Sarah Graham

Finding Growth Outside the Comfort Zone

Meet Sarah Graham
Finding Growth Outside the Comfort Zone 🏃‍♀️

Born and raised in Tokyo, Sarah Hojo Grahams spent her university years in the United States, with a semester in Europe, before returning to Japan after graduation. Having experienced life abroad, she came back believing there was still much more for her to explore in Tokyo and more opportunities to discover.

Her path since then has been anything but one-dimensional. From GIS technology and community building to innovation projects and AI, Sarah has consistently gravitated toward environments where she can stay hands-on, learn quickly, and take on new challenges. Along the way, she has also explored interests outside a traditional career path, including spending time at a dance studio in Las Vegas.

Today, she works as a Project Manager at an AI image recognition company, combining her interest in technology with the fast-moving, collaborative environment she has come to enjoy most.

What are you currently building?

Professionally, Sarah is growing her career within an AI startup, where she enjoys being closely involved in the day-to-day challenges of building and scaling a company. Personally, she's also challenging herself through fitness, and continuously finding new ways to push herself and improve.

What excites you about Japan?

The growing international startup ecosystem. Sarah has noticed more overseas startups entering Japan, alongside greater government support and initiatives encouraging entrepreneurship.

Having chosen to return to Tokyo after university, she's excited to see more global companies and people recognizing the opportunities she saw in Japan herself.

A risk that changed your trajectory?

Leaving her first job after university without having her next step figured out.

Sarah had returned to Japan and joined a well-established global company, offering the stability of a traditional career path. After a year and a half, however, she decided to leave and move back to the United States without a concrete plan for what would come next.

Taking that chance gave her space to reconsider the kind of environment she wanted to work in. Since then, she's gravitated toward startups, particularly in technology and AI, where she has found the hands-on pace and constant change to be a better fit.

A habit that has had the biggest impact?

Journaling and starting her mornings with a walk or jog. Both give Sarah time to clear her head, reflect, and set a positive tone for the rest of the day.

Advice for your 20s?

Don't be afraid to take a chance on something you've always wanted to try.

Sarah believes you don't need to know exactly where every decision will lead. Sometimes, trusting yourself to figure things out along the way is enough to take the first step.