Meet Trailblazer Sarah Gomez-Newberry

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Gomez-Newberry.

Sarah, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started Bottled Ambition in 2016 as a way to stay connected to my passions. Though I went to school for Fashion Merchandising, I ended up in a completely different industry and wanted to find a way to continue to incorporate my love for fashion and beauty, and creating this blog was my way of doing it. I had aspirations of eventually moving my platform to YouTube, having been inspired by Nicole Guerriero and Jaclyn Hill (my OG favorite YouTubers!), but I took a brief hiatus after burning out slightly in 2017 before I got a chance to start.

After getting married in 2018, I felt like something was missing, and realized I missed my blog. So, in August of that year, I revived my Instagram, expanded my Bottled Ambition brand to include a podcast that I am so thrilled to share with my cousin, Milk + Whiskey Podcast, and finally found the motivation I needed to start my long-time dream of creating a YouTube channel. Connecting with a network of amazing bloggers, both locally and digitally, has helped me feel more supported and motivated this time around, and has really helped me realize my passion for creating content that women like me can relate to.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has been the farthest thing from a smooth ride! Part of what contributed to my burn-out was feeling like my content wasn’t connecting with anyone and working at a place that made me feel discouraged about my own creativity.

For those starting out in their journey, don’t be afraid of burning out in the beginning. Sometimes, you need a couple of re-starts to really figure out what direction you want to take your goals in, and to rest so you come back re-invigorated with an even bigger fire under you. Also, don’t under-estimate the power of having a network and support group of people with similar goals as you. Connecting with other bloggers and YouTubers has been the best tool in keeping me motivated. It’s such a powerful thing to be able to talk with some people going through the same journey as you, whether it’s to collaborate, for advice, or even to vent!

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I specialize in petite style and beauty. As a 4’11” woman, I realized I have a unique perspective on styling that many women can relate to, and I’ve always had friends and family come to me with questions about products and beauty techniques because of my passion for all things beauty!

I always strive to be as authentic as I can when creating content. Most of my captions are the random thoughts that pop into my head when I’m looking at the image I’m planning to post, which I feel really lets my followers get to genuinely know me, and I never shy away from being myself on camera. Whether it’s going off on a tangent about Star Wars or posting some completely unflattering photo and video bloopers to my Instagram stories or at the end of my videos to show my followers that not all shots are winners, I always want to make sure I am sharing my real, authentic self with my audience as much as possible.

What’s the most important piece of advice you could give to a young woman just starting her career?
I would say, don’t be afraid to pivot and change direction. In my career, I’ve changed industries so many different times, and my blog brand has gone through so many changes as well! Embrace them and assess what you can learn from each change. Why did you decide to get a new job? Why did you overhaul your content? Why did you take a hiatus? Asking yourself these questions can give you perspective on what it is you truly want to achieve to give you a clearer definition of your goals.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1uhaPsgfqxph9fU4hqL8lQ
• Email: bottledambitionblog@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_bottledambition/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BottledAmbition
• Other: https://www.milkandwhiskeypod.com/podcast

Image Credit:
Michelle O’Neill, Christine Billones

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