We had the good fortune of connecting with Sarah Coppola and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
My work life balance has changed a lot over the last year since I decided to fully become self-employed. When I worked in Biotech or in other operations-type roles, I worked long hours and did bring that work home with me. I also had my own art business that I worked nights and weekends on seasonally. So I felt like I worked non-stop all of the time. I won’t say that changes when you work for yourself. If anything, it almost may be worse as you always feel like you should be doing something for your business (especially in the beginning!). But, depending on your business, you’re able to do things on your own time. Now, I’m able to go to the gym before peak hours, not feel guilty about scheduling a dentist appointment mid-afternoon, and have a standing coffee date with peers in my field during “regular” work hours. I may end up working at night here and there, but it’s because I chose to put in my hours then instead of during the day – it’s a choice I get to make and that’s a nice change.

Working for yourself requires a lot of self discipline. I think more than I even imagined. Scheduling time for everything helps, and I highly recommend a business coach or even therapist who can help you see from the outside what you may be missing while in the thick of it all. That person can help keep you on track when you start to feel a little crazy from work creeping into your “life” time. Even with the best scheduling things tend to creep out into your personal hours. But you just have to stay cognizant of it and recalibrate as needed!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
First and foremost, I always have been and always will be an artist! Clay sculpture is my first love, but I’m also a photographer, designer, jewelry maker, painter, and maker of all kinds of other things (soap, candles, moss art). It’s been hard to grow that side of the business as artists aren’t really paid well for their talent or time, and I’ve always had full time jobs while making my art on the side.

This year (in 2024) I also started my own bookkeeping business for creatives. I really want other creatives to have a clear picture of their profits and losses, as well as other aspects of their business. It’s hard to know how much to charge, what products to spend time making, or when to raise prices based on supply price increases without good bookkeeping. If all artists and creatives had a little better handle on those things, maybe we could collectively start charging closer to what we’re worth and make a living wage with our talents. There are so many important business decisions that can be made based off better data. And I think artists are underserved in this area!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Durham, NC is a fun place to visit! We have an incredible amount of art, music, good food, and craft breweries. There is something for everyone here and if a friend were visiting we’d tailor what we do to their interests and the events going on at the time. We also have a lot of beautiful areas to walk/hike/run/ride, like the Eno River area or Jordan Lake. In addition, we’re about 3 hours from the mountains and beach (give or take) and both are an easy weekend trip!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have had a lot of great bosses and mentors in my life. I’ve learned so much from every job I’ve had, even if it didn’t seem to be a great fit on the surface. My mom will always be my favorite and most influential mentor, but I so appreciate every other boss/mentor I’ve been close to in previous jobs, from Jerri and Garry at the art gallery, to Tamara and Maria at the photography studio, to Rob at the biotech company. It’s made me who I am today!

Website: https://indigoarts.etsy.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/indigoartsnc

Linkedin: https://www.instagram.com/indigoartsnc

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indigoartsclay

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutNorthCarolina is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.