sports simply reinforced it.

In tennis or golf, there’s no one
to hand off the pressure to.
It’s just you, your decisions, and
how you respond to setbacks.

That mindset stayed with me for life.
Through building and selling several
companies, and now through building
something completely new.

I’ve learned resilience isn’t about
pushing harder. It’s about adapting.
Seeing patterns, solving problems,
and moving forward even when the
rulebook hasn’t been written yet.

There’s a strong link to resilience
and innovation, they’re two sides
of the same coin.

Right now, as I always have been,
I’m learning the rules and then
redefining how they’re played.

What about you?

Do you see yourself as resilient?

The future of sports tech isn’t standalone. It’s integrated.


For years, the sports technology world
has been driven by the same playbook:

→ build another app,
→ build another platform,
→ build another way for fans to “engage.”

But innovation has never meant
building something completely new.
It means taking what already exists,
and improving on it in a way that people
think “why hasn’t this always existed?”

Look at Airbnb. They didn’t invent hotels.
They invented a way for people to earn
money from renting out their own space.

Look at Uber. They didn’t invent taxis.
They invented a way for people to get a
taxi really conveniently, from anywhere.

Look at Ruley, the E-Referee. We didn’t
invent another tech product competing
for attention. We created Ruley as the
connective tissue that strengthens
the entire ecosystem of sports itself.

Our proprietary API integrates directly
into existing tech, apps and systems,
making it easy for organizations, fans,
and players to understand in real time.

Just like Uber integrating with your cell
and Airbnb integrating with your home,
the future of sports tech is integration.

When people understand the rules,
they’re connected, confident, and loyal.

→ For our partners, that means higher trust.
→ For their users, it means a better experience.
→ For the industry, it means progress that scales.

Ruley’s mission was never about
being the next big sports app.

It’s about being the trusted layer
of intelligence powering fairness
and understanding across sport.

That’s what real integration looks
like, and why the future of sports
technology will be built together.

Do you agree?

Or are we better off with 100’s
of independent systems?

Sara Simmonds

CEO Impact Innovator | Helping Purpose Driven Entrepreneurs Scale to $1 Million, $50 Million and Beyond | Follow Me For Systems On Sustainable Growth 🌎

With 100K+ followers, 14 years controlling $ Billion buying budgets generating $200M+ for corporates

Plus $10M+ growth for purpose led founder results and $50M+ in positioned expansion - I built the organic growth system for entrepreneurs I wished existed when I needed it most.

My $150K Lesson:

2007: Co-founded Sharkah Chakra, world's first award-winning impact jeans brand. Featured in Vogue, GQ. Winner/ 30 team members.

The insight: As a $Billion Dollar buyer, I saw what made offers succeed at scale. When I built my own brand, I realized most entrepreneurs don't think like buyers - they think like sellers.

The breakthrough: I stopped asking "What expert should I hire?" and started asking "What would make ME approve this budget?"

The answer: ONE Category of One business - fully integrated, perfectly aligned, impossible to ignore.

That shift changed everything

Impact Innovator OS - The Integrated Growth System

I built ONE system that integrates everything a Purpose Led Entrepreneur needs to scale:

Strategy - Your custom path to scale
Offer - Your Category of One Offer
Sales - Your revenue engine
Mindset - Your breakthrough leadership

Everything in-house. Everything you own. Forever.

My System Results:

£0 to £300K in 12 months without agencies
100K+ organic following through owned systems
Multiple 6-figure months, 40-hour weeks
Zero debt, 100% profitable

Founding Member Results Using This System:

Eugenie & Luis: $1M+ additional revenue
Ami: 0- $300K launch
Carol: $200K Sell out launches and scaling to $30MN
Rachel: $500K funding round achieved 
Jo: $2MN -$4MN Sales Increase 
Marie & Jason: Eliminated $144K agency costs
Alexandra: Closed $75K funding deal 
Paula: Scaled and exited in 12 months
Elizabeth: Ideal to Launch and 18 International Awards, plus Amazon Prime Distribution
Simon: High Ticket Offer launched in 90 days and Best Selling Author of his niche


