Meet Sara Matsui-colby | Actor and Owner/Marketing Designer at Actor One-Sheets

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sara Matsui-colby and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sara, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
Risk is often seen as the possibility of facing danger, harm, or loss. In my life and career, I’ve come to understand that sometimes these risks are very real, and sometimes they’re creations of our own anxiety, more imagined than actual.

As an actor, my job is to “tell truthful stories in imaginary circumstances,” which demands a deep level of vulnerability. Brené Brown beautifully defines vulnerability as “uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure.” For an artist, risk is just another part of the creative process—by simply pursuing a career in the arts is a significant risk in itself. But what I’ve learned is that it’s essential to assess these risks, to confront them head-on, and to determine whether they’re grounded in reality or simply our fears trying to protect us from perceived, often imaginary, threats.

For example, early in my career, I used to think that sending a postcard or email to an agent or casting director was incredibly risky. But when I really broke it down, I had to ask myself: what was the real risk? Not getting a reply? Receiving a negative or mean response? And if I did get a mean reply, would I even want to work with that person? Probably not. So, the actual risk was minimal—the cost of a postcard or a few minutes of my time. The bigger risk was in not reaching out because I could have missed out on a genuine connection and great opportunity.

Funnily enough, my marketing business, Actor One-Sheets, grew out of the risks I took while pursuing acting. I was having success with my own marketing, and soon, friends started asking me to help with theirs. What began as a side project quickly snowballed during the pandemic into a full-fledged business, which felt like a huge risk. So, I carefully assessed what was a real risk versus what was imagined by my anxiety, and I took the plunge.

I believe that what often holds people back from pursuing their dreams is the perception that the risk is greater than the reward. But as an actor, I’ve learned that for our characters, the reward must be greater than the risk to drive their actions. The same is true in real life. I pursue acting and run my business because I’m passionate about helping others feel seen and heard. Supporting my clients and hearing about their successes is what drives me to take the risks necessary to build my marketing business.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Actor One-Sheets is my marketing business dedicated to creating custom, on-brand promotional materials for actors and creatives. I design resumes, electronic press kits, postcards, and also offer a DIY Canva template shop for those who want to customize on their own but need some guidance.

What sets Actor One-Sheets apart is my commitment to empowering my clients by having a holistic, collaborative approach. When I design something for a client, I’m not just thinking about that single piece but ensuring it fits seamlessly with their entire branding strategy.

Whether I’m creating a custom design, coaching a client, or offering DIY marketing products, my goal is always to give my clients full agency. That’s why I have a very collaborative approach. And I use Canva—a free and user-friendly design platform—so my clients can easily update their materials whenever they need to. Unlike other designers who create static products that require a new purchase for every update, I equip my clients with the tools and knowledge to maintain their marketing materials.

Building this business certainly wasn’t easy, especially balancing it with my acting career. What started as a side gig to help friends soon grew into something much larger, as word spread and more clients came my way. I had to quickly adapt by creating rate sheets, contracts, and a website to manage the growing demand. Despite the challenges, what kept me going was hearing from clients that my designs helped them sign with an agent or land auditions. Knowing that my work had a tangible impact on their careers is incredibly rewarding and inspired me to build a full-fledged business.

To maintain balance, I developed a DIY template shop for clients who needed materials quickly, and I became mindful of how many custom projects I could reasonably take on each month. I still face challenges, but I’ve learned to take small steps each day, both in my acting career and my business. Life and work are always about trial and error, and I find the process of learning something new each day exciting.

Ultimately, I want my clients to feel confident when they present themselves to industry professionals. Self-promotion can be intimidating, but my hope is to empower my clients so they can take control of their careers and market themselves with confidence. That’s what drives me in everything I do with Actor One-Sheets.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Although I was born and raised in Irvine, I haven’t lived in So Cal in many years and only go to LA for work, so I haven’t really seen much. But I will say that it’s a fun city to explore. You’re bound to find some cool spots.

I am based in Sacramento so I can definitely recommend some great things up here. For instance, I’d recommend stopping by Mecha Mucho for Japanese Sandos (Japanese-style sandwiches) and grabbing some mochi and manjyu next door at Osaka Ya. There’s also Mahoroba, a Japanese bakery, famous for their Kobe cream pastry.

Other cool areas are Old Sacramento, with its boutique shops and railroad museum, and I love visiting the Crocker Art Museum, where I’m always inspired by the art.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Gosh, I have so many shoutouts. Off the top of my head, my parents, especially my mom, because she was the entrepreneur in our family. I think I got that spirit of building my own business from her.

I’d also like to thank my husband for all his business knowledge and patience.

My virtual assistant Karin at Careening Support. I could not have grown my business so quickly without her.

I am also so grateful to my business coaches, Dallas Travers, Jonathan Tilley, and Heidi Dean, for their wisdom and courses.

Website: https://www.actoronesheets.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actoronesheets

Image Credits
Personal Photo was taken by Alexander Karavay