Meet Sarah Dylan Jensen

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sarah Dylan Jensen. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sarah below.

Sarah, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

While my childhood wasn’t severely traumatic, it wasn’t white picket fences and rainbows. My parents divorced when I was 3, and I was deeply saddened by this turn of events. We had a lovely home, my mom was able to be a SAHM because my dad worked for the big oil company in Northern Alaska and was able to support us fully. I couldn’t understand how anyone wouldn’t want this life, or why my parents didn’t want to stay together. I spent a lot of my childhood wishing for them to get back together. There was so much about relationships I didn’t understand, and it would take me a long time to grasp those realizations.

Thankfully, I was able to keep a relationship with both parents. I primarily lived with my mom, and spent weekends, breaks and summers with my dad. My mom was the one who did the mundane things – getting me to school, shopping for clothes, working. My dad was fun. Adventures, weekends, dog sledding and being outside. My mom, unbeknownst to me in my early years, had a lot of trauma that she had to overcome, especially as a single parent. Her childhood was the thing of nightmares and while she hid those things from me on the outside, her relationships with men, her self deprecation and her addictive tendencies were windows to her shattered soul. We moved 17 times by the time I was in high school. Some apartments and duplexes were great, others were barely liveable. Toward my teenage years, we jumped from trailer park to trailer park – each time she fell in love with a new man, we moved in with him. These thin walls we lived in didn’t hide the abuse or drugs that were happening right next to me. I vowed that I wouldn’t be my mother, and that I would do everything possible to get good grades, excel in everything and have a better life.

One evening, my second step-dad came home intoxicated. He was upset with me that I hadn’t done something nice for my mom when I went on an exchange program to Paris that summer. Knowing full well that he physically abused my mom, and being newly 16, I jutted my chin out and mouthed off. Normally, I was respectful to my elders, and rarely made a peep. He didn’t like my answer and thus “kicked me out,” telling me he was tired of my attitude, and my mistreatment of my mother. I obviously had a few things to say about that – I had seen the bruises on her neck despite her trying to hide them. I thought this was just another drunken “idea’ and by the time I talked with my mom in the morning, it would be swept under the rug. Not true, my mom agreed and called my dad in to find me a new place to live. Given that my dad still worked in Northern Alaska, his schedule wasn’t conducive to having me full time. I ended up moving in with a welcoming aunt and uncle (and favorite cousin) from my dad’s side of the family – however, that came with the drawback of changing schools as I headed into Junior year. Through all of the 17moves, I had not changed schools – now, with move #18, I would find myself at a high end high school, where everyone knew each other. Let’s just say, it was hard, but as I’ve looked back at it, I realize that it was just another in a long stretch of adversity that I adapted to and made the best of.

I graduated the “rich kids school” at the top of my class. #17 out of 400 to be exact. I had “a plan” and quickly signed up for the University of Alaska to get a business degree. I worked most of my way through late high school and secured jobs through college as well. As most Alaskan kids, once you hit late teens, Alaska ironically becomes a small place. Having visited California and all of it’s sunny days and waves, I decided to apply for a speciality school and move out of state. We packed up the Uhaul and off I went to Orange County, only to find that it wasn’t all “vacation” vibes like I had seen on my trip. It was full of smog, dirt, heat and crime. Having grown up in Alaska all my life, I yearned for nature and some form of forest nearby. I decided nearly on day one in California that I would work my tail off in college, with the goal of securing a job in Washington – a happy medium of California and Alaska. My homework usually consisted of 40+ hours of homework a week and to make ends meet, I worked any other hours I had left. The day after graduating from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, we packed up another Uhaul and headed for Washington. I look back to California and realize how much I learned from the experience. I grew a backbone there – learning to commute via the transit system, fighting for tenant rights in an ant/termite infestation fiasco, and growing my independent voice so far away from any family or friends. I was born and raised in Alaska, but I started to grow up in California.

Washington is now where I reside, and have since that summer after graduating college. I worked in my industry (Fashion Design & Operations) for many years – jumping from job to job until finally realizing that working for corporations and big companies can keep you in career “infancy” for a long time. I hated having to “ask” to go to lunch, or do twice as much work as the person putting in the same 8 hours next to me, simply because I was more efficient. I felt stifled and child-like, despite knowing that I was smart, educated and able to do great things. I finally called “the corporate life” quits after discovering the adorable little town of Snohomish and the many amazing small businesses in it. They needed help, and I needed something new. I volunteered for a bit, helping with events & promotions to help revitalize tourism and shopping. I then found myself with a unique job opportunity – to work and learn under someone facilitating these events, as well as the ability to start my own business. I created a company to help with social media & marketing at low costs to small businesses & mom & pop shops. I took any job that was presented to me, and slowly worked my way to a good client base as well as a name for myself. I came out of my shell and finally had the courage to be who I really was, deep down inside. Creative, passionate, adaptable, and kind. I wasn’t interested solely in making money, but helping small businesses survive and thrive.