Founding Member Access (Limited):

▸ Foundation: $15K - Build Your Category of One (12 months)
▸ Scale: $30K - Scale Your Growth System (12 months)
▸ Empire: $60K - Full Integration & Implementation (12 months)

(All programs replace $150K+ in agency costs with ONE in-house system you own forever)
(Limited spots)

For purpose-led entrepreneurs ready to scale to $1M, $50M and beyond as a Category Of One:

▸ Next Masterclass: "5 Systems to Build Your Category of One Business"
▸ Newsletter: Weekly buyer intelligence insights
▸ Strategy Session: 45-min Category of One assessment

→ DM 'SYSTEM' for founding member details
→ DM 'MASTERCLASS' for registration link
→ DM 'NEWS' for newsletter

Business Mentor

Packing for Patagonia made me cry this morning.

Not because I'm sentimental.

Because my suitcase just showed me the living visual proof of the impact I make

And we make here at Impact Innovator OS

I'm taking 6 of our founders with me - not literally, but packing their genius in my case

Six founders. Six category-of-one brands. All are coming with me to the edge of the world.

I have in my suitcase: products, books, and coaching from the innovators I mentor.

Let's have a look at the IMPACT inside out:  

Carol Chyau - Carol's Category Of One Premium Yak Jumpers - to keep warm and stylish hiking

A year ago, Carol was "just" making sustainable jumpers. Now her yak wool is having $200K sell out launches, and is worn by the worlds to influencers 

Kristi Mayfield,- Kristi's Wine as a social power skill coaching wheel - to taste the best of Argentina

Kristi was "a brilliant wine educator" when we met, and now, 60 days later has launched

The number 1 network for wine as a social power skill in the US..

Vanessa Marshall - Vanessa's B CORP Impact shampoo in a bar - so I can travel light 

Vanessa had a brilliant impact beauty brand Jack59, figuring out how to scale to the next level. 90 days later, we have her game plan in place to double sales next year!

Simon Luthi - Simon's Personal Transformation book of the year - Rocket Shaman

Simon, when we met, was pioneering a brand new method of energy based executive coaching, together we simplified his innovation, now he is scaling 5 figure deals, and selling his services to the world's top 1%.

Jeannie Barsam - Jeannie's Not for Profit Gifing Brands - Collections from brands all sales go to charity

Jeannie had been running a not for profit for a few years, figuring out the best way to scale her genius. Together in 90 days, we have helped Jeannie scale to attract billion dollar partnerships, and have a roadmap in place to scale donations by millions    

Alexandra Merlino - Alexandra B Wild Play Longer  Outside Impact Sunscreen 

Alex is a passionate diver, hiker, and skin cancer survivor, we bonded over love of the outdoors and the lack of brilliant sunscreen - high quality and high impact. Together through Impact OS Alexandra has already raised £340K in funding and is set for an awesome launch next year in 2026!   

I am so proud to be taking each founder's genius with me, and proud to be part of their brilliant scaling impact. 

This is the transformation I help purpose led founders create:

Our members become friends together with each other and with me.

Because we all believe

Together we will transform our world

Love Sara

Ready to join us? DM Tribe to find out more

Founder Impact Innovator OS | The #1 Integrated Growth System for Purpose Led Entrepreneurs to Scale to $1M, $50M and Beyond as a Category Of One Business

Out of office. Zero Slack. Zero client calls. Zero "quick questions."

My business is scaling without me.

Today is my first official day hiking in Patagonia, and this post is going out without me touching a thing.

Here's what's happening while I'm off-grid:

My team of 5 is running Impact Innovator OS.

My masterclass funnel is converting at 40%.

My clients are getting transformed through our frameworks.

My content is going out on schedule.

All without me touching a single thing.

This isn't a flex. This is what systems are actually FOR.

Most founders build systems to do MORE work.

I built systems so I could completely CHECK OUT.

