Sage Outerbridge
Challenges and setbacks are a part of life, and for Sage Outerbridge BComm’19 MBA’21, they are just steps to overcome. “Life changes,” she says, “You just need to adapt.”
Outerbridge found herself adapting quickly when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020. Rather than pressing pause on her life, she took the opportunity to further her education, start a business, and find a way to give back to her community.
As lockdowns and public health restrictions closed many businesses to the public, Outerbridge saw possibility within the limitations.
“I felt like I had become a part of a family in my MBA program”
“Gyms aren’t open, so why don’t I create a business selling fitness gear? That way, people will be able to work out from home with proper equipment,” she says of So ConFitdent, her e-commerce fitness store. With messaging focused on building confidence through fitness, Outerbridge’s positive outlook shines clearly through her business.
Mid-pandemic, Outerbridge also returned to Saint Mary’s to pursue her MBA. While online schooling proved challenging for many, she and her classmates worked hard to help and support each other.
“I felt like I had become a part of a family in my MBA program,” she says. “The experience helped me grow both as a team player and as a leader. The self-confidence I gained in my MBA led me to seize opportunities I never would have before.”
One such opportunity is to work as a Field Officer for the Black Business Initiative (BBI), one of four intermediaries of the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative (SBCCI). The BBI’s vision is a dynamic and vibrant black presence within the Nova Scotia business community. Outerbridge’s role is to interface with businesses that have been awarded funding, and then help to provide ongoing support.
“The MBA program courses that I took really ignited my passion for corporate-social responsibility and social enterprise,” she says. “I’m glad I’m a part of an organization helping black-led businesses that might not have been able to receive support because of systemic barriers they face. Igniting change through work makes me very proud.”
Hailing from Hamilton Parish in Bermuda, Outerbridge first came to Saint Mary’s University in 2015 to pursue her Bachelor of Commerce in Finance and Economics. Moving from Bermuda to Halifax was a stark change but, looking back, even then Outerbridge focused on the positives.
“My school back in Bermuda had a population of about 400 people,” she says. “Saint Mary’s University’s small community and international reputation brought me a lot of comfort. Despite how different my living situation was, I was able to feel at home.”
While Outerbridge has demonstrated resiliency throughout her education and career thus far, she says that kind of confidence only comes when you believe in yourself, in particular in the face of challenge
“Throughout my life, I’ve had moments where I’ve doubted my own capabilities,” she says. “You may not always feel ready when an opportunity presents itself, but you never know until you try, and you need to take that plunge to grow as a person. Confidence grows as you challenge yourself.”
Learn more about the MBA program at the Sobey School of Business.