Sarah Priddy
Actor
Sarah Priddy
Actor
Not all business owners run an online shop or bricks and mortar and our guest today gives us a glimpse into the wonderful work of acting! Actor and mum of two, Sarah Priddy is one of those wonderful rays of light that just exudes positivity. Having been introduced at an event for women run by the lovely Penny Bird (see Penny’s interview for more) I am delighted to share a little more about juggling this busy career with family life.
Can you tell us a little bit about your background and your journey to where you are today?
Absolutely! Well, I am a professional actor and it took me several years before I was able to say that confidently out loud. I did not follow the traditional path many assume most actors take, going to drama school, although performing, mainly dancing, was a huge part of my early childhood. I came into the ‘business’ of acting much later in life.
Even though I loved and spent much of my early years performing, a career in the performing arts never felt like a realistic option for me. I dutifully went to university, graduated, spent a few years working in retail, before landing within the dynamic, exciting London advertising industry. Working for a few years at an agency before spending over a decade at a consultancy that matched clients and agencies.
It was during this period that I studied drama in the evenings on a foundation course and envisioned perhaps applying to drama school. However, I fell pregnant with my daughter and thoughts of focusing on anything other than motherhood were suppressed. Whilst on maternity leave with my son, I decided to step back on stage with a local amateur dramatic society, and my passion for performance came flooding back. After the birth of my son, I decided not to return to work, joined an extras agency and continued to perform locally in my spare time. A freelancer by definition is a person who works as a writer, designer, performer, or the like, selling work or services by the hour, day, job, etc., rather than working on a regular salary basis for on employer. I had technically already taken that step, but it would take a couple of years and the loss of my mother to propel me toward making my passion my business.
What a journey! What was it that led you to decide to go for it and pursue acting as a career?
I remember the specific conversation I had with my mother, who at the time was very poorly, that inspired me to pursue acting as a professional career. We were chatting as she lay in bed and I was expressing my concern about her health, she said to me with such lucidity and acceptance that “if it is my time to go, I have had a wonderful life.” Now, my mother had been a nurse her whole life, she was rather stoic but would have been very aware of the severity of her condition. She passed away a couple of weeks later from pancreatic cancer. When I thought back to that moment, it was the purest of inspirations for me to dispel any fears preventing me from taking the plunge. We only ever truly regret the things we never try. I was determined to honour the memory of my mother by trying.
“You don’t become what you want, you become what you believe.”
Being self employed can be wonderful but there must have been challenges along the way, can you share any and your learnings from these?
As an actor, I am in essence a self-employed business owner and face similar challenges to other sole traders. Actors also endure, on a daily basis, rejection, financial aguish and unemployment. A study by Queen Mary University of London (my alma mater) investigating success within show business referenced surveys which showed only 2% of actors make a living from the profession, with 90% being out of work at any one time. Statistics that prove it is not the money that entices individuals into the profession!
As with any business, knowing your brand is vital, and ensuring your ‘product’ (yourself) is in optimum condition is essential. One of the greatest challenges for any business owner is finding the resilience to carry on when times are tough and as actors face rejection daily, finding that resilience can be incredibly difficult. Self-care is an absolute must for any actor wanting longevity in the business.
What keeps you energised during the difficult periods?
The practice of daily meditation. I try to find 5-20 minutes each morning to sit and centre myself, creating a clear intention for the day ahead. Routine can be very lacking from the daily life of an actor, so meditation can be a proactive choice and habit.
Is there anything in particular you love most about running your own business?
The freedom to choose my own path. Every choice I make may not be perfect but making those choices is empowering and liberating.
What would be the one piece of advice you would give someone who wants to follow their passion?
Start. We can always find a reason to put things off, but we only have one life and it’s important to do whatever it is that brings us fulfilment.
How has the pandemic affected your business? Have you needed to pivot or change in any way?
Covid-19 has had a massively detrimental affect on the arts. When the pandemic hit and we went into lockdown in the UK, I was two days out from opening night for a stage production which was cancelled and another production I had been in rehearsals for was also cancelled. I fortunately was able to eventually perform in both plays, one as a hybrid theatre/live stream and the other as a live stream only production. I’ve massively improved my self-taping skills over the past two years. Learning to transform and quickly adapt to the ‘new normal’ has been interesting and made me realise engaging in new digital ways of working, networking and learning can open up new avenues and opportunities you may never have thought about before.
Ironically, what the pandemic has reinforced to me is that change is perhaps life’s only constant. Becoming comfortable with change is one of the most productive things you can do for any business.
If you could have any superpower, what would you pick and why?
Super strength. I love the idea of being able to lift the sofa with one hand to vacuum underneath it.
To find out more about Sarah you can follow her on social media or find her on the links below.
Spotlight www.spotlight.com/profile/4138-9084-3193
Instagram @sarahpriddyuk
Twitter @sarahpriddyuk