Here's the billion-dollar buyer intelligence  Category-of-one founders know:

Your business isn't scalable if it can't run without you for a week.

Not "kind of run."

Not "survive."

Actually SCALE.

So here's my challenge for you:

Could your business scale for a week without you?

If not, you don't have a business. You have a job with extra steps.

The frameworks that make this possible:

✓ Masterclass funnel that converts without you on the call
✓ Team that owns outcomes, not just tasks
✓ Content systems scheduled weeks in advance
✓ Client delivery that doesn't depend on YOUR calendar

This is what 7-figure operations actually look like.

Not busier. FREER.

Enjoy this post. It went out while I was watching the sunrise over the Andes. 

If your business can't run without you, it will never scale beyond you 

DM Masterclass to find out how it's done

No alternative text description for this image

People often ask me my secret to helping founders sell out (here it is in 60 seconds)

People decide whether to buy you (or not) before they meet you.

My job for over a decade was to hunt out cool founders and brands and give them 6, 7, and 8 figure orders in the process.

Thousands of founders would bang on my door, and I would ignore them.

The one secret that made me buy - those who had a community of raving fans.

When you build that community, people hunt the world for you.

That's why I hunted out the coolest founders from the basements of Berlin (and your clients will too).

Those Berlin basement founders weren't trying to be seen everywhere. 

They had cult status among the buyers who mattered. 

That's what made them irresistible - and expensive.

This is exactly what I teach my clients to build. Not mass visibility. Cult status with your Dream 100.

The Dream 100 Formula:

Element 1: Category-of-One Thought Leadership

Become THE voice your Dream 100 follows (not one of many)

Element 2: Movement Building

Create strategic content and events - they feel part of something bigger

Element 3: Strategic Partnership Network

Credible leaders amplify your reach 24/7 - network effects compound your authority

Element 4: Founder-Led Sales System

Everything connects: your leadership → your movement → your partnerships → 24/7 inbound sales

When these 4 elements integrate, you stop chasing. You build a movement that sells 24/7.

Real status isn't about being seen by everyone. It's about being found by the right people.

Your Dream 100 is hunting for you right now.

Sign up to my newsletter to discover how to make sure they find you.

https://lnkd.in/dsVQABvv

Build Your Raving Fans In 60 Seconds

My client just sold out a $280K launch in 24 hours. (Yes - really.)

She did it using my Buyer Intelligence System.

No fancy ads.

No massive audience.

Just billion-dollar buyer psychology applied with precision.

Before we worked together, she already had:

• An innovative product
• Pioneer-level credibility
• A purpose-driven mission

What she didn’t have yet:

• Clarity on which offer buyers truly want
• A way to turn her credentials into influence
• A system that converts at scale

We fixed all three in 90 days.

How?

By using the same formula I used when I controlled $100M+ in retail buying decisions.

I know what makes buyers say “yes” at scale…

because I was the buyer saying yes at scale.

If you're brilliant, mission-driven, and struggling to understand what buyers actually want this is for you.

I’m breaking down the exact system in my upcoming masterclass:

5 Virtual Unknown Buyer Secrets

Monday, December 8th | 12pm CT

Link: https://lnkd.in/dqNVxTFy

This is 10+ years of billion-dollar buyer intelligence distilled into 90 minutes.

Because the world needs what you're building.

Love,
Sara

This is what purpose looks like in action. 💚

Together we will transform our world

Love Sara

A friend calls me 'Stara' - Sara + star. I light up every room I enter. 

Not because I'm performing, but because I stopped proving.

Here is how I started to operate from self love rather than self loathing, proving or trying

I used to think magnetism came from doing more, being more,  or trying more

I thought if I just worked harder or closed that next deal

I would feel worthy, but it never happened

The more I tried to feel worthy by achieving, the less I achieved    

Then I realised: buyers don't choose you

UNTIL YOU CHOOSE YOURSELF

When I began to choose myself

Buyers choose me  because they FELT I was honouring my own light

Here are my 7 light warrior mastery tips for you

Implement them (and thank yourself later) 
 
1. Make decisions from your throne, not the gallery. You're not trying to earn the seat - you're already in it.

2. Stop treating your spiritual practice like a side hobby. 

My 1-2 hours of Buddhist chanting daily isn't "woo woo" 

It's the foundation that enables me to shine my light on the world.

