Mastering Success: Insights from Sara Tye on Business Development, PR, and Entrepreneurship

“Just do it when you are ready. Do not start if your mindset is wrong. But the longer you leave it, the less you will achieve—time versus outcome.”

– Sara Tye

Timing and mindset are pivotal forces that could shape the trajectory of one’s journey. Sara Tye, a luminary of public relations, business development, and entrepreneurship, embodies this ethos. As an award-winning entrepreneur and the founder of redheadPR, Mastering Your Own PR, and Mastering A SMART Agency, her perspectives highlight the transformative power of readiness and mindset in the pursuit of entrepreneurial success.

With a career spanning over three decades, Sara Tye’s biography is marked by accomplishments. From her early days studying postgraduate management and leadership, Sara ascended to become a renowned figure in the industry, with a Lifetime Achievement Award as one of her more recent accolades. A speaker, writer, coach, and mentor, she also worked with global brands and organisations such as Yellow Pages and Paramount and brushed elbows with important people like the former queen and the late Dame Anita Roddic. Her impact reverberates far and wide, not only in the UK but also across the globe – from the Philippines to Ibiza among others. As the digital landscape evolves, she speaks of striving to remain at the forefront and leverage social media, community engagement, and digital innovation to drive success for her clients and herself. She seeks to empower aspiring entrepreneurs to carve their own paths to success and to echo her own journey of overcoming obstacles and seizing opportunities. With her creation dubbed as “Green PR of London” among other eco-conscious recognition and feats, Sara also makes sustainability and our planet a priority.

Looking ahead, Sara’s aspirations are as bold as her accomplishments and as huge as her multi-million-pound property portfolio. The mother of two beloved girls she adopted less than ten years ago, Sara aims to foster deeper connections with loved ones, expand her reach, and carve a future defined by continued growth, impact, and fulfillment.

This exclusive interview with Sara Tye presents her insights, experiences, and wisdom, and offers invaluable guidance to aspiring entrepreneurs and inspiration for visionaries alike. From her humble beginnings to her ascent as a leading figure in the industry, Sara not only tackles the profound intersection of timing and mindset but also expresses her views on the intricacies of mastering PR, building thriving businesses, and attaining entrepreneurial greatness.

TWB: Can you tell us about your journey in the field of PR and business development, and what inspired you to pursue this career path?

ST: I studied postgraduate management and leadership at college for six years while I worked. Working from the day I left college, I only had one week without pay in 40 years between two big career moves. It was the week Diana died, so I sat watching the news for a week. I studied the late Dame Anita Roddick, the only real global female entrepreneur at the time, plus my mother had started one of the first residential homes for the elderly, which I lived in. I followed their example. When I opened my business bank account at 26, I was given a book by Sara Williams, an accomplished business journalist, and she was my third inspiration.

TWB: As the founder of redheadPR, Mastering Your Own PR, and Mastering A SMART Agency, what are some key principles or strategies you’ve implemented to ensure the success of these ventures?

ST: Relentless resilience comes first, and I seem to have a huge amount. Getting over every problem, if it even takes 10 years—1987, 2008, 2020, illness, divorce, and adopting my children.

Staying in my lane and becoming the best. I have had many ideas in the past, but I stayed with PR to ensure I was a thought leader, and it was the right strategy.

Growth mindset always: aim for the sky, and if you fall, there will be clouds. Anita’s mantra: Think big but act small.

Best practices in business and process ensure there is no room for error.

TWB: How do you see the role of PR evolving in today’s digital age, and what opportunities and challenges does this present for businesses and organisations?

ST: PR is social media, word of mouth, building relationships, community, influencing, and profile, and PR has already evolved to be ahead of the curve with these channels, etc. We put clients on social media channels when they were invented years ago, which is why most have their own names on them: TikTok is important, as are Instagram, Facebook groups, and LinkedIn. I remember a client telling me about 12 years ago that LinkedIn was awful, and I said, “Just wait” and made them persevere.

Teaching and coaching: how to do it yourself for solopreneurs and brands that don’t want to pay huge agency fees. Hence Mastering a Smart You series, which I invented with books, retreats, courses, coaching, teaching, etc.

Being high profile is no debate if you want to be successful; the media online is especially important. It can change everything by getting an article in the telegraph online with a backlink to your site—clients, followers, and search ranking increases for your site.

PR will never die because we will always have media!

“We put clients on social media channels when they were invented years ago, which is why most have their own names on them: TikTok is important, as are Instagram, Facebook groups, and LinkedIn. I remember a client telling me about 12 years ago that LinkedIn was awful, and I said, “Just wait” and made them persevere.”

