Sometimes, the greatest ideas come from our personal desires and passions, and that’s exactly how Sara Bacon created Opulist. In this interview, we’re diving into Sara’s journey of turning her love for beauty, design, and meaningful experiences into a thriving business. From navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship to staying connected to joy and creativity, this conversation offers insight into how following your heart and embracing your vision can lead to a life and career you truly love. If you've ever dreamed of building something that reflects your passions, Sara’s story will inspire you to take that first step.
- Can you share a bit about your personal journey and what led you to create Opulist?
- Opulist is my answer to what service I wish existed in the world, as well as the fulfillment of my personal dream of creating a life and job I love living in. I’ve always been someone who’s been enamored with good design and beautiful surroundings, and they’re the factors that motivate me to visit a place for dinner or even a whole city just to see one site I have fallen in love with through a photograph. When traveling I always found myself trying to search for the most beautiful bars, restaurants, and hotels, but never had an easy time doing it. The idea for Opulist came about as a culmination of my own desires for something like this to exist, my passions and things that bring me joy, and the mission to create a beautiful life not just for me, but for everyone else as well.
- Opulist is my answer to what service I wish existed in the world, as well as the fulfillment of my personal dream of creating a life and job I love living in. I’ve always been someone who’s been enamored with good design and beautiful surroundings, and they’re the factors that motivate me to visit a place for dinner or even a whole city just to see one site I have fallen in love with through a photograph. When traveling I always found myself trying to search for the most beautiful bars, restaurants, and hotels, but never had an easy time doing it. The idea for Opulist came about as a culmination of my own desires for something like this to exist, my passions and things that bring me joy, and the mission to create a beautiful life not just for me, but for everyone else as well.
- What inspired you to focus on aesthetics and design in your search site, and how does this passion influence your work?
- On a surface level, it’s personally what I most appreciate and gravitate towards when choosing where I want to spend my time. On a deeper level, I think humans are hard-wired to appreciate beauty and creativity and the appreciation and pursuit of it adds so much to our lives. I love the idea of highlighting and celebrating thoughtfulness in design so that others can more easily experience it and have it improve their lives as well.
- On a surface level, it’s personally what I most appreciate and gravitate towards when choosing where I want to spend my time. On a deeper level, I think humans are hard-wired to appreciate beauty and creativity and the appreciation and pursuit of it adds so much to our lives. I love the idea of highlighting and celebrating thoughtfulness in design so that others can more easily experience it and have it improve their lives as well.
- Have you faced any major challenges or obstacles in building Opulist? If so, how did you overcome them?
- The hardest part is having an idea you believe in so fully while simultaneously not knowing how to start a business like this from scratch. Not only is every day a major learning curve figuring out what is needed to keep going, but it’s an exercise in thought work and inner strength to keep believing in the beauty of your dreams even when you don’t know what the path to getting there will look like. Thank goodness for people who believe in you on your behalf and those whose gifts can compliment mine to lean on in a process like this.
- The hardest part is having an idea you believe in so fully while simultaneously not knowing how to start a business like this from scratch. Not only is every day a major learning curve figuring out what is needed to keep going, but it’s an exercise in thought work and inner strength to keep believing in the beauty of your dreams even when you don’t know what the path to getting there will look like. Thank goodness for people who believe in you on your behalf and those whose gifts can compliment mine to lean on in a process like this.
- What strategies or practices do you use to manage stress and maintain mental well-being while running your business?
- Incorporating FUN into my life and work. Opulist was my answer to “what would your dream job be even if you didn’t make any money doing it” so it would be silly for me to not enjoy the process of building it as well. I make sure I’m doing tasks that light me up (knowing I’m a Manifesting Generator in Human Design has been huge for this), and always have future things on my calendar I’m looking forward to in order to stay excited and inspired in my work. Having a peaceful morning routine I love and getting outside every day are huge for me too.
- Incorporating FUN into my life and work. Opulist was my answer to “what would your dream job be even if you didn’t make any money doing it” so it would be silly for me to not enjoy the process of building it as well. I make sure I’m doing tasks that light me up (knowing I’m a Manifesting Generator in Human Design has been huge for this), and always have future things on my calendar I’m looking forward to in order to stay excited and inspired in my work. Having a peaceful morning routine I love and getting outside every day are huge for me too.
- Can you describe a significant turning point or pivotal moment in your career or personal life?
- I wish I had an exact moment or date for this, but definitely in my early 30s I had what I believe was a life-changing realization relating to my purpose on this earth. Prior to then I had viewed marriage and romantic relationships as sort of the peak life experience and what I was unknowingly hinging a lot of my personal satisfaction and achievement on. While multiple factors led to this moment, there was a sudden awakening I had about not waiting for my life to start and believing I was here to create a life I loved for me first and foremost, and secondly, so others could see this was possible for them too. I wanted to help others create more enjoyment in their lives which is what led me to teach Human Design to people, and then ultimately create my dream company as a product of knowing my Human Design and what desires I’m meant to chase after.