3. Build relationships that nurture you, and do not extract from you.

Real radiance attracts =  real relationships. 

My top 1% network exists because we elevate each other, not use each other.

4. Understand that elevating your  consciousness and results aren't separate. 

Make time to do more elevating and receive more results = Simple Math

5. Stop asking "Am I enough?" and start asking "Is this a match for my frequency?" 

Not everyone gets access to your light; protect it.

6. Become known as number one in your purpose. Not by shouting louder, but by integrating your own light deeper.

7. Realise: the work you do on yourself IS the work that scales your business. 

They're not two paths. They're one becoming.

The moment I stopped proving my worth and started operating from it? 

My Results upgraded. My team upgraded. My entire reality shifted.

Not because I learned a new strategy. Because I let go and allowed my light to shine

This weekend, allow yourself permission to let go and allow your light to shine.

And ask yourself 

What would change if you stopped proving and started being? 

For more insights, sign up for my Impact Innovator newsletter here:

https://lnkd.in/dsVQABvv

Together, we will transform our world

Love Sara

My 7 Light Warrior Tips To Scale

In lockdown, I dreamed to dance tango in Argentina. Last night I danced in Buenos Aires until 3am 

I learned tango in my living room during lockdown.

Me and my partner Anthony practising all night long to YouTube videos

With a dream of dancing in Buenos Aires one day.

My teacher was a pixelated Argentine on a laptop screen. 

We practised our moves night after night

The neighbours  probably thought we'd lost it 

But every night after work, I'd clear the coffee table, and we'd practice ochos and dance.

"One day," I told myself. 

"One day I'll dance where tango was born."

Five years later, I'm writing this from a café in San Telmo, Buenos Aires.

Not on holiday. I'm here for a month. Working mornings, dancing afternoons. 

My business runs completely without me being "in the office."

Last night, I danced at La Catedral until 3am. Real floors. Real partners. Real Argentine tango where it began.

The woman next to me asked how long I'd been coming to Buenos Aires.

"Five years of dreaming. First time actually here."

She smiled. "The tango waited for you."

I think she's right.

Dreams don't have deadlines. They just need you to start.

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Talks about #impact, #entrepreneurship, #productinnovation, #businessinnovation, and #businessmentorship

Take time out to soar higher 

Taking time to BE is not being lazy

It's being powerful 

I asked our members 

At our Impact Inner Circle This Week

This powerful question

If you let go and BELIEVE

In your unique brilliance 

What would be your number 1 goal for 2026 in the influence you want to build?

Who would be the top 3 dream people
You would bring into your network 

1. Dream Client 
2. Dream Person of Influence 
3. Dream Network

There was joy, there were tears, there was laughter

Because when you hold space 

For yourself to give permission 

To unlock that deep dream within your heart 

Anything is possible 

Here is what I learnt that will transform your mindset in 60 seconds 

Going bigger takes the same effort

As remaining small

So why not go big?

That is my invitation to you today 

Take time out to slow down

Stop running and dream big 

You have the power to transform 

Your world and our world

My Systems = Permission To Let Go

Systems aren't about control.

They're about permission to let go.

Most founders think systems mean MORE structure, MORE rules, MORE micromanaging.

They're building prisons, not processes.

Here's what I know with billion-dollar buyer intelligence:

The best systems don't need you watching them.

They need you TRUSTING them.

I just spent a week in Patagonia. Zero Slack. Zero check-ins.

My team ran the business.

My masterclass converted at 40%.
My clients got a transformation.
My content went out flawlessly.

Not because I had cameras on everyone.

Because I built systems that give my team permission to OWN their outcomes.

