Meet Sarah Phillips
Sarah’s love for fashion and entrepreneurship began when she was 8 years old, when she started creating hair bows and selling them at horse shows in between classes. That was just the first of many businesses Sarah has started over the years, and her dreamer and doer attitude hasn’t waned yet.
Born and raised on a horse farm in Warrenton, Virginia, where she learned the importance of hard work and strong values, Sarah remained very busy throughout her younger years competing on the equestrian show circuit and in gymnastics, soccer, and field hockey. After high school, she went on to graduate from Radford University, where she earned a degree in Fashion Merchandising and Marketing, and where she truly found her love for fashion.
After brief stints in New York City and Charleston, South Carolina, Sarah returned to Northern Virginia in 2006, where she worked in fashion and in the dental sales market for many years. In 2012, Sarah married her long-time beau and purchased their first home in Arlington, Virginia. Since then they have added two adorably crazy rescue mutts to the mix, and Sarah co-founded her popular style and fitness blog, Fifty-Two Thursdays, from which she has learned a great deal about social media, content creation, and collaborating with unique businesses and top activewear brands. In 2015, Sarah launched 52 Thursdays Consulting, an enterprise that helps local businesses with their branding and online marketing strategy. Many of her first clients were located in Alexandria, Virginia, and she soon fell in love with the community and the area’s small business owners.
Today, Sarah is excited to bring her experience and expertise to The Scout Guide Alexandria. While working with national brands has been a dream come true, local is where her heart is, and she looks forward to meeting all the unique makers and doers that make Alexandria such a wonderful place to live and sharing their stories with the community.
Sarah’s Favorite Reasons to Visit
Old Town. “Old Town Alexandria’s charm and history make it the destination that it is. Its excellent restaurants, unique shops, view of the waterfront, and historical landmarks are what make our town so unique, and what keep people coming back time and time again.”
The People. “What sets Alexandria apart from many close-by cities is the people. In Northern Virginia, it is rare to find such a tight-knit community that truly supports each other, but Alexandria is different. There is no competition here, it’s all about living and supporting the local life. There are so many thriving artists, chefs, entrepreneurs, creatives, and shop owners that make Alexandria so special.”
The Waterfront. “Old Town Alexandria is its own private oasis in Northern Virginia. Being just a few minutes from Washington, D.C., it’s rare to find such a small-town vibe and culture that goes along with it, and being located right on the water is an added bonus. On any given day, you can spot a riverboat cruise, a crew team out practicing, a sailboat school teaching a beginner, paddle boarders out for a day of fun, or canoes floating down the river. The water is a huge part of what makes Alexandria such a desirable destination.”