Chasing Excellence in Quiet Places
What Olympian Sarah Wells Shared with Flagstaff County
When Olympian Sarah Wells took the stage at the 2025 Flagstaff Celebrate Success Gala, she brought more than athletic accomplishment. She brought a message rural entrepreneurs do not often hear. Excellence is not defined by applause.
Start Where You Are
Sarah trained for the Olympics with absolute clarity. Set goal. Four-year plan. Hit the standard.
Entrepreneurship is rarely that tidy.
When you do not know your long-term vision, look at what excites you right now. Sarah never planned to become a keynote speaker. She simply followed her interests. One step opened the door to the next.
“Forward motion is what builds the staircase.”
Sarah Wells
You Are More Than One Title
Not qualifying for a second Olympics forced Sarah to ask a hard question.
Who am I if I am not competing
With help from mentors, she realized the lessons and identity she built as an athlete could fuel the next chapter, not end it. Her encouragement to others:
“One setback does not erase your whole story.”
We are never just one thing. We are allowed to grow.
Discipline Is a Choice
Whether she was training on the track or building a brand, Sarah says it all comes down to choices.
- Where will I invest my time
- What truly matters this season
- Do my actions reflect what I say I want
Excellence is not doing everything. It is doing the right things at the right time.
“Everything can matter. It just cannot all matter at once.”
The Story Audiences Need
At first, Sarah believed that missing the Olympics would end her speaking career. Instead, it became her most meaningful message.
She discovered that people connect far more deeply with real struggle than perfectly tied up victories.
“People do not just need wins. They need hope when things are hard.”
In rural business, we understand that feeling. A crop fails. A launch flops. A plan shifts. The story continues.
Celebrate the Small Wins
Sarah keeps a “story worthy moments” list that captures more than medals. It includes meaningful everyday reminders that progress is happening.
Small victories build big momentum:
- A kind word from a customer
- A new skill learned
- A process improved
- A brave request made
Write them down. Proof of progress matters.
Build Your Own Support Team
Athletes have coaches, therapists and teammates baked into their system. Entrepreneurs build their own.
Sarah recommends intentionally creating your own support structure:
- Mentors who are a few steps ahead
- Peers who are beside you in the journey
- Leaders who inspire what is possible
“Do not be afraid to ask. Connections are fuel.”
Rural Excellence Happens Without Spotlights
Sarah’s definition of Rural Unrecognized:
“It is excellence without expecting recognition.”
It is farmers finding better ways to care for the land.
It is makers wearing a dozen hats to build something local and meaningful.
It is families and volunteers contributing because it matters.
Not to outperform others.
To be better than yesterday.
You Are Living Excellence Here
Flagstaff County is full of people pursuing bold ideas quietly and powerfully. You may not hear applause every day. Yet your work is shaping rural Alberta in ways that deserve to be recognized.
🎧 Hear the full conversation on the Rural Unrecognized Podcast:
https://flagstaffcrafted.ca/podcast/
