Do you need a book recommendation? Are you a cat lover seeking out more of your own? Or perhaps you’d like to connect with an eagle-eyed editor who will fix those pesky grammar errors on your latest writing project—and do it in the nicest way possible.
If you’ve answered yes to any of the above, you’ll likely want to touch base with Guerrero’s Special Projects Editor Sara Deeter. Learn about her incredible career journey, unique extracurricular activities, and her impactful work.
Where are you originally from and what is your background?
I’m from a small town called Arlington, Washington: it’s located about an hour north of Seattle and is close to what are (in my completely unbiased opinion) some of the best hiking trails in the country.
Growing up, I was the stereotypical awkward, introvert bookworm nerd—I loved reading, writing, and school, and always imagined I’d combine those passions and become an English teacher. But just a few months into my college experience, I realized how many other things I could do with an English degree and decided to make a pivot.
Since graduating from college, I’ve worked as a freelance writer for a company that was positioning itself as the BuzzFeed of the literary world. I’ve helped scientists, engineers, business executives, and other extraordinary leaders from around the world tell their stories and explain the impact of their work so that they could obtain a visa to work in the United States. I’ve used my writing and editing skills to help a Stanford alumna build an app dedicated to helping women and other underrepresented professionals navigate through and around bias in the workplace.
And here at Guerrero, I have helped numerous executives and business leaders share their insights, elevate their thought leadership, and carve new career paths for themselves. I love the fact that I have made a real impact on others—and all through the power of words.
How did you first come to work for Guerrero?
Before I came to Guerrero, I worked at an immigration law firm where I became friends with one of the kindest, most talented, and most generous people I’ve ever had the privilege to meet. She joined Guerrero in the spring of 2019 and convinced me to come on board a few months later.
What do you do at Guerrero today?
I am the special projects editor: I publish digital content for Hispanic Executive and Profile, two of the company’s most dynamic media brands. The content I work on is unlike anything else the company has ever worked on, so it’s an incredible opportunity to experiment, push boundaries, and explore new possibilities.
How would you describe your leadership style?
Empathetic, forward-looking, and results-driven.
How have you maintained a connection with your team during the pandemic?
We are in constant communication, but my favorite way that we’ve stayed connected is through a Slack channel that we call #cat-therapy. We drop pictures and videos of our fur babies so that they receive the widespread worship they deserve, and we share funny cat-related memes that we happen across on social media.
What makes Guerrero such a great place to work?
There is no shortage of new opportunities. Guerrero has a very entrepreneurial culture, so even if you don’t see an opportunity to try something new or start something of your own, you can create one.
What do you like to do when you are not working?
If I were being mostly honest, I’d say that I spend my free time getting involved in my community and learning new things. It’s been my honor to serve as a board member for the Yale Club of Chicago for the past four years, and that’s afforded me an unparalleled chance to give back to both the Yale community and the local Chicago community. I also dabble as a volunteer transcriber for the Library of Congress: I’ve helped transcribe historical documents related to the women’s suffrage movement, personal papers belonging to George Washington, and other incredible historical treasures.
If I were completely honest, however, I’d admit that the majority of my free time is spent reading, snuggling my fat cat, trying delicious new vegan recipes, and rewatching my favorite TV shows for the seventeenth time.
What would you do if you weren’t so passionate about editing?
I would open up a bookstore cafe to celebrate everything associated with books and writing. The cafe would have literature-themed drinks (e.g., “Mr. Darcy’s First Proposal,” which would taste bitter at first but would grow on you the more you sipped it. Hehe.).
The book sections wouldn’t follow the traditional layout for bookstores: rather than organizing books into the typical categories (e.g., fiction, nonfiction, and sci-fi/fantasy), I would organize things to help people find what they’re actually looking for (e.g., Slightly Trashy Beach Reads, Cottagecore Romance, It’s All Greek (and Roman)). Those sections would be a combination of genres, so people would be encouraged to explore new types of stories and discover things they might not have ever expected to enjoy.