Be Brave. Go outside of your comfort zone. – Sage Gunn
Becoming Bold: My Inspiring Conversation with the Next Generation
I sat down with Sage, a 15-year-old participant of BeaYOUtiful’s programs and workshops, for a conversation that was as inspiring as it was motivational. While Sage has had an impressive five year journey with BeaYOUtiful, this is just beginning.
Sage Gunn (left) and Founder Taylor Hui (right) at the QE Home Safe Spaces Workshop in Burnaby, BC.
Sage joined BeaYOUtiful when she was 10 years old.
It was the middle of the pandemic, and she logged onto her first BeaYOUtiful Six-Week Confidence Program via Zoom. “I was really nervous,” she told me, “but also excited because I couldn’t do much with my friends. Then I got to meet all these new people—it was a really fun experience. I even got to meet Taylor!”
Five years later, Sage is still here. Not just attending, but thriving. “I love that it’s a group of girls where everyone feels comfortable. Just a safe space and nobody’s judging you,” she said. When asked about how the mentors have impacted her, she says, “I always knew that there was someone there for me. They were right by your side.”
The theme of being yourself came up over and over in our talk. I asked Sage what one of the most valuable things she learned from BeaYOUtiful was, and she immediately said, “Being you and knowing that’s important.” She always reminds herself: “I don’t need to change myself just to fit in. I am enough.” Sage has carried it into every part of her life, including her passion for interior design and her very own start-up clothing brand, Sunny Side Up.
“I love that it’s a group of girls where everyone feels comfortable. Just a safe space and nobody’s judging you.”
When I asked Sage about her favorite BeaYOUtiful memory, she lit up talking about a workshop we held in partnership with QE Home, a Canadian bedding company and long term partner of the organization.
For Sage, this workshop was a day of personal expression, creativity and learning about building safe spaces. She described running through QE Home’s warehouse and staging rooms, collecting items to design the perfect space, calling it a “Barbie’s closet but for home décor”. “I liked having the freedom to choose what went into the room. It was so cool putting it together,” she said. It was clear to me this wasn’t just about decorating – it was about creating something that reflected her vision.
Then there was the Fearless Brunch hosted by BeaYOUtiful for International Women’s Day. Sage stood on stage, in front of over a hundred people, alongside her mom, and shared her story. “I was so nervous, but when I got up there, everyone was smiling and cheering me on. It felt so good”, she recalled. She opened up about her difficult year at the time and how looking forward to BeaYOUtiful was something she would find joy in.
Sage’s growth has been undeniable. She recalls her shy eight year old self, that would be hiding from everyone, to now the young woman confidently running the market table, greeting and approaching strangers with enthusiasm.
Now, as a graduate of the program, Sage aspires to be a Jr. Soul Sister for other young girls in the coming years.
“I want to be there for them,” she told me. When the girls around her are facing self-doubt, she tells them, “You are you, and that’s all that matters. Be yourself. You don’t have to change yourself.” She’s already been that role model for younger girls in her life, reminding them that their differences are what make them beautiful.
Her business, Sunny Side Up, is an extension of that philosophy. It’s inspired by positivity and golden hour moments – choosing celebration over comparison. Also inspired by her favourite things including beaches, sunsets, and sunshine, Sage tells us to “choose the bright side.” She emphasized how BeaYOUtiful was the inspiration behind her start-up and added, “ “BeaYOUtiful has inspired me in so many ways to do things that aren’t in my comfort zone, like modeling”.
When Sage reflected on the impact that donors have made in her life by making BeaYOUtiful’s mission possible, she said, “They have made such a huge difference.” She told me, “Whether it’s the Soul Sisters or the speakers – anyone who’s there, they’re there for you” and how safe she felt talking to the people at BeaYOUtiful.
As we wrapped up, I asked Sage what she would tell her younger self. She took a moment to really reflect: “Be brave. Go out of your comfort zone.” Sage reflected on her shy self and was in awe of the difference. “Seeing myself now coming out of my comfort zone, being braver, and opening myself up to modeling and starting a business”, this piece of advice is something she will continue to remind herself of.
I couldn’t help but smile, because Sage is already living that advice—and making sure the next generation of girls knows they can, too.