The difference between control systems and freedom systems:

Control systems: "Here's exactly how to do it, check with me before every decision"
Freedom systems: "Here's the outcome we need, here's the framework, you own the how"

Control systems: Team waits for your approval
Freedom systems: Team makes decisions and moves forward

Control systems: You're the bottleneck
Freedom systems: You're irrelevant to daily operations

That last one? That's the goal.

This is the shift:

Stop asking: "How do I build systems so I know what's happening?"
Start asking: "How do I build systems so I don't NEED to know what's happening?"

Your business will scale the day you become irrelevant to its daily operations.

Not because you abandoned it.

Because you built systems that give everyone else permission to own it.

That's not losing control. That's gaining freedom.

You have the power to protect your peace

Most founders think they need a louder brand, a prettier website, and a “unique offer.”

That’s why they stay invisible while weaker competitors jump to the front of the line.

I spent years inside billion-dollar buyer rooms watching how decisions actually get made. 

And the truth is wild. 
Buyers don’t choose the “best” offer. 

They choose the offer that hits 5 very specific psychological triggers (nobody talks about).

On December 8 at 12 PM CST, 
I’m running a private masterclass.

We are revealing all 5 secrets.

Not the surface-level stuff. 

The real levers that make someone choose you instantly and confidently hit purchase.

Here’s a taste:

1. The real reason “being different” backfires and what top buyers use to decide who wins the deal.

2. How certain founders sell out 200K launches in 24 hours with zero ads or fancy funnels.

3. The 2 hidden mechanisms that turn growth from random spikes into momentum.

This is the playbook I used to greenlight more than 100 million in deals.

Founders have used these frameworks to scale from 1M to 50M.

Without hiring a giant agency.
Without burning money on guesswork.

Seats are limited.

This masterclass will not be public.

Register now to unlock the pre-video series before the live session.

Save your seat: https://lnkd.in/dqNVxTFy

Why do brilliant founders stay invisible, while others with weaker offers become no.1?

I have spent years uncovering what makes billion-dollar buyers choose one purpose led business over every other.

On November 17 at 12 PM CST, I'm hosting a live private masterclass revealing the 5 virtually unknown secrets that make customers choose your offer instantly

AND actually buy what you’re selling.

Here's what you'll learn:

1.⁠ ⁠Why being “different” keeps you stuck and what buyers really use to decide who wins the deal.

2.⁠ ⁠How some founders sell out $200K launches in 24 hours (without ads).

3.⁠ ⁠The 2 hidden secrets that make growth sustainable instead of a one-time spike.

This isn’t just another boring marketing class.

This is a live behind-the-scenes breakdown of the exact buyer psychology I've used to approve $100M+ in deals.

It's the same frameworks that have helped hundreds of purpose-led founders have the roadmap to scale to $1M to $50M and beyond without the need for outside experts.

👉 Seats are limited.

Register now and get the pre-video series before the live session.

Save your seat here: https://lnkd.in/daGbCRjA

Hamza Abuqalbeen, Damini Chomal and 13 other attendees

5 Billion-Dollar Buyer Secrets That Make Customers Choose You

This time next week, I will be starting a hike in El Chalten Patagonia Fulfilling a life Dream

To walk the path of innovators

I made myself this dream 10 years ago when I wanted to quit being a purpose led founder

Here is what saved me

The Innovator: Yvon Chouinard who founded Patagonia the $Billion Dollar Brand

Chouinard was a broke mountain climber not a business person with a desire to get rich

He simply had a dream to climb mountains

So he taught himself blacksmithing and made awesome mountain equipment.

His friends wanted them. He sold them from his car for $1.50 each.

He didn't set out to build a billion-dollar company.

He just refused to compromise what mattered to him.

