Sarah Hamer, who was recently named one of Forbes 30 under 30 honorees along with her best friend Elle Smyth, credits some of her success to her early years as an Austin Elementary School student in Dunwoody.
Hamer and Smith co-founded San Francisco-based Retail Ready, a supply chain software startup. The company helps manufacturers comply with retailer rules, thus reducing compliance violation fees which often cost producers billions annually.
Hamer grew up in the Dunwoody Station subdivision and graduated from Austin in 2005. She remembers her fifth grade teacher Kay Weber as someone who encouraged her interest in math, more often thought of a male-dominated area of study.
“I grew up very motivated to solve problems, and that started early,” she said. “Mrs. Weber inspired me to keep going.”
She was also named a DeKalb County Board Scholar in fifth grade, which gave her “the confidence to know that I was on the right track.”
Hamer remembers Dunwoody as a small community where it was safe to walk with friends to the village for coffee, but said that subsequent visits have changed her perception.
“I feel that Dunwoody has gotten so big now,” she said.
After her family moved out of DeKalb County, she attended Riverwood High School, where she played soccer, basketball, volleyball and was part of the cheerleading team. She then attended Georgia Tech, graduating with a degree in industrial engineering.
Her first job at Microsoft was a solid career move, but Hamer was drawn away to work for an Atlanta-based startup company called Stord, which combines digital and physical operations to optimize costs associated with merchandise and consumer delivery.
It was at Stord that she met Smyth, a product manager, and the two found a common interest in taking an even riskier leap, starting their own venture.
Less than a year ago, RetailReady, a logistics software company was launched after the pair raised more than $1 million in seed money. It now has nationally known clients and well on its way to achieving the success that Stord has seen.
“It was a risky leap and some of my friends and family were confused and concerned, but they were a great support,” Hamer said. “I am so appreciative of the people who helped bring me here.”
After hearing about Hamer’s selection to the Forbes’ list, Austin teachers and staff said they were thrilled to see her succeed at such a high level.
“We love to see our past Eagles soaring!” the school said in a recent social media post.
