The story of Sarah Burley & Gareth Strange

One of the most magical things about life is that you don’t know what will lead to what.

For Gareth Strange, he had no idea attending CreativeMornings back in 2014 would end up changing his life profoundly.

It was there he met the founding host of the Cardiff chapter, Sarah Burley. At first, they were friendly acquaintances. Coincidently, they became colleagues at the same design agency about a year later. Soon after, they were both immersed in the CreativeMornings chapter.

“I always found Sarah’s energy inspiring as a host, and I started helping the chapter with some graphic design and social media, and then eventually joined as a volunteer,” said Gareth. “That’s where our friendship really started growing.”

“At CreativeMornings, you’re surrounded by people who are interested and aligned, but also people with different talents. It’s a great way to meet friends, but also potential partners because it takes the pressure off.”

After a few years, things really deepened between the pair when they collaborated on a creative project.

“For Sarah’s last event as chapter host, we decided to put together a newspaper in one weekend. We had no content written, no designs, but we had self-belief,” said Gareth.

“Being part of CreativeMornings planted the seed that it’s possible to make something.”

Not only did the pair realize they loved collaborating together, romance began to slowly but steadily blossom. It was around this time Gareth and Sarah began dating alongside starting their own agency, John&Jane.

For some, mixing business and romance might be nerve-wrecking endeavour, but the dynamic duo always approached things with curiosity. “We’ve got so much out of life by simply trying something. If it doesn’t work, if we start to hate each other or it’s too much, then we’ll stop,” said Sarah.

Nearly a decade in, the studio and the couple are going strong. Their success might be proof that trying is at the heart of every good thing. It was Sarah’s willingness to try something new in Cardiff that led to starting the chapter. It was Gareth’s willingness to try stepping outside his comfort zone that set him on a different trajectory. It was their mutual effort years later to try to make a newspaper in a weekend that led to starting their own agency and building a life together.

“If you don’t try, if you don’t reach out, if you don’t go along to something new, then you never know what’s going to happen,” said Sarah.

“CreativeMornings proves nothing replaces the magic of meeting people in person and sharing stories. Whether it’s through a connection or just within yourself, there’s a feeling in the room that inspires you and pushes you to the next thing.”

Be it a creative collaboration, a business, or a new romance, starting anything requires a bold action.

“Action beats inaction,” said Gareth. “I still can’t believe how things turned out simply by going to CreativeMornings. I never thought I would be going out with Sarah, but now we’ve got a business with clients all over the world, I’ve got a beautiful stepdaughter, and we got married in August this year.”

Sarah and Gareth are a wonderful reminder that any day, you can walk into a room and your life can change.

If you try, if you take bold action, things can surprise you.

Bonus: Tips for working with your romantic partner from Sarah & Gareth

1. Take breaks: “We always go for a walk at lunchtime to break up the day and have a chance to chat about our work and life.”

2. Use alter egos: “We intentionally use our middle names for the business name, John&Jane. That way we can have our work personas, but we always try to make sure Sarah and Gareth come first.”

3. Create a life that works for you: “Running a small agency can be stressful, but at the same time, we built it so we can balance family life and creative freedom. Sometimes the balance is off, but the important thing is to keep trying.”

^{This article is part of our blog series of love letters to everyone who’s ever been part of a CreativeMornings gathering. Since our start in 2008, our remarkable volunteers have hosted over 15,000 events across the globe. As a community, we have become experts in what it means to create spaces that allow for deep, loving, human connection in an increasingly disconnected world. With this series, we’re sharing what we’ve learned hoping it will encourage you to join in or create your own meaningful spaces. The future is not lonely. It’s communal and hyperlocal.}