– Sara Tye

TWB: With your extensive experience in entrepreneurship, what advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to start their own ventures?

ST: Just do it when you are ready. Do not start if your mindset is wrong. But the longer you leave it, the less you will achieve—time versus outcome. 

Getting a great coach and teacher is vital. I never had that, so I made a lot of mistakes, which I can ensure solopreneurs avoid. In my day, it was do or die.

TWB: You’ve been recognised with awards such as ‘Green PR of London’ and a lifetime achievement award. What do these accolades mean to you, and how have they influenced your career trajectory?

ST: They give me a moment to reflect and recognise my work. I have actually helped so many businesses, charities, and organizations that I don’t really know their full legacy.

They are very important for all businesses as they demonstrate best practices and give credibility to their work, which will ultimately improve customer revenue.  Getting the best award would be life-changing for some owners, for example.

TWB: Could you share some insights into your property investment journey, both in the UK and internationally, and how it complements your work in PR and business development?

ST: When you have good profit in your business you need to do something with it.  Keep some for reinvestment in the business for example.  A pound invested in your hustle could produce 10x in return.  But sometimes your get a better return elsewhere. Property was my investment.  I have owned 14 properties over time and many rentals – London, Marbella, Wiltshire, Surrey.  You buy where your investment will grow – not the property necessarily.  I always stretched to the limit, and it has paid off.  You treat it like another business and investment.  

TWB: As a speaker, writer, coach, mentor, and trainer, how do you balance these various roles, and what drives your passion for sharing knowledge and expertise with others?

ST: They are all integral.  Give and You Will Never Take.  They all link to revenue and marketing and PR of course – in the end your search on Google etc. should be endless and pages and pages so there is no doubt who Sara Tye is.   

TWB: In your opinion, what are some of the most important skills or qualities that aspiring PR professionals and entrepreneurs should cultivate to thrive in today’s competitive landscape?

ST: Integrity

Authenticity

Doing GOOD business

Giving not taking

Growth mindset

Confidence to run it

TWB: Looking ahead, what are your goals and aspirations for the future, both personally and professionally?

ST: My goals are to be a more present and really enjoy what I do.  I spent so much time building a successful mountain!! I never really looked out from that.

To put everything that I do in a place where people can have access forever.

Spend more time with friends and family and a lot of friends are clients or students, too.

TWB: Finally, with over 30 years of communications expertise, what do you consider the most rewarding aspect of your career, and what motivates you to continue making an impact in your field?

ST: Helping so many businesses and brands such as Nokia, Centrepoint, Prince of Wales, Thames Water in the early days, Yellow Pages, The Body Shop, the late Dame Anita Roddick, Green & Black’s to name but a few.

I have worked all over the world at a very young age. Philippines, Goa, US, Calcutta, Nepal, Most of Europe, run events Gstaad, Grindelwald, Ibiza and Marbella.

I love being in PR as I get to be high profile and help others be high profile. I have met the King, Prince of Wales, and the late Queen; worked with Shaa Wasmund, Ruby Wax, David Bellamy, Chrissie Hind, Linda Barker, etc.; and, sat with great authors such as Nadine Matheson and Jessica Fellowes, and TikTok influencers like Anna Brading.

Such a privilege which enriched my life. ⭐

“I love being in PR as I get to be high profile and help others be high profile. I have met the King, Prince of Wales, and the late Queen; worked with Shaa Wasmund, Ruby Wax, David Bellamy, Chrissie Hind, Linda Barker, etc.; and, sat with great authors such as Nadine Matheson and Jessica Fellowes, and TikTok influencers like Anna Brading.
Such a privilege which enriched my life.”

– Sara Tye

Know more and connect with Sara Tye through the following links:

• https://saratye.com/
• https://redheadpr.co.uk/
• https://www.myopr.co.uk/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/redheadpr/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/saratye/

We’d love to know what you think.

How do you prioritize timing and mindset in your own entrepreneurial journey, and what strategies do you employ to ensure you’re ready to take action?

What resonated with you the most from Sara Tye’s journey and advice on resilience and growth mindset?

In today’s digital age, how do you perceive the evolving role of PR, and what opportunities do you see for businesses and organizations?

Sara emphasizes the importance of integrity, authenticity, and giving back in PR and entrepreneurship. How do you incorporate these values into your own professional endeavors?

What are your key takeaways from Sara’s insights on property investment and its complementarity with her work in PR and business development?

Do share your thoughts in the comments below and continue the conversation!