How Sara McCarthy Turned a Career Pivot Into a Creative Studio

When Sara McCarthy was laid off from her role at a New York City ad agency, it could have been an ending. Instead, she treated it as a beginning. Leaning on her creativity, sharp instincts, and a knack for building meaningful relationships, Sara set out on her own—turning her agency-honed skills into something entirely hers.

In 2018, that leap became One Eleven Creative, a copy studio known for crafting bold brand voices and campaigns that actually stick. Since then, Sara has partnered with brands like Starbucks, Peloton, Google, and Nickelodeon. Her journey is a reminder that stepping into the unknown isn’t just risky—it can be powerful. Keep reading to learn more about it.

Did you always know that you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

Not even a little! I got laid off from an agency—and honestly, it was the best thing that ever happened to me. What felt like a gut punch at first turned into a wake-up call. I figured out how to freelance, then how to turn that into a business. And now, nine years later, I'm launching a copy studio. It pays to bet on yourself.

We dare you to brag: What achievements are you most proud of?

I'm most proud of being fully booked for nine straight years as a freelancer—no gaps, no dry spells—because I’ve never relied on luck. Instead, I focused on consistent outreach, real relationships, and doing work people actually want to come back for.

What are the biggest mistakes you've made?

Thinking I had to do everything myself. I wore every hat, held every deadline, and told myself that those are just things that "driven" people do. I juggled it until it cost me time, energy, and bigger opportunities. Now, I know better. I'm building to grow, hiring smart, outsourcing what's not mine to carry, and realizing that doing it all isn't impressive—building it well is.

How do you celebrate successes along the way?

Vacation or wellness retreats. If I'm not booking a flight, I'm buying myself something that feels a little unnecessary (which makes it perfect) or treating my family to something great. To me, celebrating isn't extra. It's earned.

What's next for you and your company/career?

Building this copy studio into the kind of place brands call when they're done playing it safe, which means more retainer clients and more aligned partnerships. Public speaking is also a big passion of mine that's taken a back seat for too long. To correct this, I recently started teaching at Miami Ad School, which cracked something open for me. I love being in the room where ideas are forming. Going forward, I want to teach more creative classes and host workshops for corporate teams—brand voice, campaign-level thinking, creative unblocking that actually connects to people and business.