How to Turn Grief Into a Brand, a Movement, and a Mission

What does it really take to turn grief into purpose, and build a life anchored in giving, creativity, and real human connection

For Sarah Akiba, celebrity stylist and founder of the nonprofit “Angel Watching Over Me,” it started with loss. After her father passed away, she built community through support groups, opened safe spaces for girls in public schools, and launched multiple ventures—all rooted in service and soul

In this episode of Common Denominator, we unpack how grief became Sarah’s superpower, how she balances creativity with entrepreneurship, and why alignment, not aesthetics, is what truly connects people.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

💔 How personal tragedy sparked a movement of healing and service

👗 What working closely with Latin music’s biggest stars revealed about fame, trust, and humanity

💡 How to build businesses from a giving, not taking, perspective

☕ Why she’s opening a coffee shop to bring people back to real life connection

🧘‍♀️ The power of intention, journaling, and walking away from performative hustle

🎯 Why success starts with self-alignment, not comparison

📱 Her rule for using social media without letting it use you

Like this episode? Leave a review here: https://ratethispodcast.com/commondenominator

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro: The Power of Giving Back

02:02 Journey into Celebrity Styling

06:02 The Human Side of Artists

11:04 Navigating Trust and Connection

15:03 The Birth of a Nonprofit

20:02 Finding Purpose in Business

24:45 Gratitude and Well-Being

28:42 Consistency and Heart in Entrepreneurship

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/soakiba/

🎙 Common Denominator Podcast

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