Listen "306 Random Conversations with Sarah Dennis"
Episode Synopsis
Cast your mind back, was your careers advice useful? Did it tap straight into your passions and purpose or did you get channelled straight into the rat race? After a re-evaluation whilst travelling the world and after losing her father to pancreatic cancer, Sarah Dennis felt ready to take a massive leap from the world of corporate banking to become a bookshop owner. Using the process of elimination and her own funnelling technique, Sarah took a calculated risk to scratch the itch that would lead to her own personal fulfilment. Books are very much Sarah's happy place and her purpose-driven community-focused businesses all started from a couple of random conversations from across opposing sides of the world. KEY TAKEAWAY "I made a decision I was going to because I had a very random conversation with this couple somewhere in South America who were from Scotland. And I said, I really want to open a bookshop, but I just don't think it's really viable these days. And she said, "Oh, no, that's not true. This amazing book shop just opened in our small town that is doing really well. If you find the right place, you could do it." ABOUT SARAH DENNIS Sarah Dennis is the owner of two award-winning independent bookshops, Mostly Books in Abingdon and The Borzoi Bookshop in Stow-on-the-Wold. In addition to running her own shops, Sarah is a non-executive Director of the Divisional Board of the Booksellers Association and is a member of the BA Children's Bookselling Group. Sarah holds an MMath (Hons) in Mathematics from the University of Manchester and an MSc in Mathematical Trading & Finance from City University. Prior to working in the book trade, she worked in finance. In her free time Sarah enjoys wild swimming, running and sampling a wide selection of gin! CONNECT WITH SARAH Personal @sdennis_UK (Insta) @SDennisBooks (Twitter) @sdennis.uk (Facebook) Work @mostlybooks_shop (Insta) @mostlyreading (Twitter) @mostlybooksabingdon (Facebook) @borzoibookshop (Insta, Twitter & Facebook) ABOUT THE HOST - AMY ROWLINSON Amy is a Life Purpose Coach, Podcast Strategist, Top 1% Global Podcaster, Speaker, Mastermind Host and Property Investor. Through 1:1 and group coaching, Amy works with individuals and businesses to improve productivity, engagement and fulfilment, to banish overwhelm, underwhelm and frustration and to welcome clarity, achievement and purpose. WORK WITH AMY Amy inspires and empowers entrepreneurial clients to discover the life they dream of by assisting them to make it their reality through their own action taking. Helping them to focus on their WHY with clarity uniting their passion and purpose with a plan to create the life they truly desire. If you would like Amy to help you to launch your podcast or to focus on your WHY then please book a free 20 min call via www.calendly.com/amyrowlinson/enquirycall KEEP IN TOUCH WITH AMY Sign up for the weekly Friday Focus - https://www.amyrowlinson.com/subscribe-to-weekly-newsletter CONNECT WITH AMY https://linktr.ee/AmyRowlinson HOSTED BY: Amy Rowlinson DISCLAIMER The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guest speakers. Please conduct your own due diligence.
More episodes of the podcast Focus on WHY
496 Better Than Yesterday with Dan MacQueen
14/01/2026
494 The Stallion Mind with Cat Williams
17/12/2025
493 Unlimited Compassion with Sarah Hubbard
10/12/2025
491 Give Kids a Purpose with Tina Feigal
26/11/2025
487 Own Your Wealth with Rebecca Robertson
29/10/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.