Through these years of hustling – for myself – I found strength, courage and light. I found so much joy in helping other businesses and meeting the faces that make up our small towns. Through the power of networking, I was recommended for a job that I hadn’t ever thought of – a farmers market director. I knew little about the inner workings of a market, but I rolled up my sleeves, put on my galoshes and figured it out, much like everything else life has thrown my way. 11 year later, I now successfully have some of my original social media clients, as well as 3 of the largest (and growing!) farmers markets in Snohomish County. I have hundreds of businesses that I work with every day and get to share in their success stories.

While owning a business is never easy, it awards flexibility. As I write this I am in Alaska, which I will always consider my home. I look around at the vast mountains, rivers, glaciers and terrain and realize that I was born into resilience. The very land I am forged from has erupted, frozen, thawed and reshaped itself over and over. It has strength and softness. I was never meant to be anything else, resilience is in my blood.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Becoming a famers market director was not something I had on my career bingo card. I had worked for several years in my small-town community, starting my own business that focused on helping small businesses gain presence on social media and building their websites. I took on most jobs that were sent my way and also spent a lot of time checking in, networking and getting my name out there. When a friend called to tell me the local market was looking for a new leader, I never thought they’d pick me. But they did, and I hit the ground running – literally. It’s amazing to be able to work in 6 miles within a day working a small farmers market, but it can be done, I promise.

The Snohomish Farmers Market was a small, fledgling market when I took it over. They hosted about 40 vendors each week and had no real plan for how to move forward. Once I learned the ropes (and tents, and tables and garbage cans) I realized that this market held great potential to become bigger and better. I also knew that each vendor at the market was a small business with big dreams – and I could help them reach those heights. I got to work on networking, learning and growing the market with then intention of highlighting how supporting farmers markets kept our communities strong and our neighboring small businesses successful as well. It is and has always been a win-win-win for me. Our communities win, our customers win, and our small businesses win. A market is a unique opportunity for all 3 successes to shine and thrive – building stronger connections and communities.

As news spread that my market was growing, other communities wanted to either restart their farmers market, or revive it. I was approached by several communities and have since worked with 4 small towns to create or reinstate their market. I’m excited to share that the small, fledgling Snohomish Farmers Market is now the largest in our county, totaling 120 vendors each week and over $1.14 million dollars in vendor sales/revenue. I have two other large markets that bring in close to $500K to their small business communities each summer as well. It brings me joy when one of my vendors can share that they are moving on to a brick and mortar shop in our community. Many remain vendors at the market simply for the continued exposure and face-to-face contact with customers.

In 2023, I began a podcast called “the Market Maven” to help share these stories as well as my own. I interview creators, farmers and other small business owners to help share the “WHY” behind what we all do. The trials and tribulations, the wins and the heartbreaks. These things are all part of our journeys and need to be shared so others might follow in our footsteps.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Looking back, I think that resiliency and purpose are two of the most important factors to creating and keeping a small business alive. The ability to change course, adapt and be open to things is also key. My business started as social media for small, local shops. While I still have a few, it’s adapted into primarily owning and organizing farmers markets. I never would have dreamed this would be my path, but I was willing and open to it, and am so happy I found it.

I believe that continuing to seek knowledge – from research, books, people and experts is key. Passion can sometimes get in the way of learning, but it’s key to the “why” behind your dream. Be open to learning a new way, or a new direction – you never know what may fall in your lap if you take a leap. However, many may tell you how/why/where and what you should do, and it’s ok to evaluate those ideas, but know yourself and know your purpose in what you are looking to do. Take the pieces that work, and leave the rest behind.

As a woman in business, I know it took years to find my voice. To be willing to speak up and be recognized as an expert in what I do. I value that deeply now, and sometimes still have to make it known that I am speaking, I am knowledgable, and I have made a decision.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

I am looking to partner and collaborate with other small business owners and feature them as guests on my Podcast, as well as tell my story on their podcasts, shows or publications. I think that the more we can all learn from each other, the better chance of success we have.

Storytelling has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I wrote books as a child, drew pictures that encompassed adventures. I love hearing and sharing stories, as well as telling my own. Looking back at the start of my own business, it would have been helpful to have a podcast or resource where others shared struggles and successes – much like this publication – to help get through the tough times and share in the joy of the great times.

My podcast is ad-free and simply a creative outlet to help share.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.yourmarketmaven.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourmarketmaven/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themarketmaven
• Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-market-maven/id1674681037