Dejunkifying Operations: Sarah Smith on Systems, Scaling, and Founder

About This Episode

After being laid off for the third time, Sarah Smith decided she was done letting other people determine her career path. That decision led to Iconoclast Innovations, the Loudoun County consulting firm where she now helps founders and small business owners cut through operational clutter — or as she calls it, "dejunkify" — so they can actually retain the revenue they're working so hard to generate.

The conversation traces Sarah's winding road to this point: an earlier business venture in 2018 that "lovingly failed," a return to subcontracting as a leadership development coach, a stint reforming operations processes for a DC-based company, and then a deliberate pause to be present with her second child before relaunching with a sharper focus. Rather than presenting entrepreneurship as a straight line, Sarah is candid about the trial and error involved — and about choosing, this time, to build a business around work she's genuinely excited about.

For Loudoun County business owners, Sarah's story is a reminder that operational systems and founder well-being are connected, and that the businesses worth building often come from figuring out where personal interest and market need actually overlap.

Key Topics Discussed

• The origin of Iconoclast Innovations — Sarah started the company after being laid off for the third time, deciding to take control of her own work rather than depend on employers.
• Learning from a failed first business — Her 2018 venture didn't succeed, but it taught her lessons about marketing and client acquisition that shaped her current approach.
• The evolution from subcontracting to a focused business — Sarah moved through coaching, leadership development, and operations consulting before narrowing in on the work she does today.
• Balancing motherhood and business timing — She intentionally slowed down after her second child was born, choosing presence over rushing back into subcontracting work.
• Finding the overlap between passion and opportunity — Sarah agrees that she sells best when she's personally invested in the work, not just filling a market gap.
• The everyday stress of running a small business — Taxes, specifically the 15% self-employment tax, remain a top stress trigger regardless of business success.

Notable Quotes

I decided, okay, let's at least start subcontracting or something and see what comes of it.

Sarah describes the tentative first steps she took after being laid off for the third time.

I was kind of done having other people determine what I should be doing.

Explaining the mindset shift that pushed her toward starting her own business.

It seems like you're supposed to come to this entrepreneurship journey fully formed and ready, and that's not my experience at all.

Sarah pushes back on the myth that founders need to have everything figured out before starting.

I'm much more I'm a better salesperson when it's something I'm personally psyched about.

Responding to the idea that sustainable business happens at the intersection of passion and market opportunity.

Local Business Takeaways

• Don't wait to feel "fully formed" before starting a business — Sarah's path shows that clarity often comes through doing the work, not before it.
• Subcontracting can be a low-risk way to test new business directions before committing fully, as Sarah did with coaching and operations consulting.
• Protect intentional personal time, even during business growth phases — Sarah's choice to slow down after her second child ultimately shaped a more focused business.
• Look for the overlap between what the market needs and what genuinely energizes you — it shows up directly in stronger sales performance.
• Budget and plan for self-employment tax early; it's a recurring stress point for small business owners regardless of revenue growth.