Episode 007 – Sarah, CEO & Instructional Designer

In this episode, I sit down with Sarah Blake, M.Ed., CPLP, CEO and Lead Instructional Designer at Blake Learning Solutions, to hear the incredible journey that led her to co-running her own business. Sarah shares how she went from studying journalism in undergrad, working at a non-profit, and almost taking the wrong job, to quitting everything and moving to India to teach at a charity school while figuring out her next career move. From there, she navigated her way to DC, got accepted into Harvard’s instructional design Master's program, worked in LA (including giving the creators of Rings of Power their first writing job!), and landed her first government client contract—before eventually returning to DC with her husband to start a family and run their own consultancy with a staff of over 40 people.

We also dive into navigating work through personal loss, prioritizing what matters outside of work, and finding purpose in your career. Along the way, there’s a surprising $25K check that changed her life, a debate about the best Diet Coke, and practical advice for anyone considering a career in instructional design—or thinking about pivoting into something entirely new.

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