Sarah Lucey on Building Resilience, Mastering Nightlife Marketing, and Navigating a Male-Dominated Industry

In the United States in 2022, fields such as Aircraft piloting, Agriculture, Architecture, Construction, Finance, and Information technology, are still male-dominated industries. For a woman who is working in a male-dominated environment, what exactly does it take to thrive and succeed? In this interview series, we are talking to successful women who work in a Male-Dominated Industry who can share their stories and experiences about navigating work and life as strong women in a male-dominated industry. As a part of this series, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Sarah Lucey.

Sarah Lucey A.K.A Irish Sarah, director of Talent for LIV Nightclub, Story Nightclub, Komodo Miami and Swan Miami, has taken the Miami nightclub scene by storm. Originally from Cork, the daughter of a butcher who was once a former employee in the business is now killing it in Miami. The Mallow native holds a degree in marketing and got her start as a marketing manager in Karma in Cork. During her four years at University College Cork Sarah spent every summer abroad in Majorca at BCM nightclub. Here she met DJs such as Calvin Harris and The Swedish House Mafia and remains close with them still.Sarah has over 300k followers on Instagram where celebs like Rita Ora, Cara Delevingne, Kourtney Kardashian, Calvin Harris. Louis Tomlinson, DJ Tiesto, David Guetta and Hulk Hogan feature her on their feed.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

My family are all butchers, and we are passionate about our business. Since I was five years old I helped my family at the butcher shop with customers over the counter, bagging their chopped liver- always trying to make a sale. I knew I had a skill for selling and making people feel comfortable, but I wanted to sell a product or service that I loved. I studied what I loved and at that time it was house music — djs, going out — so at 15 I decided experiences was what I wanted to do and be an expert at.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

I got any job I ever wanted! Whenever I went job hunting I had to be annoying and hound that person until they gave me that job. Passion, hunger, and drive is a quality every employer will stop and take notice for. But humble yourself, work for free, make coffee, and just get your foot in the door. The rest will prove itself if you really have it.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I did present a DJ with a goldfish in the club once. I wonder where that little guy is now!

Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted by the work you are doing?

I love to see the underdog win (as long as that dog has hunger in their belly). I’ve definitely taken a few kids under my wing. I always look for mini me’s because I want to see everyone win. It kills me to see people messing it up for themselves or if someone shows up unprepared for a job opportunity that I set up. Things like that I take very personally. Don’t go telling the world you want to be a popstar but show up late to an audition. This business doesn’t play or do tardiness.

As an insider, this might be obvious to you, but I think it’s instructive to articulate this for the public who might not have the same inside knowledge. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why it’s really important to have diversity represented in Entertainment and its potential effects on our culture?

I came from Ibiza 12 years ago which was and still is predominantly house music. LIV ON SUNDAY (our hip hop night) is now one of my preferred nights to work. The latin market is also blowing every genre out of the water. Miami and the venues I work with, absolutely nail the diversity. It’s fabulous and unique to Miami.

K-POP is the latest thing so I’m sure I’ll be blessed enough to work with that genre in the near future.

How do you define “Leadership”?

Someone that takes a little more of the blame and less of the credit.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.

IT’S NOT THAT SERIOUS!!! We are throwing parties (I have people crying, cursing, threatening, fighting, I get the craziest threats), you have to laugh.

Not everyone will like you (doesn’t phase me now ,or maybe ever did). This business really toughens you.

It’s almost a blessing, you become gracefully resilient to noise (metaphorically and literally).

Don’t get cocky (thousands of girls are on my heels biting to get my job), everyone is replaceable.

Don’t be a prick (No one has it figured out, everyone is trying their best, rudeness lingers in people’s memories for a long time).

Always be ‘on’ (You never know who you are talking to).

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I have a huge soft spot for teenagers (15–18 vibe) that are just at a loss, being that age is brutal for anyone.

I have a few teenagers under my wing that I try and guide regarding the next step, school, mental health, social media pressure, being nice to their parents etc. I would love to provide a big brother/big sister platform for youths that want to get into the business.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

Let Go and Let God. You can worry and stress all you want but it makes zero difference. Have faith in yourself and the man upstairs and you will be just fine. It always works out in the end.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)

He definitely won’t see this but The Pope! He seems to be really great and fun.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

@Irishsarah on Instagram

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.