Now you see us: marketing & midlife women

Meet Sarah Knight

Midlife women are in their Own Business Era: 25 for 25

Dec 05, 2024

For so many reasons, midlife women are in their Own Business Era.

I’m lucky to know many women who’ve left corporate culture, and are now building and scaling their own thing. Trademarking their IP, working solo or employing and contracting others.

During December, I’m publishing an alternative advent calendar featuring midlife women who’ve decided to be the boss of their own careers.

This series of posts, 25 for 25, features midlife women on the rise. Behind the next door on my alternative advent calendar is Sarah Knight, champion of women in business and human dynamo.

“Crack the feck on”: Sarah Knight

Picture yourself 27 weeks pregnant. Then picture yourself 27 weeks pregnant and redundant.

That’s exactly how Sarah Knight’s own business began.

At the time, she was employed by a major telecomms company which went bump when the market crashed. Previously Sarah worked with some pretty big fish, from the NHS to M&S. Then 22 years ago, complete with growing bump, Sarah had to make her team of 50 redundant, write the press statements and then make herself redundant too. She says it taught her a lot about people, kindness and teamwork.

“My team all took the news with dignity … I still remember that many of them were more concerned about what I was going to do with my bump and no job; and my marketing manager is still a great friend today. The bosses of the company not so much – and again taught me how I didn’t want to be.”

How did it feel at the time? After the panic, Sarah says she realised it was all on her. If she wanted to pay her mortgage, she needed to act - “There was no business plan, no forecasting - just a need to pay the mortgage and crack the feck on ... which has mainly been my ongoing mantra.”

Her bump is now nearly 22 years old, and Sarah has found success as a specialist in performance, resilience and mindset. Sarah owns The Ministry of Midlife platform, for women who crave practical strategies and habits for more resilience, peace and success, along with less burnout. She’s also host of the globally recognised Empower Women programme, working with women like Sara Davies, Penny Haslam and Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE.

Honestly, she’s a dynamo.

2025 is for …

First off, Sarah is hoping for more sleep. She’s also focusing on bringing Rethinking Your Success to more women. It’s her life, business and leadership programme, where Sarah helps women rethink how they achieve success without burnout and sacrifice.

Inspiration & motivation comes from …

Helping other women build resilience. “Working with bloody brilliant women, making a goddamn difference, having the conversations - and paying my mortgage.”

Sarah’s advice for her younger self

“Keep going. Lean in to the right people sooner. And when that knob said you were a square peg in a round hole, instead of playing smaller, bring it in as your super strength a lot sooner than you did.”

“When that knob said you were a square peg in a round hole, instead of playing smaller, bring it in as your super strength a lot sooner than you did.”

Sarah Knight