When being a purpose led founder got tough for me,

And every bone in my body wanted to quit

I remembered Yvon famous words

"Impossible is the lamest of excuses" Yvon Chouinard

And I realised quitting does not make life easier

It just delays your dreams from being realised - because your dreams don't quit

They keep going back to haunt you - until you realise them

What stopped me from quitting was realising

Everything is "figurable outable" - Including how to build sustainable growth

Like Yvon for mountain climbers, I did the same for purpose led founders

When there was no roadmap for what I wanted to achieve, and help founders achieve

I figured out the roadmap over 10 years

And build the solution - Impact Innovator OS

What would you do if you knew your purpose was the path not the obstacle?

Your Purpose Is Your Compass To Success When The World Feels Like It's Spinning Out Of Control (Like Now)

Read the news, and you'd never get out of bed.

(That's why I stopped reading it years ago.)

With the right formula to share your purpose with the world, you thrive and scale 24/7, no matter what is going on

Even if the zombies come! :)

Here is my advise: Proven over 20 years choosing which brands people buy and don't buy

If you want to scale, go INWARD to the heart of your unique innovation - and simplify it, that is what your dream buyers want.

Stop listening to the jungle drums of uncertainty and fear from the media, from well meaning friends, from family.

Start listening to really hard facts on purpose-driven data.

Here's what the data shows:

Purpose-driven businesses: 31% hit double-digit growth

Everyone else: 21% PWC

And this was WHILE the market dropped from 43% to 25% overall, PWC

Translation: When things get harder, the purpose gap gets WIDER.

Why purpose wins in chaos:

IBM's purpose: "Make a connected world smarter" 

Result: This mission became the focus of 25% of their research in year one - salesforce

Their Smarter Cities mission innovation delivered:

Stockholm: 22% traffic reduction + $92M revenue gain Salesforce
Malta: 15% water savings, 25% energy reduction salesforce
100+ cities transformed
Here's what billion-dollar buyer intelligence taught me:

When you can't see the path forward, purpose becomes your decision filter.

Most founders spin-chasing every lead, every trend, every "strategy."

Category-of-one founders ask ONE question: "Does this align with my unique purpose?"

That keeps you moving forward while everyone else panics.

Your unique purpose is your secret sauce to 7 and 8 figures.

Not your framework.

Not your funnel.

Your PURPOSE is what buyers actually want.

If you want to supercharge your results, the data is clear:-

Stop listening to the jungle drums of fear.
Start leaning into what makes you a category-of-one.

To get clarity on your unique purpose, DM "CLARITY" and I'll send you a private invitation to our upcoming masterclass.

The world wants YOUR purpose, turned up loud FACT

Purpose Your Key To Success

When Purpose Costs You Everything (And You Do It Anyway)

Ben & Jerry's just did something most brands won't:

Founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield launched a campaign to 

"free" their ice cream company from parent company Unilever, 

claiming it has "stifled the company's political messaging and actions." VTDigger

The founders are literally fighting their own parent company to PROTECT their purpose.

"Ben & Jerry's has become successful precisely because people know it stands for 
something deeper than ice cream," VTDigger they wrote.

Here's where being the change you want to see delivers game changing results:-

Ben & Jerry's had higher growth rates than Unilever's other ice cream brands in three of the past five years. Inc

The activism MADE them money.

When Unilever allegedly fired their CEO in 2025 over his "commitment to Ben & Jerry's social mission" NPR rather than performance, the founders didn't back down.

They went to WAR for their values.

This is what purpose actually looks like:

25,000 people signed up for their email list after the People's March. Marketing Brew
Their activism manager says it perfectly: 

"The strongest bonds you can build with your customers are over shared values." Inc

Here's what inspires me about this story:

Two 73-year-old founders could have walked away rich and quiet.

Instead, they're fighting a multi-billion dollar corporation to protect what they built.

Not for more money.

For PURPOSE.

This is the permission slip you've been waiting for:

You don't need to compromise your values to scale.

You don't need to "play it safe" to be successful.

You need to stand for something so clearly that people FEEL it.

When your purpose costs you something and you do it anyway

that's when people know you're real.

That's when they become raving fans, not just customers.

Most brands fold the second purpose gets uncomfortable.

