309. From Beauty Tips to Building an Empire: Sarai Martinez on Confidence, Community & Career Growth
The Game On Girlfriend Podcast
Release Date: 12/02/2025
309. From Beauty Tips to Building an Empire: Sarai Martinez on Confidence, Community & Career Growth
The Game On Girlfriend Podcast
What does it take to build your dreams when the path isn't easy? In today's episode, I sit down with Sarai Martinez—a rising voice in beauty and TV—to chat about perseverance, passion, and what it really takes to build something meaningful as a woman of color. Sarai shares her natural love for self-care and fashion, how those early interests evolved into public-facing work, and how she's navigating the challenge-heavy path of entrepreneurship with power and grace. We dig into identity, confidence, and what happens when you don't wait until you "have it all figured out" to go for it. ...
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308. What Trauma Actually Costs Entrepreneurs (And Why Sean/a's Story Will Restore Your Faith) | Dr. Kirsten Viola Harrison
The Game On Girlfriend Podcast
We're harsh with each other right now. Judging people we don't know based on where they live or how they voted. But what if we got curious instead? Dr. Kirsten Viola Harrison spent 35 years as a trauma psychologist working with severe PTSD, dissociative identity disorder, schizophrenia, and near-death experience survivors. This conversation changed how I see everyone—including myself. High achievers are often high-functioners—people who've adapted to trauma in remarkably creative ways. The executive who never misses a deadline might be falling apart inside. The entrepreneur who appears...
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307. Stop Hustling & Start Leading with Grace: The Grace Codes with Dr. Kelly Martin Schuh
The Game On Girlfriend Podcast
You can't 10X your business by just working harder. Actually, the harder you push, the more you push away what you're trying to create. Dr. Kelly Martin Schuh shares The Grace Codes framework—and this conversation wrecked me in the best way. Five hours into climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, a guide asked Dr. Kelly to hand over her backpack. She refused. Every other woman had surrendered theirs, but she insisted she was fine. Then she realized she was weaving on the trail—a sign of oxygen deprivation she hadn't even noticed. The truth? It took 28 porters and guides to get 5 women to the summit....
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306. Empowering Women in Development: Real Estate, Capital, and Confidence with Katie Kim
The Game On Girlfriend Podcast
In this powerful conversation, Sarah sits down with real estate developer Katie Kim to uncover game-changing strategies for women building wealth through business—not just in it. Katie shares her journey from building someone else’s dream to creating multimillion-dollar developments of her own—and how she’s now helping other women do the same. They cover everything from unlocking public-private capital partnerships to redefining what success looks like when women own their value (and their land). Bonus! Get Katie’s free Deal Development Checklist + access the Build Your Buy Box...
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305. Decision Fatigue Is Killing Your Business: Rena Duell's Story
The Game On Girlfriend Podcast
What happens when a successful entrepreneur realizes that her thriving business is costing her health, joy, and sanity? In this episode of the Game On Girlfriend podcast, Sarah sits down with Rena—a former event business owner turned founder of One Team Partners—to talk candidly about reinvention, burnout, and building smarter business ecosystems. What You'll Learn From battling anxiety attacks and migraines to creating a business supporting other entrepreneurs, Rena shares lessons every solopreneur needs to hear. They dive into: Rena's personal story of walking away from her...
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304. The Anger Bag, Shame Sandwich & Question Box: Tools That Help Kids Process Trauma with Jeanette Yoffe
The Game On Girlfriend Podcast
Jeanette Yoffe is a psychotherapist, author, foster care survivor, and a powerhouse of healing wisdom. In this episode, she shares her remarkable journey from the foster system to becoming a therapist. We unpack tools she's created—like the Anger Bag and Shamewich—to help children process big emotions like rage, shame, and grief. What we cover in this episode Her personal adoption journey & one-woman show How trauma shapes identity—and how it doesn’t have to define us What the “inner courtroom” and “primal wound” really mean Why transparency is essential in...
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303. Living Your Purpose Out Loud: Lateshia Pearson on Confidence, Vulnerability & Being Real
The Game On Girlfriend Podcast
What does it actually look like to live your purpose while growing a business, being in the public eye, and staying true to yourself? In this episode, Sarah sits down with powerhouse entrepreneur and reality TV star Lateshia Pearson for a heart-opening conversation on empowerment, authenticity, and navigating life’s curveballs with grace and grit. From the magic behind her Mingling Over Mimosas event to the raw realities of being vulnerable on reality TV, Lateshia shares how she built a brand from scratch, how she pushes past fear, and why living in her purpose is non-negotiable. What...
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302. Self-Directed IRAs: The Retirement Strategy Nobody Told You About with Kaaren Hall
The Game On Girlfriend Podcast
Only 4% of people know about self-directed IRAs—accounts that let YOU control your retirement investments instead of a financial advisor. Kaaren Hall, CEO of UDirect IRA Services, explains how your IRA can invest in real estate, private lending, local businesses, and things you actually believe in. For women entrepreneurs struggling to access capital, this $40 trillion pool of retirement money changes everything. Learn what self-directed IRAs are, how to get started, and why this matters for your financial future. Pop in those earphones. Let's talk retirement. What You'll Learn What...
