Doer Spotlight: Sarah Shandl, Dreamers + Doers

“I’m a dreamer and doer. I wanted to find other people like me and create awesome things together.”

Meet Sarah Shandl. The mind behind one of the newer initiatives coming out of Vancouver called Dreamers + Doers, a community for those wanting to make a difference in this world. Where many popular speaker series leave attendees inspired but asking ‘now what?’ at the end of the event, Dreamers + Doers produce events that not only educate and inspire, but also have a clear call to action and community building component for attendees. The goal of the project is to connect skilled people across various sectors and careers to make a positive impact in their city, and the world. It showcases a collection of social entrepreneurs, non-profits, creatives, project managers, marketing minds, artists, musicians, and more, and are building something together. By creating these connections, creative changemakers are not only inspired by each other’s stories/projects, but also able to share resources, ideas, and talents to make a greater impact.

dreamers and doers vancouverSo how did this idea come to be?

Sarah has always been an active community builder and networker and knew a lot of the other dreamers out there. While on vacation in Australia over Christmas in 2014, Sarah started thinking about what her goal would be for the new year. How could she inspire people like all of those people she knew who were doing great things…to build a community of engaged, skilled, connected, and creative changemakers in Vancouver, and beyond? With an event management day job, it’s no wonder that Dreamers + Doers was what she ended up creating.

dreamers and doers vancouver event

Dreamers + Doers Team

“With my ‘real job’ I produce large-scale music festivals and events, so the nuts and bolts of event production and project management translated well to the event aspects of this project,” said Sarah.

Sarah will tell you that nothing great is ever done on your own. After she imagined the project, she needed a team to help put it together, “I gathered a handful of friends and convinced them to join me on this project. Fortunately my friends are brilliant dreamers and doers themselves and skilled in a variety of areas, so it makes for one amazing team.” said Sarah.

Together they worked out the nuts and bolts, filled a speaking and performing lineup and had their first ever Dreamers + Doers event. “Without any marketing, and without disclosing any of the event details beyond date, time and location (we kept everything else about it a mystery!), we had over 140 Vancouver millennials purchase tickets to our first event in April.” Said Sarah.

maddie Rosebrugh charity water dreamers and doers vancouver

Sarah Shandl and Maddie Rosebrugh

The impressive lineup included John Bromley, founder and CEO of Chimp an online platform that allows Canadians to give to any charity and get instant tax receipts; Jamie Delaine Watson, a photographer on a mission to build a school in Haiti with The School Sessions; Chris Diplock, founder of The Sharing Project, a multi-staged research project focused on engaging citizens; Maddie Rosebrugh, a seven year old trying to raise money to bring water to those in need; Ash Tanasiychuk, founder and creative director of Format No Auto Creative Projects; and performers Dear Rouge, The Tourist Company and Dia Davina.

There is no rest for the inspired, as Sarah can tell you. In addition to planning other events for Dreamers + Doers in Vancouver (details to come), there has also been interest to bring Dreamers + Doers to other cities in North America. From a single idea, to cities across the continent, sometimes it just takes one person to start off running and other people will want to join the race.

Not only does Sarah set the stage for other doers to inspire, she also ‘does’ herself. She is the creator of Vancouver, we love you, a t-shirt project created for people to share their love of the city. 10% of all shirt sales go to the Covenant House in Vancouver, a house for homeless youth.

vancouver we love you sarah shandl

Vancouver, we love you

Sarah, like many doers, knows it’s not an easy road to start something, especially from the ground up. So what would she tell you about your idea?

“Do it. Build a solid team to do it with you, and just do it. Be more afraid of not doing amazing things with your life than you are of possibly failing at your attempts. “

Name: Sarah Shandl
Does: Dreamers + Doers
Role: Founder
Day Job: Event Production Management
Location: North Vancouver, BC
Inspired by: Other people who have done inspirational things

Find out more and follow Dreamers + Doers here:
Website: www.dreamersanddoers.ca
Twitter: @DreamDoVan
Instagram: @DreamDoVan


Jes

About

Jes spends approximately 25% of her income on brunch, really likes to laugh and is certain if Regina George punched her in the face she would not think it was awesome.



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