There is nothing I love more than the story of a woman succeeding in corporate America (in this case on Wall Street) and then having the courage to leave to pursue her passion. In particular if that means following dreams of entrepreneurship. And even more when those dreams lead to the beauty industry. This is the story of Sarah Gibson Tuttle. After a career at JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley, she moved from NYC to LA, and opened Olive & June, the “drybar” of nails, named after her grandmother and great-grandmother. Today, with her first location is cash flow positive, she is looking to open a second one. And more after that. And she is pregnant. Not surprising, when you know her quote to live by is “Anything is possible”!
AP: What city were you born in? SGT: Stamford, CT .
AP: What city to do you live in? SGT: Los Angeles, CA.
AP: What is your middle name? SGT: Gibson. My mother’s maiden and my favorite part of my name.
AP: What is your astrological sign? SGT: Libra.
AP: What is something about you most people don’t know? SGT: Candy is my favorite food group.
AP: What is your most prized possession? SGT: My wedding ring.
AP: If you could have dinner with the person of your choice, who would it be? SGT: My husband. We never see enough of each other!
AP: Describe your fashion style in three words maximum. SGT: What feels good.
AP: Do you wear a watch? If yes, what model? SGT: Yes, a vintage gold Rolex.
AP: Diamonds or pearls? SGT: Diamonds.
AP: What is your #1 beauty secret? SGT: Sunscreen.
AP: What fragrance do you wear? SGT: I like to change it up but right now my favorite scent to wear is Tata Harper’s Revitalizing Body Oil.
AP: Botox or not? SGT: Not yet, but not ruling it out.
AP: Hair color: natural or not? SGT: Whatever makes you happy! For me, that’s covering my greys.
AP: What are your special diet tips, if any? SGT: Finding something sweet that satisfies my sweet tooth, but is still healthy. It’s so hard!
AP: What do you do for exercise? SGT: Tracy Anderson and yoga.
AP: What are three things that you always have in your fridge? SGT: Greek yogurt, pineapple and bottles of champagne to bring to parties for the hostess!
AP: What is your cocktail of choice? SGT: I am pregnant, so right now it’s this amazing Apple Ginger Coconut juice from Beverly Hills Juice Club in LA.
AP: What is your secret to work/life balance? SGT: Prioritizing what is important. Sounds simple, but it’s a hard thing to actually do.
AP: What are your three top tips for travel? SGT: Tons of soft cozy layers, yummy snacks and TSA precheck.
AP: 3 songs on your ipod right now. SGT: Taylor Swift’s entire 1984 album. Ed Sheeran. J Lo’s Jenny From The Block (it just doesn’t get old!).
AP: What book are you reading right now? SGT: Bringing Up Bebe
AP: Quote to live by? SGT: Anything is possible.
AP: What is your worst pet peeve? SGT: Arrogance.
AP: What time do you usually wake up in the morning, and how many hours of sleep do you usually get? SGT: 7am, 5hrs of sleep on average.
AP: What is your favorite thing about the beauty industry? SGT: The way beauty products make women feel.
AP: Least favorite thing. SGT: When companies lie to us about the ingredients.
AP: Who is your mentor? SGT: I am lucky to call a few people mentors, but one of my former bosses was especially motivating. He worked harder than anyone else, never missed a day, refused to complain, just got it done every day. I remember he said, “You come to work, to work.” That was one of the most impactful things anyone has ever told me because it’s simple and true.
AP: Words of advice for young women starting their careers today. SGT: Work as hard as you can, never shy away from a challenge and keep learning. Read any sort of book, magazine, online article or take a class – stay fresh and engaged!
