Sage Caractère: at the heart of companies

Discover Sage Caractère , a company whose aim is to implement a caring routine into daily life. With a range of carefully developed products, Sage Caractère offers practical stationery for flawless organization. Each product is designed with the needs of neurodivergent people in mind, to make their lives easier and allow them to reach their full potential.
Learn more about the company in this interview where founder, Sarah Gellatly, shares her professional and personal journey that led to the creation of Sage Caractère.

How would you describe Sage Caractère in one sentence?

Sage Caractère is a one-stop-shop for taking care of yourself.

The goal is that there is everything for everyone and in the same place to take care of yourself. Whether to complement an already established routine or to help start a new one.

Who are you? Why did you choose this field?

I have a rather atypical background. I have a background in architecture and I have just finished my bachelor's degree in urban planning. I worked as a designer for a few years and I currently work as a project manager for a school board. The common thread that brings these varied occupations together is really the artistic side.

For as long as I can remember, art has played an important role in my life and within my family. My grandfather, who was an engineer, always brought home huge canvases for us to draw on. I put this passion aside for a few years, but the pandemic allowed me to reconnect with my artistic side. I suddenly had time to draw again.

You should also know that I was diagnosed with ADHD two years ago now. This diagnosis was a great achievement for me. I have always been very impulsive in my decisions and I quickly lose myself in my projects. Drawing came back into my life at that moment, as a tool allowing me to take the time to breathe and slow down.

What was the trigger that pushed you to go into business?

Some time after I got back into drawing, I got a machine to cut stickers. I found immense pleasure in creating visuals. One day, a friend of my sister said to me: “It would be cool if you sold them!” ". Impulsive as ever, I thought about it for about two seconds before deciding to open my Etsy store.

It was this element that led to the creation, a few years later, of Sage Caractère in its current form. I had the desire to transform this small shop into something more serious, which would meet my needs and also help others. This is where the first notebooks were born.

The first notebook I created was the Endless List Notebook . An endless checklist to do, on which it is possible to indicate the date and a title. It was a way to respond to my own organizational challenges and to replace the thousands of post-its that I stuck everywhere. This simple tool really helped me and I figured it might help other people too.

It's all based around the importance of taking a break and my desire to improve people's quality of life.

What is the most memorable moment in your journey as an entrepreneur?

The first WOW moment I had, where I realized the business was growing and it wasn't just me in my living room selling two stickers a year, was last fall when I received my inventory for the Christmas markets.

These were my biggest deals to date. I was present at the Signé Local Christmas market for a week, as well as at another market on the same dates. So around thirty boxes of notebooks were delivered to my home, in addition to materials for making candles. When I finished taking all these boxes down to the basement, there was a little moment where I was like "wow, I'm really building this." It came with a little moment of stress too, because it still represents a lot of investment!

What playlist accompanies your days these days?

I really like country music. There is a playlist that I particularly like on Apple Music and that my sister is tired of hearing. It's the Feet in the Sand playlist , happy and light country music, which has been playing on repeat at my house for at least a month.

What is your next project?

There's nothing official at the moment, I'm not putting pressure on myself with this project, but one addition I would like to make to the current range is to launch the Saga Caractère planner. I've been asked about it for a long time, I'm currently working on it and it should see the light of day eventually.

Looking back, would you have done anything differently? 

I really like my somewhat unusual and impulsive career path, because I think it represents my personality well. However, looking back, I think I would have taken things a little slower on certain things. Take it one step at a time. I really did everything at once, very quickly, and then it almost sent me into exhaustion. So, if I had to do it again, I would learn to listen to myself better and take more time. This is why I don't put pressure on myself with the release of the diary.

What advice would you give to someone starting out?

We are often told not to be afraid to take it, that the first step is the most difficult. However, for people with ADHD, I find that it is not the first step that is difficult, but the second. We are very impulsive, so it's not difficult to go for it, to go on a whim. It's the next step that brings more challenges, to continue and not give up. My only advice would really be to take the time to find what works for you. Not to force yourself to listen to everyone's advice and to create your own recipe that works for you.

What is your wildest dream with the company?

Currently, I would like to be able to increase my points of sale and meet more people, whether through markets or other events. Raise awareness of Sage Caractère so that my products can help as many people as possible.

What has entrepreneurship taught you?

To always keep my bills (laughs)! In fact, entrepreneurship reminded me of the importance of having good time management and good priority management. Whether for Sage Caractère, for school or for work, to find balance and the balance of priorities between the different spheres of my life.

What can we wish you for the future?

Success :) To succeed in reaching more people via Sage Caractère and also to take more time to take care of myself.

A big thank you to Sarah for this real and human conversation.

Want to discover Sage Caractère products which combine functionality and kindness? No worries, you can find a selection of products in our stores.