Sandy Marsico, Founder and CEO of Sandstorm Design, joins Laurette Rondenet on Owning Your Legacy to explore how purpose, creativity, and human-centered innovation can transform business culture and leadership. 

From her early days as a painter to leading one of Chicago’s top creative technology agencies, Sandy shares how blending art, psychology, and entrepreneurship led her to build a purpose-driven enterprise rooted in empathy, joy, and authenticity. 

Sandy reflects on her journey of self-belief, from overcoming doubt as a 24-year-old founder to embracing the title of CEO, and how she built a company where “doing good work for good people” is more than a motto; it is a mission. Through resilience, curiosity, and a warrior spirit, she reveals how Sandstorm became a national leader in user experience, serving purpose-driven clients across healthcare, higher education, and global nonprofits. 

In this episode, you’ll discover:

✅ How Sandy’s art background shaped her approach to leadership and design 

✅ The story behind the “4% Moment” and redefining success as a woman founder 

✅ Why empathy and purpose are the most powerful tools for growth 

✅ How company values can transform culture and attract aligned talent 

✅ What it means to move from founder-led to team-led leadership 

✅ How curiosity fuels innovation in AI, UX, and creative technology 

✅ The role of mentorship and lifelong learning in building a lasting legacy 

✅ Why joy is a business strategy and a competitive advantage

Whether you are an entrepreneur, creative leader, or purpose-driven professional, this conversation will inspire you to see leadership as an art form where belief, authenticity, and vision shape not just a company, but a legacy.

If you enjoyed the episode please share it with others, and rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about me and how I am Owning My Legacy, you can find me on Instagram @LauretteRondenet and online at lauretterondenet.com.