Celebrating Women Entrepreneurs: Meet Sarah from Batchelor of Art

This International Women’s Day, we recognise and celebrate the incredible achievements of women across industries. Here at Tide, we’re proud to support and spotlight the inspiring women in our community, who are building businesses, breaking barriers, and making an impact.

Today, we introduce you to Sarah, founder of Batchelor of Art! Sarah’s business upcycles and repurposes discarded objects, giving them new life. She encourages female entrepreneurs to face their fears and take risks, just like she did when she sang on the Pyramid Stage in front of 100,000 people at Glastonbury.

What inspired you to start Batchelor of Art, and what has been your biggest achievement as a female entrepreneur?

I’ve always played with art. Painting, creating, sewing – you name it, and I’ve dabbled in it. I never had time to indulge these passions completely, but after selling my commercial laundry business and recovering from lung cancer, I finally do. So really, my biggest achievement to date is being able to say ‘Hi, I’m Sarah, I’m an artist’.

What challenges have you faced as a female entrepreneur in the art industry, and how have you navigated them?

The art world is huge, and as a mature woman just starting out in this industry with no professional art qualifications, it was daunting. However, I have years of experience in other fields, which has really helped.

Art is, after all, a business, and as a successful business owner, I’ve been able to transfer my skills – like marketing, admin and finance. Whether it’s an art business or you’re selling nails, you have to get the basics right and have confidence in your product!

What does International Women’s Day mean to you?

Should we need a day to focus on being a woman? No, we shouldn’t. But the reality is that women all over the world are still undervalued, ignored and discriminated against.

We’ve come a long way, but we still have so much more to do to achieve parity. So, to me, the day means staying visible and continuing banging the drum to celebrate what we women can achieve, and how our diversity adds and brings value to society.

This year’s International Women’s Day theme is ‘Accelerate Action.’ What actions do you think are most needed to support women in creative industries?

Visibility. We need to be seen and our voices to be heard, especially – being slightly biased here – older women. We’re not grey and invisible, and our life experiences really can influence our work.

How does Batchelor of Art empower or inspire women?

I don’t do anything difficult, I simply create my artwork and craft objects. While they’re unique to me and in my style, other people can do it too. What I do differently is that I actually dare to do it, and do it commercially.

I’ve put my head above the parapet and said, ‘so what if I have no professional art training? Why should that stop me?’ After all, the name of my business is Batchelor of Art, a tongue-in-cheek to my lack of the qualification – it also helps that my married surname is actually Batchelor!

Who are the women that inspire you?

Ann Carrington, she creates stunning sculptures using discarded objects, I first encountered her art at a charity dinner at Goldsmiths Hall, where one of her pieces, The Pearly Queen was being auctioned off.

Ann works hard in a medium that is traditionally male- dominated, and after navigating my own career in a very male-centric world, I appreciate the importance of showing what us women can do.

Lastly, what piece of advice would you give to aspiring female entrepreneurs?

Do it. Whatever your idea, whatever you want to do, just do it. Feel the fear and do it anyway! That was drummed into me at business college in the 1980s, and it has always stayed with me. And you know what? It has worked!