Sara Crawford-Jones is Director of The Women’s Business Center (WBC) at True Access Capital (TAC), an entrepreneur, fashion designer, author and community activist. She is dedicated to furthering the contribution of women business owners, especially those from underserved and minority communities.
With a BFA in Fashion Design and Marketing from the International Academy of Design and Technology, and over 15 years in the fashion industry, Sara truly lives by her own quote: “Fashion isn’t just a career, it’s a lifestyle!” She lives life with a flair and energy that inspires not only the numerous female business owners she mentors on a daily basis, but all who have worked with her.
Since taking the role of Director in 2017, Sara has expanded the reach, programming and services offered at the WBC. Under her leadership and guidance, the WBC has been recognized as one of the nations premiere centers, and is the top WBC nationally for the highest number of business owners completing business plans through their Passport to Business Success class. There are hundreds of women in underserved and minority communities that celebrate business success each year because of Sara’s leadership and the programs provided by the WBC.
Sara’s dedication for helping entrepreneurs came naturally when she started her own business, Anara Original in 2004. Her designs convey the idea that fashion is “wearable art” specializing in custom tutus and sportswear. Anara Original has been featured in LA Fashion Week, Philadelphia Fashion Week and major publications such as Lucky Magazine and Teen Vogue. Black Celebrity Giving named her a “Change Maker and Young Philanthropist” and was named a 2019 Women in Business Honoree by Delaware Today Magazine.
Living as an Albino African-American woman who has a slight visual impairment, Sara is passionate about sharing her story. In 2016, Sara self-published her book, The Playbook to Essential Style- Learn, Build and Explore Your Style. She shares with her readers her style story and provides the basic styling techniques to build a stylish and chic wardrobe. In 2018, she gave a powerful and moving TEDxWilmington talk, A Signature Pigment, recounting her experience in fashion and life as an Albino African-American woman.
View TEDx Talk Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45LZd-Kip-A
Sara is a member of For(bes) The Culture the official culture division of Forbes. Sara is also the board Treasurer for The Association of Women’s business Centers. Sara enjoys participating in various community and nonprofit organizations like The Division for the Visually Impaired and The National Diabetes Association. She believes that fashion can be used as a platform and a form of expression to provide awareness to social topics and issues and is committed to setting a higher bar for small businesses in Delaware by creating programming to educate and inspire entrepreneurs in her community.