Episode 4: Sarah Dale
When Power Meets Purpose: Sarah Dale on Reinventing Leadership & Building Her Own Lane
A Corporate Baddie Podcast Recap
In this episode of The Corporate Baddie, host Jen Werner is joined by the brilliant and bold Sarah Dale—former CRO of Nativo, longtime sales leader, and now the founder of Project 1490, a trailblazing community built to help high-performing women rediscover their voice, power, and potential.
What started as a summer internship at Fortune Magazine evolved into a 30-year career in media, advertising, and ad tech—and now, she’s flipping the script entirely. If you’re thinking about a career pivot, craving deeper purpose, or just need a dose of “hell yes” energy, this conversation is for you.
From Corporate Leader to Community Builder
Sarah’s career reads like a playbook of success: leadership roles at BusinessWeek, The Wall Street Journal, and most recently as CRO at Nativo, where she scaled revenue and rebuilt teams. But even at the top of her game, she found herself asking a deeper question:
“Is this the right train for me? It served me well but is this it?”
That moment of pause led her to launch Project 1490, a membership-based leadership community designed to push women beyond their comfort zones: with archery, poker, fire-building, and fierce female connections.
Lessons on Leadership & Self-Belief
Throughout the episode, Sarah shares real talk on what it takes to rise, lead, and stay true to yourself:
On first-time leadership:
“I remember the moment I realized I was the one running the meeting. That shift from peer to manager, it’s a lonely one at first.”
On finding your power:
“When I stopped trying to be one of the boys and leaned into my own strengths, that’s when everything changed.”
On voice vs. title:
“I don’t let anyone at 1490 introduce themselves by job title. We are more than our roles, we are human beings first.”
Project 1490: Badassery Meets Real Sisterhood
Project 1490 isn’t your average leadership program. Think elegant dinners after outdoor adventure challenges. Think writing circles, hard conversations, book deals, and startup dreams. Think women cheering each other on instead of sizing each other up.
“We’ve had members negotiate severance, launch LLCs, get published, and rediscover their joy.”
Whether you’re chasing your next big move or looking for a new community to grow with, Sarah’s created a space where power and vulnerability can coexist, and where success is redefined on your terms.
Explore the community at www.project1490.com
Her Corporate Baddie Moment?
Sarah shares a legendary turnaround story: she took over a struggling department, united the team with a bold vision, and within 9 months, they were ranked #1 in the industry.
“I told them, that’s the bus. If you’re not on it, get off now.”
And when finance started micromanaging her from the sidelines? Let’s just say she had the authority (and the receipts) to shut it down.
Why This Episode Matters
This is more than a career chat, it’s a raw, empowering reminder that you can walk away from success to build something more aligned. You can go from corporate titles to creative fire. And you can help others rise while doing it.
“We are unstoppable when we play careers as a team sport.” Sarah Dale
