Welcome Sabrina: From Quest Partner to Space Dog

Photo: Julia Murray

By Sabrina Sandig

One of my former bosses used to say about communication, “People are interested in people.” And it’s true. I guess that is why I’m now writing a blog post about myself. Since I’m also a writer, I feel pressured that my colleagues expect me to be super creative. Additionally, I hate writing about myself. My imposter syndrome is acting up, and I feel like the most uninteresting person in the world. But people are interested in people. 

And I am people. So let’s do this!

Despite my severe case of imposter syndrome, I do like facing new challenges. Does this sound a bit masochistic? Isn’t it crazy to put myself out there—over and over again—always fearing that someone could expose me? Well, people aren’t rational creatures. And as we already established: I am people.

Once upon a time, there was a client who is now a Space Dog

So, I was very excited when I became part of the Laika crew. A new challenge after I didn’t have much perspective in my former job to develop the way I wanted to.

But let’s start at the beginning: I first stumbled across Laika’s website when I was working at Zenjob—a Berlin start up. Little did I know that I myself would one day be on that very website. Back then, I was looking for a PR agency to support Zenjob’s communication. Laika’s proposal was super convincing and I instantly fell in love with the team: Ela, the two Julias, and Andrea. People are interested in people, and I really liked these people. So I chose them. I chose Laika and became one of their Quest Partners.

But then I left Zenjob and worked at a different company. As I mentioned before, I didn’t feel that I could grow in that job. I wanted to evolve, but I wasn’t challenged. Realizing that, I reached out to Ela, and she asked to meet up at a Beer garden.

Reporting for duty

So here I am—a Laika Space Dog reporting for duty! My first weeks on the spaceship went by at lighting speed, and yet I don’t feel like the newbie anymore. My fellow crew members welcomed me with open arms, and I was fully included from day one. I get to work with lifestyle, tech and B2B clients. Therefore, every day is different—and I love that! I have always been a curious person, so a diverse client portfolio is definitely for me. I simply enjoy digging into new industries and finding the most impactful stories to tell.  

I think storytelling is why I’m good at PR and also why I really like my job. PR is the perfect balance between creativity, strategy, and structure. I couldn’t be more German if I tried—meaning, I’m a very organized person. I love prioritizing and a tidy inbox. Unread e-mails make me nervous. 

At the same time, I get bored if I don’t get to be creative. My favorite tasks are brainstorms. When the mind spins out of control and comes up with the wildest ideas. And after the storm I get to organize and sort all the ideas into a neat coherent strategy. This is my happy place.

A mind that never sleeps

Maybe that is why I also love writing so much. My days usually begin with a writing session. For my dream to become an author, I get up early to have at least an hour before work to write. Sometimes this is really hard, but ideas motivate me. And when I have a great idea for a character, I simply have to tell their story. No matter the genre. I just finished a sci-fi novel, now I’m working on a thriller. 

Besides PR and writing, I also love music and I sing in a pop choir. Singing is another way of storytelling. As are theater and films—two more passions of mine. I guess I simply love a good story. 

And aren’t we all thinking in stories? Connecting the dots and creating a sensible narrative that we then call our life. I, for my part, love connecting dots, taking a step back, looking at the whole picture and sniffing out the narrative. I’m happy that I now get to do this as part of the Laika Crew.