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Discussing All Things for Women in Business
Sarah Lankford
I'm Sarah! I'm technically originally from Indiana but moved to Charlotte, NC at the age 3! From the time I was young, I was performing for anyone and everyone and wanted to be a famous actress. I eventually went to the school of the arts for 6th-12th grade and play multiple instruments, sing, dance, and of course theatre.
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After High School, I went on to study Music Therapy and found a passion for using the arts to educate others. I married my true love whom had been my boyfriend since I was 11. After the military stationed us in Colorado for a few years, it then brought us back to NC, I finished a Bachelor's in Music and Child Psychology from UNC-Charlotte and then a Master's in Education from Gardner-Webb University. We now have 5 beautiful children and my husband is currently retiring from the military after 20 years as a Green Beret.
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For 9 years, I taught in schools and then eventually decided I wanted to homeschool my oldest children so I stayed at home and worked direct sales. I climbed that ladder very quickly but realized that scene wasn't for me. Going back to my talents and roots, I began teaching private music lessons from my home until I outgrew that and decided to open Encore Performing Arts Studio. Now with two locations, 1700 yearly students, and a Non-Profit Theatre, my goal is to help other women succeed in their business goals.
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Katelyn and I met as we were both growing our businesses in the same community. I now have a goal and passion to help other arts organizations grow and be successful in their community and will be launching Encore Solutions while we bring knowledge and inspiration from Women everywhere to you through "She's the Boss!"
Katelyn Gerhardt
Hey! I’m Katelyn; a native Southern California girl, turned North Carolinian. Over the last 15 years, I’ve become a wife, a military spouse, a mom of two, a business owner x a few, a board member on multiple non-profits, a leader, innovator, and a self proclaimed Enneagram connoisseur (Enneagram 3 here!).
In my early twenties the Universe gifted me with an incredible opportunity to work for Tony Robbins. I started a pilot position in the coaching department and quickly grew a front line sales team of gregarious self starters that transformed the way coaching sales were delivered. My mind was blown with all I learned there- attending Tony’s events and having access to his tools was absolutely life changing. Being apart of that team and gaining all of the mindset and strategy knowledge gave me the resources needed to open my school, Independence Academy. In 2015, we opened our doors and quickly filled a school of around 80 children and 11 staff members. Today, we sit on 13 acres ripe with gardens, nature trials, our chickens and ducks, and just upwards of 130 joyful children and 31 incredible employees. After spending the better part of two decades working on mindset, building myself as a leader through coaching and courses, cultivating an incredible company culture and developing a profitable business, the next step is coaching and consulting women in leadership through my company, Cultivate with KG.
Throughout this journey, Sarah and I crossed paths as our businesses were in the same geographic location with a very similar demographic. We’ve built a symbiotic business relationship and a friendship over the last 5 years bringing us here to share our hearts, tips, tools and mindset through She’s the Boss!