Category-of-one founders double down.

Because they know: Purpose isn't profitable until it costs you something.

Your move: What are you willing to fight for when it costs you everything? 

DM Hell Ya if you'd like to join Impact Innovator and together we will transform our world

Warm Wishes
Sar

Mountains don't apologize for taking up space.

Neither should you.

Before I start working with founders many feel like this 

(and its natural by the way, its an old in built operating systems that needs to change)

They shrink their offers to feel "more accessible."

They soften their prices to avoid "being too much."

They dim their genius to not "intimidate" people.

Here is why that old operating system needs to change:

Working as a  billion-dollar buyer taught me this:

The most magnetic founders never apologize for taking up space.

Not because they're arrogant.

Because they know their PRESENCE is their value.

Mountains don't say:

"Sorry for being so tall."

"Maybe I should be smaller so you're more comfortable."

"Let me make myself less imposing."

They just ARE.

Solid. Unmovable. Unapologetic.

Today embrace this: You are allowed to:

Charge premium prices without justifying them

Have standards that eliminate 90% of people

Take up space in your industry

Be too much for some people

Shine without dimming for anyone's comfort

Stop asking permission to take up space.

Just take it.

I knew my billion-dollar buyer secrets were powerful (Join me at 12 PM CT time today LIVE)

I will be sharing all 5 secrets with you:

How you can get more customers to buy your purpose led offer ( while doing less) 

Why?

Your success is what drives me. 

Watching you break through, exit successfully, own your positioning, regain your confidence, this is why I built these systems.

Here are some of our recent 5 Star Trust pilot  Reviews

"I used Sara's knowledge to fine-tune elements which were decisive for the sale. I exited successfully while taking my company to the next level."
– Paula

"With Sara's support, we confidently stepped into a 'category of one' position—owning what makes our brand distinct and valuable. Within weeks, we were executing with focus and seeing measurable traction."
– Vanessa

"Sara's guidance helps you regain confidence back in your very own unique business value proposition."
– Sarita

"Sara's focused guidance helped me reconnect with the deeper purpose behind my work and articulate my value with much more confidence."
– Pramila

If you want the same results, join us today at 12 PM CT.

I'm teaching the 5 Billion-Dollar Buyer Secrets that get more customers to buy your purpose-led offer.

https://lnkd.in/dqNVxTFy

Sara

Most founders think they need better branding, more content, or a “stronger niche” to convert buyers.

But that’s not why they’re being ignored.

Meanwhile, competitors with weaker offers…
smaller audiences…
and zero differentiation…

Are closing deals faster.

After spending years in high-level rooms where multi-million-dollar buying decisions happen, I learned something most founders never hear:

Buyers don’t choose the most impressive offer.

They choose the offer that triggers 5 specific psychological buying switches.

And almost no one is using them.

On December 8 at 12 PM CST, I’m hosting a private masterclass where we’re breaking down these 5 buyer switches in detail.

Not theory.
Not generic “positioning advice.”
But the exact mechanisms top buyers use to say yes - fast.

Here’s a preview of what you’ll learn:

1. Why “standing out” is often the reason you’re NOT getting chosen, and what buyers actually look for instead.

2. The strategy behind founders who sell out 200K launches in a single day without ads, funnels, or giant teams.

3. The hidden systems that turn unpredictable sales into steady, compounding growth.

These are the same frameworks I used to greenlight over $100M+ in deals, and founders have used them to scale from $1M to $50M without burning cash or hiring bloated agencies.

This masterclass is not public, and seats are extremely limited.

Everyone who registers gets access to the pre-training video series before we go live.

🔗 Reserve your spot: https://lnkd.in/dqNVxTFy

If you sell expertise, transformation, or innovation, don’t miss this. This one session could change how buyers see you forever.

Don't Fake It Till You Make It"

Starbucks just admitted what most brands won't:

Their purpose strategy misfired.