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301. From 40 Guitar Students to Two Thriving Businesses: How Rachel Lipson Built Multiple Income Streams Without Burning Out
The Game On Girlfriend Podcast
Sarah sits down with Rachel, a spirited creative and entrepreneur, to talk about how she followed two passions and turned them into thriving businesses: a music school and a travel company. Rachel shares the real behind-the-scenes of transitioning from preschool teacher to founder of Blue Balloon School and Brooklyn Family Travelers. What You'll Learn Why burnout actually led to business clarity Rachel’s struggles with delegation—and how she’s learning to let go Lessons from crossing industries (guitar to global travel?! Yes, really.) How to manage multiple businesses and...
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300. 300 Episodes and Counting: Why Your Dreams in Progress Matter More Than Perfect Timing
The Game On Girlfriend Podcast
300 episodes. Hundreds of stories. And one big truth: You did this. In this milestone episode, Sarah Walton reflects on the incredible journey of the Game On Girlfriend® Podcast—from recording in her basement to showing up every single week (even when no one was watching...yet). She shares the lessons she’s learned along the way about consistency, self-trust, and what really happens when you refuse to give up on your dreams. This episode isn’t just about looking back—it’s a celebration of YOUR dreams in progress. Sarah lays down the truth about what to do when you want to...
info_outlineWhat does it take to build your dreams when the path isn't easy?
In today's episode, I sit down with Sarai Martinez—a rising voice in beauty and TV—to chat about perseverance, passion, and what it really takes to build something meaningful as a woman of color.
Sarai shares her natural love for self-care and fashion, how those early interests evolved into public-facing work, and how she's navigating the challenge-heavy path of entrepreneurship with power and grace.
We dig into identity, confidence, and what happens when you don't wait until you "have it all figured out" to go for it.
In this conversation, we cover:
→ What it means to truly persevere as a woman of color
→ The link between beauty, confidence, and performance
→ Sarai's latest work in television segments and what lights her up
→ Her long-term vision for building a brand empire—and involving her kids along the way
→ And yes, some beauty truths, like why it's never a good idea to cut your own bangs
Other Episodes You Might Love
→ Episode 153: Loneliness: The Truth About Entrepreneurship That No One Tells You About https://sarahwalton.com/loneliness-entrepreneurship/
→ Episode 50: The Power of Grit (and YES! You can learn it!) https://sarahwalton.com/grit/
→ Episode 300: 300 Episodes: What I've Learned About Consistency, Confidence & Refusing to Quit https://sarahwalton.com/dreams-in-progress-300-episodes/
Connect with Sarai Martinez
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Website: saraibyday.com
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Instagram: @saraibyday
About Sarai Martinez
Sarai Martinez is a hair stylist and make-up artist serving all of New England represented by Anchor Artist. She is Ambassador and brand executive to Electric London Hair care products.
In her early years, Sarai worked in a local neighborhood salon in Dorchester where she tapped into her skills; little did she know it would be her life calling. She attended college in Canada to pursue fashion design, and afterwards found her way to hair school, earning her cosmetology license in 2004.
Sarai assisted for 4 years at Dellaria's on Newbury Street in Boston, MA. Constantly looking for new challenges, Sarai continued her education on the North Shore, bringing fresh city vibes and the newest trends along with her.
With over 20 years experience, Sarai has quickly become a guru in the industry, being showcased at New York Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week, Miami Swim Week, and in Glam Hair Magazine also New Yorker Magazine, Northshore Magazine, and Boston Common Magazine. Sarai has worked alongside celebrity stylists such as Ted Gibson, Jason Backe, and Aubrey Loots, Gary Barker, Mark Wholley, Brendan O'Sullivan. Has worked with celebrities such as Shohei Ohtani, Willie Geist, Dana Walden, Ty Law and Lisa Henry,Tyson Beckford, Suzi Welch, and Meghan Moss.
Sarai has made it her life to focus on fashion, beauty, apparel and all it brings, which allows her to distinguish her work from the rest with the most current trends. Sarai has won several awards for example : best of salem, readers choice award, to most recently Boston Common Magazines Best of Beauty Award!
Free gift from Sarah
Book a free 15-minute call to explore working together:
https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=13047670&appointmentType=34706781
Ready to shift from chasing to receiving in your business? Book your call with Sarah today and discover how The Abundance Academy can help you scale with soul, strategy, and sanity.
Work with Sarah
Apply for The Abundance Academy group coaching program https://sarahwalton.com/abundance-academy/
Connect with Sarah
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Website: https://sarahwalton.com/
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesarahwalton/
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You can check out our podcast interviews on YouTube, too! http://bit.ly/YouTubeSWalton
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About Sarah Walton
Sarah Walton is a business coach specializing in helping women entrepreneurs overcome internal barriers to success. With a background in trauma-informed coaching and nervous system regulation, she takes a holistic approach that addresses both mindset and tactical business skills. Featured on The Today Show and speaking at women's conferences worldwide, Sarah has helped hundreds of women build profitable, sustainable businesses aligned with their values while healing the deeper blocks that keep them playing small. She's the creator of The Money Mindset Course, The Abundance Academy, and Effortless Sales, and the host of the 5-star-rated Game On Girlfriend® Podcast, becoming the go-to source for women who want to build businesses that honor both their ambition and their nervous system's need for safety.