MULTIPLI [CITY]

Our next stop was with the creative and ambitious Sarah Giffrow.  Her current life is highlighted by courage, dedication, and passion for her work.  Taking the leap to work for herself, she claims that it's her biggest decision in life and that her biggest regret is not having done it sooner.  It's been two years since she started her business and there seems to be no wasted time with Sarah; no moment taken for granted.  She is still moving full steam to push her company to success while simultaneously having fun and embracing her individuality.

South African born Sami Van Der Westhuizen was a pleasant surprise for us.  Her kind and loving soul was evident in the way she spoke about the people in her life.  She openly defines her life by her relationships with her family, partner, and friends.  Sami's accomplishments, inspirations, and passions are deeply rooted in people serving as a reminder about the importance of human connection.

Next, Katie Guinn, a Portland native, musician's wife, kick-ass mother, Portland Mercury writer, freelance designer, and self-proclaimed party animal, is one of the more complete representations of Portland.  Her goal is for her and her family to live a fulfilling life and with the way she swallows experiences and opportunities, she's on the right course.

Rounding out our community, Margaret Heald.  Reflective, curious, and full of beautiful life.  She absorbs inspiration from the world and radiantly emits it back.  Unafraid of the bumps and bruises, she discards the thought of a safe life and instead choses to enjoy the ride.

"I had some family friends I grew up with who went to college in Portland. I wanted to move to the West Coast but wasn’t so sure about cities like San Francisco or Seattle. I came out to visit once summer during my college days and fell in love with Portland. I went to Mt Hood, the coast, grabbed beers at the original incarnation of Bridgeport Brewing in the Pearl, went swimming in the Clackamas River......just doing all these very Portland things. I moved out here with my dog Bo in 1995 and have lived here ever since."

What are 3 words that best describe you? -Curious -Sporty -Kind

Who are the most important people in your life? (right now and/or ever)

-my family: mother/father/brother

-my friends: too many to count, but each and every one of them is such an important part of me and they make my life richer in so many and such different ways.

-art teachers: for encouraging me and contributing to my talents, the lessons from grade school to college have stayed with me and continue to enlighten along the way.

-previous boss: sadly, I no longer get to work with her, but she set such an sterling example of how to work, how to think, how to create, how to dream.....mentor just doesn’t quite cover it....she’s such a creative bad ass.

What are most important to you in life right now? (goal and/or passion)

"I love my career, I feel so fortunate to get to do creative work that is challenging and inspiring and satisfying.  I am very focused right now on how to continue to make that path as meaningful as possible.

That being said, I am guilty of being a workaholic, so my goal for 2014 is to spennd as much time and energy for those things that inspire me outside of work, to not lose myself in the corporate grind.

I am focused on learning some new sports like stand up paddle boarding, determined to get back into triathlons as I miss the training, and creative projects - do something crafty outside of my day job. I’d also love to learn another language, maybe Spanish as I want to go to Barcelona. I’d also like to figure out how to volunteer somewhere, to start to pay it forward or pay it back somehow. It’s too bad I have a day job ( ;"

What inspires or motivates you?

inspires:

"music, art, good writing (books, poems, articles) photography, nature + being outdoors, getting my heart rate up, sunshine, people and the stories they have to tell, travel."

motivates:

"to learn as much as I can, in the time that I have; to be kind and true; to know that I gave my best"

What is your personal philosophy?

I have 2.

#1 : “Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘Holy shit…what a ride!” - Hunter S. Thompson

#2 : “I live to laugh, and I laugh to live.” - Milton Berle

What is one of the most important decisions you’ve made in life?

#1 moving to Oregon

"It changed my life. Not just geographically, but it changed who I am and the kind of person I have grown to be. The people I have met along the way, the experiences I have had, the things I do, all of it. If you would have asked me all those years ago, if I could see myself where I am today, I couldn’t have imagined it. I love the life that I have here."

#2 changing careers

"I’ve been fortunate to have had multiple careers in a wide range of fields - worked in Montessori schools out of college, worked in the lm business after that, and i'm a designer now. Every time I made the decision to change jobs and change careers, the world opened up before me in new and exciting ways."

What is your best accomplishment so far?

Margaret Heald, we met in Portland.  She is a designer at Columbia Sportswear and has such a raw appreciation for life.  We've spent some time with Margaret and we like how she values passion, experiences, and relationships in a truly uncomplicated way.  We also appreciate how she takes on challenging situations in a "it's a part of life" kind of way.  Being honest and positive, appears to allow her to enjoy the abundance of good things life offers everyday.