CEO Brian Niccol told Axios: "We had this strategy that was just a misfire of a purpose-driven store. It's like, well, the purpose is community connection. I think that's what got us off our game." TheStreet

Wait.

A $103B company with 40,000+ locations worldwide just said their PURPOSE got them OFF their game?

Here's what happened:

Starbucks tried to be everything to everyone.

Purpose became so broad it meant nothing.

Community connection? Great. But if your baristas can't make coffee fast enough, you've lost the plot.

Niccol's fix?

Go back to basics. "Above all else, a coffee company." Craver

This is the billion-dollar buyer intelligence lesson:

Purpose isn't about adding MORE missions to your business.

Purpose is about knowing your ONE thing so clearly that every decision flows from it.

The difference between purpose-washing and purpose as your operating system:

Say No To:- Brands trying to save the world while their core product suffers

Say Yes To: Brands whose purpose IS their product excellence

Look at Patagonia:

They don't talk about being a clothing company that cares about the environment.

They're an environmental company that makes clothing to fund the mission.
See the difference?

One is purpose bolted ON.

One is purpose built IN.

Most founders make Starbucks' mistake:

They add purpose to their pitch deck, their website, and their social posts.

But their operations? Still running on old systems that contradict everything they claim to stand for.

Category-of-one founders don't fake purpose till they make it.

They BUILD their entire business FROM purpose.

Every hire. Every offer. Every client decision.

Either it aligns with your purpose, or it doesn't belong in your business.

Don't fake it till you make it.

Make it real, or don't make it at all. 

Sign up to my newsletter here, for weekly strategic  on how to Be Impactful

https://lnkd.in/dsVQABvv

Read this if you want to stop  feeling like walking through GOOP growing your business 

$2M+ business.

And the founder wanted to quit.

Not because there business wasn't profitable.

Because every day felt like walking through GOOP.

Heavy. Sticky. Exhausting.

Never breaking through to the other side.

Here's what I heard on our first call:

"I'm working 60+ hour weeks. 

My offers convert, but they feel... generic. 

My thought leadership? Non-existent. 

I'm just another founder saying the same things everyone else is saying."

"I feel like I'm wading through mud. Every single day."

The problem wasn't work ethic.

The problem was no CATEGORY-OF-ONE positioning.

No billion-dollar buyer intelligence telling her what to say yes to and what to walk away from.

Just endless tasks, endless clients, endless sameness.

We worked together for 6 months.

Here's what shifted:

BEFORE: Walking through GOOP

Felt invisible in a crowded market
Working harder, not smarter
Burnt out from trying to be everything to everyone
Thought leadership? What thought leadership?

AFTER: Thriving in clarity

Category-of-one positioning that makes her MAGNETIC
Optimized offer that converts without her on every call
Team that owns outcomes, not just tasks
Thought leadership that positions her as THE expert

The difference?

This founder stopped trying to compete.
Started leading from unique genius.

The transformation:

Heavy → Light
Stuck → Flow
Invisible → Magnetic
Exhausted → Energized
Generic → Category-of-One

Same business. Different operating system.

Here's what I heard after 6 months:

"I finally feel like I'm running my business instead of my business running me. 

I'm not walking through GOOP anymore. I'm flying."

This is what's possible when you stop:

Trying to do what everyone else is doing

Working harder to prove your worth

Building offers that require YOU to deliver everything

And start:

✓ Operating from your category-of-one positioning
✓ Leading from inherent worth, not proving worth
✓ Building systems that give you permission to let go

Change the system. Change everything. 

One Day Or Day One You Decide

We’re going LIVE today at 12 PM CST inside a private masterclass.

Most founders think they need better branding or a stronger niche to convert buyers, but that’s not why buyers say no.

Meanwhile, competitors with smaller audiences and weaker offers are closing deals faster.

Why? 

They’re activating 5 psychological buyer switches that almost no one uses.

Today’s live masterclass breaks down exactly how these switches work and how to apply them immediately.

If you’re already registered, see you there.

If not, join us here:

🔗 https://lnkd.in/dqNVxTFy

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