Sarah Stewart Consulting | Meet Sarah — Meet Sarah

**Sarah Stewart strives to make the entire home-building process seamless, easy, and pleasant for the homeowner, the contractor, and the architect**. With this focus on making the process relaxed, fun, and approachable, Sarah’s priority is building relationships and understanding the homeowners’ everyday needs—with her meticulous organization and rigorous attention to detail only enriching the personalized experience. Sarah considers it an exciting adventure and humbling privilege to help her clients’ dream homes come to life.

The ssc Story

Sarah’s uncompromising commitment to client service is partially due to her background as an event planner at a nationally recognized law firm, where she provided unparalleled management and execution of the firm’s events for its 400+ attorneys across multiple states. She notably planned, coordinated, and hosted the firm’s attorneys and high-profile clients at The Masters for seven consecutive years. She left that career to fulfill the role she considers to be her highest purpose: being a mother. After her children began to transition into daycare and elementary school, she found herself craving an outlet where she could put her specialized skills to work for others.

A light bulb went off while navigating the process of her own home’s extensive renovation. The former event planner recognized an opportunity to create a more elevated client experience. She saw that transparency, clear communication, schedule management, and triple-checking details between parties could streamline the process, while saving money and time. After her home was completed, she soon began working with clients … and in 2018, Sarah Stewart Consulting was born.

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Meet the Team

Virginia Kranzusch | Sarah Stewart Consulting — Virginia Kranzusch

virginia@sarahstewartconsultingllc.com

After graduating from Auburn University, Montgomery native Virginia Kranzusch moved to Birmingham, where she first met and worked for Sarah in the Marketing Events department at a nationally recognized law firm. “Sarah was my first boss, and she taught me ways in which I can leverage my inherent strengths to my benefit as I manage expectations, stay on task, and meet deadlines,” says Virginia, whose strong work ethic and approachable demeanor garnered a promotion to Attorney Recruiting Manager. Highly motivated, dependable, and detail-oriented, Virginia deftly worked alongside a committee of attorneys to manage the recruiting process for all of the law firm’s offices and seamlessly coordinated a sophisticated summer program for 80+ law clerks, including planning and executing a variety of events. When she is not at work managing complex projects, you can find her exercising at Three15 Studio; cheering on the Auburn Tigers; or cooking and enjoying a great glass of wine.

Q & A with Sarah

Hometown
Born in Iowa, raised in Michigan, lived in Alabama since 1998

Favorite Hometown Gem
Good ole Iowa corn

Favorite Birmingham Eatery
Ollie Irene

If you could go back 10 years, what advice would you give yourself?
All the hard lessons will make you wiser. Also, know yourself, and don’t let other people’s opinions change who you are. A good friend once told me, “Don’t let others live rent-free in your mind.”

People might be surprised to learn…
I have a small tattoo on my wrist. It’s a cross with the initials “E.C.”—a cross because I love Jesus and “E.C.” for my Grammy Esther Cooper. I was extraordinarily close to her and felt compelled to do this as a way to keep her close after she died. She would despise a tattoo on her granddaughter, but she might be a little okay with it in realizing its meaning: the significant role she has had in my life and the place she still holds in my heart. It’s not for everyone, but it’s very special to me.

Guilty Pleasure
Starbucks as many days of the week as possible—it just makes me happy. Nutella. Billy’s buffalo chicken sandwich. Soggy McDonald’s French fries. People and US Weekly.

Motto for Navigating the Construction Process
Approach it with an open mind and have fun. (There are so many cool options to learn about these days!) And don’t be afraid to ask questions. No two contractors do it the same way—be flexible, be curious, and problem-solve.

How do you spend your free time?
Outside of work, most of my time is spent with my family, enjoying juicy kisses from my daughter, Cooper; the biggest snuggles from my son, Watts; weekend movie nights with my kids all cozied up on the couch (what we call “let’s cozy up”); boat rides together at the lake; and pranks with my kids—we literally hide and surprise or “scare” each other every single day. And my husband, Dave, and I love to cook on the weekends with music and cocktails—even better when it’s with our neighbors, who are like family, or other close friends.

Favorite Travel Destinations
Sea Island, Georgia—we started going as a family in 2018 and fell in love. It is truly a magical place we look forward to each year.

Quirky Fact About You

I LOVE watching things be made—like the Discovery Channel show "How It's Made." I could literally watch it for hours. Assembly lines, organization, incredible coordination, precision ... don't get me started talking about PROCESSES!

Morning Routine
Brush my teeth and hair, make a cup of coffee, morning snuggles with my kiddos, and pour them a cup of milk to enjoy with a morning show.

3 Frivolous Things You Can’t Live Without
Starbucks Venti Skinny Vanilla Latte (at kids temperature), Kiehl’s face cream, and this might sound terrible, but my phone!

Favorite Fashion Designers
I’m a tried and true J.Crew girl. But for big splurges, I love Trovata, Sea New York, and Hunter Bell. But I equally love a great Target find!

Sources of Inspiration
Honestly, Instagram is a major source for me. My eyes have been opened to so many talented people—artists, architects, designers, florists, decorators, landscapers, builders—people I never would have discovered without it. I love publications like Architectural Digest and Southern Living. And studying architects’ plans is also a major source—they are mind-blowing!

Recent Binge-Worthy TV Shows
My favorite show of all time is “Friends.” I still watch reruns and you can hear me laugh from a room away.

Movies
I have grown up being a movie lover, but these days, the only movies I really watch are with my kids. We have movie nights every weekend, including popcorn of course.

Favorite Drink
I mostly only drink water but when it’s cocktail time, I. LOVE. WINE.

Last Celebrity Sighting
I saw a very pregnant Anne Hathaway in NYC last fall, and she was adorable, arm-in-arm with her hubby.

Favorite Team
Alabama (I’ve officially become a Southerner.), Detroit Red Wings, and Green Bay Packers

Favorite Breakfast Food
I started intermittent fasting about a year ago, so breakfast is no longer part of my daily routine. But, if I were to, I’m simple—I love a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios or Raisin Bran Crunch.

Favorite Color
Blue (I’d say black or white, but most will tell me those don’t count as colors.)