Sarah Harrelson: Founder and Editor in Chief of Cultured Magazine

Second Life

Who What Wear

Clique Media, Female Founder, Entrepreneurship, Career Change, Career Pivot, Fashion & Beauty, Hillary Kerr, Personal Journals, Who What Wear, Clique, Career, Arts, Business, Careers, Second Life, Career Advice, Self-made, Entrepreneur, Mydomaine, Society & Culture

4.7 • 3K Ratings

🗓️ 8 September 2025

⏱️ 52 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Sarah Harrelson is the founder and editor in chief of Cultured Magazine. She initially thought about going into politics, but things changed when she discovered her love for publishing as an intern at Elle. She moved to Miami to work her way up the masthead at a smaller publication, climbing to the role of editor in chief in less than a year. She continued growing her skills as an editor at major magazines such as Women’s Wear Daily, W Magazine, and Seventeen Magazine. Though she went on to lead publications in the years that followed, Harrelson wanted to create something of her own. She had a vision for an arts-and-culture magazine that looked beyond household names in its coverage and highlighted emerging artists. In 2012, she used her years of experience leading publications and starting them from scratch to bring her vision of Cultured to life. Today, the magazine is revered by its cult following for its unique coverage of undiscovered talent.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, everyone. I'm Hilary Kerr, the co-founder and chief content officer of Who What Where,
0:10.9	and this is Second Life, a podcast spotlighting women who have truly inspiring careers.
0:18.0	We're talking about their work journeys, what they've learned from the process of
0:21.6	setting aside their doubts or fears, and what happens when they embark on their second life.
0:27.6	Today on the show, I'm speaking with Sarah Harrelson, the founder and editor-in-chief of
0:32.9	Cultured Magazine. Early in her career, Sarah thought she might go into politics, but things changed after
0:40.2	an internship at Elle Magazine, where she fell in love with publishing. She worked her way up
0:46.0	the masthead at a smaller magazine where she became editor-in-chief in less than a year. After that,
0:52.4	Sarah went on to work as an editor at Women's Wear Daily, W Magazine,
0:56.5	and 17 Magazine, and later started her own arts magazine for the Miami Herald, called Home and Design.
1:04.3	Though she continued racking up editor-in-chief titles in the years that followed,
1:08.2	she ultimately decided she wanted to create something of her own.
1:12.0	Sarah had a vision for a magazine that highlighted emerging artists from various disciplines
1:16.7	rather than the household names that everyone else was covering.
1:20.9	In 2012, with no business plan, she started working on what would become cultured.
1:26.1	Over the last 13 years, Cultured has garnered a cult following
1:29.7	and helped launch countless emerging artists' careers.
1:33.6	Sarah is a true visionary, and I have so much admiration for what she's built.
1:37.9	Now, on Second Life, it's Sarah Harrelson.
1:44.1	Okay, Sarah, are you ready? I'm ready. Okay, good. So... It's Sarah Harrelson.
1:45.5	Okay, Sarah, are you ready?
1:46.6	I'm ready.
	...

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