… that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet?
This line from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet has always resonated with me; the power of naming things and embodying what your name reflects is a powerful thing. It’s funny how your name has a direct impact on our outer experience and inner personality. Have you ever been told, “you don’t look like you’re a Tom/John/Sue?” For example, my name, Sarah, means “Princess” – and you can bet I’ve milked that for all it’s worth. 
“Sarah” is a popular name here at Select Comfort; there are two of us in the marketing department. I’ve enjoyed being “Princess” @SleepNumberSara on Twitter for the past two years. But, I’m happy to be passing the proverbial “SleepNumberSara” crown to my colleague, Sarah Panus, as I start a new role within Select Comfort that requires more attention to traditional public relations and less focus on the online world. I’ve enjoyed getting to know you all, and you can still chat with me at @SarahReckard.
Since we’re both named Sarah, the Twitter handle won’t change – which is pretty ironic! Now that she’s your “princess,” let’s do a Kate-Middleton-like interview with Sarah Panus so you can get to know the new voice behind @SleepNumberSara:
What’s your most memorable moment in your life?
SP: That’s a tough one. I have several, which include being crowned my town’s Steam Engine Days Queen my junior year of high school; moving to Manhattan to attend FIT and pursue a career in fashion PR (I’d never even visited NY before I moved there, so it was quite a memorable moment for me); my wedding day; getting the keys to our first house; and waking up the morning after I had LASIK eye surgery & being able to see perfectly without my glasses or contacts—life changing experience!
When you’re not working for Sleep Number, or sleeping in your Sleep Number bed, what do you like to do?
SP: I love to plan, organize, read Prevention and Natural Health magazines, cook, learn about natural health and wellness remedies, hang with my fam and watch GLEE, Fringe, and Boardwalk Empire on TV.
What’s your favorite part about owning two cats?
SP: My husband and I have two short-haired cats that have very different personalities. It’s fun to watch them approach life.
What is your favorite Sleep Number product?
SP: Ooohhh…. really tough because I’m a HUGE fan of all our products. My King Sleep Number p6 bed tops the cake, followed by my In Balance blanket and Lyocell sheets.
If you could live anywhere else, where would it be?
SP: Hmmm…. so far I’ve lived in NYC, Boston and various places in Minnesota and I’ve visited almost every U.S. state. Domestically, I’m most curious about Virginia and North Carolina and internationally, it would be New Zealand or Estonia.
Tell us something most people don’t know about you.
SP: I’ve just started creating a bucket list and one of the things on it is to weld something. Random, but something I’d like to say I’ve done.
Since you went to fashion school, who is your fashion inspiration?
SP: I don’t have one. I like to pull from a variety of designers and mix quality high-end pieces with quality low-end pieces. My biggest thrill is finding a super high-quality piece on sale. When I shop for clothes or household items, I ask myself three questions: 1) Do I love it? 2) Do I need it? and 3) How much use will I get out of it? If I don’t absolutely love it, I don’t buy it. For example, I’ve been looking for brown flats for 2 years… still haven’t found ones I love. But, that’s o.k. When I find them, they’re going to be fabulous and exactly what I’m looking for. And, there’s no bigger rush than finding exactly what you’re looking for and it’s on sale.
What are you most looking forward to about being @SleepNumberSara?
SP: A few things. I’m looking forward to sharing tweets people enjoy reading; and forming new relationships with our Sleep Number owners, and others, who are interested in improving their life by tackling how well they sleep each and every day.
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One Comment
Nice to meet you, Sarah!
I hope to get LASIK someday too, but I’m waiting until I’m done having kids (my eye doctor told me that eyes often change during pregnancy).
Also – I LOVE Fringe. In fact, it’s the only show my husband + I watch. The character development is intriguing, don’t you think?