06/05/2025
I learned at a young age that you are your brand.
It’s not just what you say—it’s how you show up. And it follows you, like a shadow.
I learned this early. I’m the second of five daughters and grew up in Urbandale, Iowa—a suburb of Des Moines but it felt like a big, small town.
Especially, with the last name of Uchytil.
My dad, who was a renowned science teacher at neighboring West Des Moines Valley and my mom who ran a well-known daycare, we were known. We are the Uchytil’s.
I wasn’t just Sarah. I was Mr. Uchytil’s daughter, Liz’s daughter, Alice’s sister, Theresa’s sister, Rose’s sister, Christi’s sister or simply One of the Uchytil girls.
When I moved to Ames, Iowa to attend Iowa State University, I became Cyclone Sarah. Alpha Phi Sarah. Sarah Uchytil— Iowa State Family of the Year.
Fast forward 25 years. Now I am deeply rooted in Kansas City. But just yesterday, I was reminded that your brand is like your shadow—it follows you wherever you go.
At a networking luncheon, I introduced myself to a gentleman walking in next to me:
“Hi, I’m Sarah Uchytil.”
He looked at me and said, “You worked at Sprint.”
“Yes - in Finance.”
“You went to Iowa State, right?”
“Yes!”
Though I couldn’t place him, he remembered me from another part of Sprint Finance and an Iowa State event—nearly 20 years ago.
That moment stuck with me.
Whether we realize it or not, people remember how we made them feel.
They remember our energy, our involvement, our passion, our presence.
You are your brand. And your brand lives in every interaction, every introduction, every room—whether you remember it or not.
What impression is your shadow leaving behind?