- I wish I had an exact moment or date for this, but definitely in my early 30s I had what I believe was a life-changing realization relating to my purpose on this earth. Prior to then I had viewed marriage and romantic relationships as sort of the peak life experience and what I was unknowingly hinging a lot of my personal satisfaction and achievement on. While multiple factors led to this moment, there was a sudden awakening I had about not waiting for my life to start and believing I was here to create a life I loved for me first and foremost, and secondly, so others could see this was possible for them too. I wanted to help others create more enjoyment in their lives which is what led me to teach Human Design to people, and then ultimately create my dream company as a product of knowing my Human Design and what desires I’m meant to chase after.
- What role does self-care play in your daily routine, and how do you ensure you make time for it?
- I fortunately excel in knowing how to listen to myself and what I need, so prioritizing self-care has always come somewhat easily to me. It intuitively makes so much sense that if we don’t tend to our own needs, pains, healing, and negate our own desires and pleasures, then we will be of no help to others or the world at large.
- I fortunately excel in knowing how to listen to myself and what I need, so prioritizing self-care has always come somewhat easily to me. It intuitively makes so much sense that if we don’t tend to our own needs, pains, healing, and negate our own desires and pleasures, then we will be of no help to others or the world at large.
- What advice would you offer to women who are considering starting their own business or creative project?
- Follow what lights you up. There is so much wisdom and clarity in the things you simply enjoy doing and are good at. Start there and just keep taking one aligned step in front of the next. And ask for help! Find people whose gifts compliment yours and lean on them. Think of the ways you can provide value to others while enjoying the process and do those things.
- Follow what lights you up. There is so much wisdom and clarity in the things you simply enjoy doing and are good at. Start there and just keep taking one aligned step in front of the next. And ask for help! Find people whose gifts compliment yours and lean on them. Think of the ways you can provide value to others while enjoying the process and do those things.
- How do you balance your personal life with the demands of running a business?
- This is a work in progress, but one thing that’s been helpful is the practice of visualizing and writing down what my dream life and schedule looks like so I at least know what my north star is when it comes to building a life that’s right for me. That way I can use that metric at the end of every day to see how my actions lived up to the ultimate goal and then I can make tweaks and adjustments from there, figuring out what I need to prioritize in order to have that kind of schedule.
- This is a work in progress, but one thing that’s been helpful is the practice of visualizing and writing down what my dream life and schedule looks like so I at least know what my north star is when it comes to building a life that’s right for me. That way I can use that metric at the end of every day to see how my actions lived up to the ultimate goal and then I can make tweaks and adjustments from there, figuring out what I need to prioritize in order to have that kind of schedule.
- What motivates you to keep going, even when faced with challenges or setbacks?
- The belief that if we have a desire for something, it’s there for a reason. I believe to my core that we’re in a pivotal moment of history where more and more people are going to be able to do work that is in line with their own gifts and desires, but we’re feeling the growing pains of how exactly to create a world where this is possible. What keeps me going is believing in my calling to do this in my own life, and knowing that if I have these dreams inside of me, they must be there for a reason.
- The belief that if we have a desire for something, it’s there for a reason. I believe to my core that we’re in a pivotal moment of history where more and more people are going to be able to do work that is in line with their own gifts and desires, but we’re feeling the growing pains of how exactly to create a world where this is possible. What keeps me going is believing in my calling to do this in my own life, and knowing that if I have these dreams inside of me, they must be there for a reason.
- How do you stay inspired and creative in your work?
- Luckily inspiration is baked into the very core of the work I do for Opulist. Finding and visiting beautiful places inspires me endlessly, so anytime I’m lacking inspiration, I either plan a trip or a work day from some place that makes me feel sparkly inside, or I spend time researching gorgeous places in a new city that then ignites my adventurous side and gives me something to look forward to and also to share with others.
- Luckily inspiration is baked into the very core of the work I do for Opulist. Finding and visiting beautiful places inspires me endlessly, so anytime I’m lacking inspiration, I either plan a trip or a work day from some place that makes me feel sparkly inside, or I spend time researching gorgeous places in a new city that then ignites my adventurous side and gives me something to look forward to and also to share with others.
- How do you define success, and what are your personal goals for the future?
- In Human Design the element of our Signatures - or our personal feeling of how we know when we’re on track - has absolutely transformed how I define what success is for me. At the end of the day, my goal is to feel satisfied in my body, meaning, did I spend my time in satisfying ways? Did I do things that energized me and made me excited? Am I living a life that feels sparkly and juicy to me? When I can answer yes to those questions, that is how I know I’m living successfully.
- In Human Design the element of our Signatures - or our personal feeling of how we know when we’re on track - has absolutely transformed how I define what success is for me. At the end of the day, my goal is to feel satisfied in my body, meaning, did I spend my time in satisfying ways? Did I do things that energized me and made me excited? Am I living a life that feels sparkly and juicy to me? When I can answer yes to those questions, that is how I know I’m living successfully.
- What message or advice would you like to share with other women who are navigating their own personal or professional journeys?
- Your dreams are worth pursuing and you are free to enjoy this life. Let yourself seek out pleasure and enjoyment in all you do. It is not selfish nor excessive, it is a blueprint leading you to what’s right for you and to what the world wants to watch you live out. Let things be easy and fun too.
IG and TikTok: @opulist
W: https://opulist.co/locations
