What does it take to build a thriving downtown? On this episode of Take a Seat with Sara, Sara sits down with Jennifer Scripps, President and CEO of Downtown Dallas Inc., to discuss the future of downtown Dallas, the power of community partnerships, and the opportunities shaping the city's next chapter.

Jennifer shares her journey from helping bring the Perot Museum of Nature and Science to life to leading downtown revitalization efforts. She discusses attracting more residents and businesses downtown, creating walkable and vibrant public spaces, addressing homelessness, and preparing Dallas for major developments and global events like FIFA.

Plus, Jennifer opens up about finding balance, unplugging from the everyday hustle, and why we should celebrate the people and positive changes happening around us rather than getting caught up in negative headlines.

Join Sara for an inspiring conversation about leadership, optimism, and what it takes to build a stronger, more connected Dallas.

In this episode:
- Jennifer's career journey and leadership at Downtown Dallas Inc.
- The future of downtown Dallas and urban development
- Creating a more walkable, vibrant city for residents and visitors
- Community partnerships and efforts to address homelessness
- Why optimism and celebrating positive change matter
- Finding balance, unplugging, and embracing life's beautiful chaos

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to like, subscribe, and share it with someone who loves Dallas and believes in the power of community!

What happens when you find work that feels like exactly where you’re meant to be?\

On this episode of Take a Seat with Sara, Sara sits down with Joanna Clarke, President and CEO of Community Partners of Dallas, for a conversation about purpose, leadership, community, and making a lasting impact.

Joanna shares the unexpected path that led her from working on a cruise ship to discovering her passion for nonprofit work and ultimately spending nearly two decades at Community Partners of Dallas. She opens up about stepping into the CEO role, building meaningful connections across Dallas, and the importance of creating opportunities for abused and neglected children to thrive.

Sara and Joanna also talk about the power of volunteering, the importance of finding your voice, navigating leadership transitions, and Community Partners of Dallas’ growing efforts to support children and young adults as they plan for their futures.

Plus, the two dive into Joanna’s love of mahjong, travel, being an extrovert, and a fun rapid-fire round to end the conversation.

If you’re looking for a little inspiration to get more connected, give back, or find purpose in the work you do, this conversation is for you.

On this episode of Take a Seat with Sara, Sara sits down with longtime friend and entrepreneur Matt Waldon for a deeply personal conversation about family, faith, career pivots, and what it really takes to become a founder.

Matt shares the journey that took him from a successful career in commercial real estate to helping build Hybrid Coffee, Chadwick Coffee Co., and Windmill Commercial. But behind the businesses is a story filled with challenges that reshaped how he thinks about success — including infertility, adoption, his daughter Eleanor’s serious health battles, career setbacks, financial uncertainty, and the decision to prioritize his family even when it meant walking away from the security he once depended on.

Matt also shares how his wife Rebecca’s pursuit of cleaner living inspired Chadwick Coffee: a specialty coffee brand focused on creating a beautiful, thoughtfully sourced coffee experience without many of the ingredients and materials they wanted to avoid.

Through it all, Matt discovered that sometimes the hardest seasons are the ones that reveal what you were meant to build.

Sara and Matt talk about overcoming fear, trusting your calling, asking for help, entrepreneurship, hospitality, and why some people may spend years following before realizing they were meant to become founders.

It’s an honest conversation about building businesses — but even more importantly, building a life around what matters most.