Sarah Wilson, former Cosmopolitan editor and Fairfax journalist, has announced the closure of her diet and lifestyle publishing business, I Quit Sugar, in a blog post.
Wilson wrote: “I have some big news and it’s important to me that I share it with you first. After a lot of careful thought and much heartache, I’ve decided to close IQuitSugar.com.”
The news comes after Wilson informed staff that the publication had failed to find a buyer for the business.
“As many of you know, the IQS journey started at a time in my life that had given me cause to re-evaluate what mattered in life. From this place I decided to (re)build my life according to certain values. These values went on to steer the IQS message as well as the business,” She continued.
“Recently I’ve realised that to remain true to my original commitment, I must pivot course. Seven years into a movement, five years into a business, I feel my work in the realm is done. I set out to educate the world about the truth of our eating habits and to find a technique that could shift things in a meaningful way. I felt I was a good person to do it – I had journalism skills and experience and a platform. And I was cool with copping the flak.”
While Wilson notes that the business is not failing, her decision to close up shop comes from her realisation that money was motivating her: “Once we arrived at the point where ‘scale’ – growing the existing structure exponentially – was required, I realised the motivator now was money. My motivator had not been money previously, a freedom that enabled me to make bold decisions that at times startled peers and the industry, but ultimately, and ironically, saw my message and product spread further.
“So I decided a little over 12 months ago that it was time for me to go. I’m an educator, a communicator. Not a money-spinner. It was best for everyone and for the message.”
