THE LEONA WOMAN: SARAH HAMMOND

March 12, 2019

In 2018, we introduced our Leona Woman blog series, and couldn’t be more grateful for all the support, love, and feedback we received. Our first Leona Woman of 2019 is not only a public figure in the Rio Grande Valley community, but is the epitome of a womanpreneur! She serves as the President of Atlas Electrical & Air Conditioning, Refrigeration & Plumbing Services, Inc., carries herself strongly with unique style, and radiates positivity everywhere she goes. We are proud to present: Sarah Hammond!  

What we admire about Sarah, is her drive and determination.  Sarah possesses an extensive background of accomplishments due to her hard work as a business woman, a driving force in the community, and continued education. In 2014,  she was awarded the Small Business Person of the year award for the Rio Grande Valley. The following year she received the RGV Hispanic Women of Distinction – Rising Star Award. In December of that same year, she was awarded the Global Champion for Women Economic Development Award in Dubai, and inducted into the SAMEAWS Global Women Leaders Hall of Fame.

Sarah’s efforts continued, as she was a recipient of the Women In Technology for South Texas College in 2016. You may have recognized her in the Special Edition of the Amazons Watch Magazine as one of the top 20 global women to watch in 2016. We told you she was a total boss babe!

With persistence to continue her education, she graduated with a certificate in Scaling Business from Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 2017.  Most recently, Sarah was chosen as the Mission Chambers Executive of the Year on 2018. Hard work definitely does not go unnoticed, and we applaud her for all that she has accomplished not only for herself but her community.    

Not only is Sarah making boss moves in her everyday life, but she is very much present on social media. She enjoys utilizing her platforms to share knowledge about the industry she works in, drops of positivity, community awareness and events she attends, and of course her everyday must-haves in fashion and beauty!

Below is an exclusive Q&A with our Leona Woman, Sarah Hammond, that you certainly do not want to miss out on!

Q: What organizations are you a part of in the Rio Grande Valley Community, and what do they mean to you?

A:  I previously served as Chair of SCI Women's Business Center and was the past Chair of Organization of Women Executives. I am currently the President of Femfeshionals RGV and I’m a Collective Director 1 of 7 in the US for FemCity.  My passion is to help women grow business locally. I currently serve as an advisory chair to the McAllen Chamber special projects, and sit on several special committees for the McAllen Chamber, Women of Purpose for IBC, and many others.  In addition, I also serve as a board member for the Greater Houston Better Business Bureau and South Texas Board.  

Q: If you could offer any advice to aspiring female entrepreneurs/boss babes, what would that piece of advice be?

A: Support your local community.  We all grow together, we all thrive together and business is just that much sweeter!  So when you can, with either time or monetary purchases or support, please do. The growth of your business is important, but more importantly is the growth of your heart.  You just feel good when you can see someone else smiling and having great success and know that you had a little piece in that. That makes us women, just that much prettier inside and out.  Support local.

Q:  What's the best part about dressing up?

A: The best part of dressing up is just that, dressing.  Sometimes we don't feel like dressing and Leona's has comfortable blouses and some great jeans that move and flow and are not restrictive and provide great form.  But when you do WANT to dress up, boy they have a selection that is fun and classy. One of the perks of Leona's is that you feel like a Barbie Doll, they bring you styles that fit your needs and have you try things on, and all of us like to be treated like beautiful BARBIES.

Q:  Why do you like shopping at Leona?

A: Leona's has a wide selection of clothing. They dress the working woman, in easy styles and comfort but always with a touch of extra class.  Every time I wear an outfit from Leona's I receive a compliment. I feel beautiful and it makes for an easier day in the hustle and bustle.

Q:  In means of style, what is your biggest suggestion for women on-the-go?

A: You always want to find combination pieces that easily mix and match. Pieces that are classics but yet have a little edge and style to them.  The clothing from Leona's carries great material to the touch. So when you are wearing a blouse or pant or jean, the fit is smooth and always comfortable.  I have found my sizes and the sales assistants know my likes and purchases. So every now and then they send me pieces that are eclectic to my taste, making it easier for me to make quick orders, or pick up shopping bags with no downtime of crazy malls and lots of people or far away parking.  For a local boutique, they are a place to shop and support. Love the RGV and the women of it, by supporting when you can.

Sarah’s Leona Style

Girls just want to have fun!

The South Texas heat doesn’t keep Sarah from putting her best heel forward in a fun and fashion forward outfit!  For a casual social, Sarah styled our ‘Annika’ denim jumpsuit with our cream ‘Celine’ backpack.  To keep the sun out of this girl boss’ eyes, she wore our reflective ‘Heart Eyes’ sunglasses.

Empowered women, empower women.

There’s no better combo than a woman with hustle who does it with class. Sarah’s go-to look for a board meeting is an outfit that not only makes her look good, but has her feeling confident too. To accomplish this, she pieced together a color blocked inspired outfit that included our ‘Boss Lady’ white blazer and a navy scalloped tank tucked into our over-the-knee pleated ‘Tinker Bell’ skirt.  For accessories, she created a custom Kinsley Armelle Bracelet stack to make a statement on her wrist, and tied all the elements of her outfit together with a bold quartz necklace.  To carry all her necessities, she completed the look with our sleek ’Salome’ handbag.

Be the girl who just went for it!

What’s so incredible about Sarah, is that her style is a true reflection of her mood and the occasion.  For a sophisticated and elegant outing, she wore our ‘Magenta’ high-low cross dress with minimal accessories to keep the focus on her ensemble. Talk about a total stand out everywhere this beautiful woman goes! *heart eyes*

Behind every successful woman, is herself!

Sarah’s love for fashion, definitely does not go unnoticed!  Aside from her career and community initiatives, she always makes sure to shop local to add one-of-a-kind pieces to her wardrobe. With cheetah being one of her favorite neutrals, she styled our two-piece  

‘Zoey’ blazer and ‘Zoey Bottom’ pants with pops of color!  She chose our red ‘Luxe Knot necklace and red chevron crossbody to take this ensemble to the next level.

We hope you enjoyed reading all about our Leona Woman Sarah Hammond, and getting to know this wonderful woman!  We absolutely admire her drive for excellence and passion for the Rio Grande Valley community. We couldn’t be more grateful to have her a part of our Leona pack!  To keep up with this gem of a woman, follow her on instagram at @sarah_atlasrgv. Thank you so much Sarah, for all the support you’ve given us and our sister company Spa La Posada for so many years. On behalf of our team at Leona, we wish you many more years of blessings in abundance, happiness, and success!  

Sending Stylist Vibes,

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