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Dr. Sarah Brown

Dr. Sarah Brown is a true visionary. After spending close to three decades in corporate America, the last 15 as a partner at Accenture, she quit her job to focus full time on her entrepreneurial start-up company Know Thyself Guides®. She has designed and implemented change management and talent management programs at scale as part of transformation efforts for Fortune 500 companies in a wide range of industries: Communications and High Technology, Financial Services, Resources and Chemicals, and Retail. As a Talent Management Expert, she took charge of learning projects that focused on creating positive change and personal growth. One of her training curricula is being taught in over 100 countries and in 15+ languages.

Now, Dr. Brown makes her expertise available to Tango Divas who are dealing with important life-changing decisions. Aptly titled Know Thyself Guides®, her innovative book series is customized uniquely for each person. Her first guides focus on finding or improving your career. You will find out exactly what YOU need to be happy, successful, and understood at work.

Along with being an entrepreneur, Sarah is an avid traveler. We caught up to her between trips to ask her a few questions about the globetrotting ways.

  1. What was the best decision you made in your life?

To start my own company writing customized me-books™ and we-books™ called Know Thyself Guides®.  These are personalized books that equip people with knowledge about themselves in such clear and understandable terms that they can put it into action immediately.  Through a proprietary 21-day process they will learn what they need to be happy, successful, and understood in their chosen pursuit.  

  1. What is your most memorable travel moments?

Visiting the vast length and breadth of terrains of the country of Chile. I also found the people of that country to be incredibly warm and welcoming.  

  1. What was the worst travel experience you had? 

In Zimbabwe, I had such a scary trip on the Zambezi River that I chose to skip dinner with my companions, choosing rather to soak in the relaxing Jacuzzi in our lovely flat.  Just as my friends left for dinner and I began to draw my bath, the power went out.  I could not get hot water for the bath, and I did not have air conditioning for the unit.  There was no lights or power for 3 hours.  I could not open the windows because the monkeys would come in.  I couldn’t go outside alone because of the roaming elephants and lions.  I was stuck doing nothing in the dark by myself.

  1. What have you learned about yourself through traveling?

That I can survive and navigate myself out of almost anything that may go wrong.  It has given me self-confidence in other areas of my life as well.  

  1. If you could choose your ultimate travel companion, living or dead, real or imaginary, who would it be? 

My ultimate travel companion would be a modified version of my husband Ajit.  He is quite adventurous, and as a result I have been to places I would likely not have gone on my own.  He is bold and as a result he finds a way to meet very interesting people in our travels.  I would modify him as follows:  His idea of a timely airport arrival is that he walks onto the aircraft just as the doors are closing. That is too close for my comfort. He has also been known to pick up strangers on ferries and invite them to home for dinner. While I am adventurous, I am a bit more cautious in whom I invite into my home.

Of course, this could have all been predicted from our Know Thyself Guides®. It is very clear that Ajit will be more spontaneous and act without as much concern for consequences than I. It is interesting that Ajit and I used the Birkman Method®, the instrument that underlies my Know Thyself Guides®, as part of our pre-marital counseling. The counselor predicted everything that we would fight about, and boy, was she right.

  1. What moment in your life did you feel the most alive?

Anytime I am doing something aerobic on the water.  I have raced my own sail boat, I like to wind surf, snorkel, and scuba dive.  And I have taken up rowing.  All required me to be very active and very concentrative.  I will get totally lost in each activity and all my other petty little cares will disappear.  When I am on the water, I am truly happy and pursuing my passions.  It also helps that I am athletic, so I am generally successful as well. 

  1. Who is your hero?

Oprah Winfrey.  She has continually reinvented herself and does not seem to let any fears get in her way. 

  1. Name a place that you’re an expert and would be a great resource for our Divas. Tell us about it. 

Virgin Gorda, BVI.  My husband and I have had a house there for many years.  It is a small island in the West Indies with the best beaches I have ever seen.  I think the best snorkeling I have ever done is right off the beach in front of our house.  

  1. How do you see Know Thyself Guides® helping women?

 When women truly know and own who they are and what will make them happy, successful, and understood, they will experience a freedom and joy in life that they may have never known. I spent years trying to be what everyone thought I should be, always trying to climb the corporate ladder. I succeeded, but there was a cost to my happiness and peace and sense of satisfaction. My passions, strengths, and needs point me more toward what I am doing now—researching, creating, writing, and innovating. I have never been happier. And, I have more time to travel.

  1. And finally a word from our Featured Diva, you in your own words- give us a stirring, Diva-worthy battle cry for women everywhere to hear!

You deserve to be happy, successful, and understood.  It takes a little work to understand what will do it for you, but when you do, your life will never be the same again.   

Ready to get happy? You can get your own personalized guide by CLICKING here. It only takes 45 minutes!