Couple launches marketing firm in Sisters

An Easter egg and fine powder snow led Shannon and Jimmy Sbarra to Sisters to relocate their marketing and design firm, Skyfire Studio.

Shannon was born in Bend and raised in Portland. She fell in love with Sisters as a small child when she found a prize-winning egg at the local Easter egg hunt.

"It's one of my most vivid childhood memories," she said. "And ever since that day I've wanted to move to Sisters; 22 years later, here I am!"

The couple started their design firm in another resort town - Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Both were brought there by a passion for skiing. They were roommates for awhile while both were dating other people. Jimmy went home to Virginia to work, and when he returned to Jackson Hole, he and Shannon reconnected. They began dating, and a romance blossomed.

Jimmy acknowledges that they got the form of modern courtship a little out of order.

"We always joked because we lived together, then we started dating, then we got married," he said.

Jimmy had done some design work in college, and he and Shannon discovered that their skills complemented each other. They decided about six years ago to start a business that exercised their talents and allowed them to pursue their active outdoor lifestyle wherever they choose to be.

"We are a full-on marketing firm that does anything with pixels or ink," Jimmy said.

Skyfire Studio specializes in working with businesses in resort towns.

"We find inspiration in the natural beauty and people of mountain towns, such as Sisters," said Shannon.  "Our work is to communicate that inspiration through a creative approach to design and marketing. Coming from Jackson Hole, we have a lot of experience working with businesses that rely on tourism."

They've developed a strong customer base.

"A lot of our success comes from clients sticking with us," Jimmy said.

In addition to design and marketing work, the Sbarras run an online publication about back-country skiing (www.skiingthebackcountry.com). Their love for winter recreation was actually one of the biggest draws to the Sisters area.

It took a bit of persuading to get Jimmy to give Central Oregon a try. He had been swayed by Rocky Mountain attitudes about West Coast snow. But when Shannon took him skiing in the Sisters Country, the self-confessed ski bum knew he'd found a home.

"The snow quality blew me away," he said. "We had some of our greatest power days here this winter."

The couple are also impressed with the Sisters community, with its support for its schools, its active music scene and a sporting lifestyle.

Jimmy was impressed by the recent lacrosse tournament and by the growing local program.

"I'm a big lacrosse fan," he said, "so hopefully when we get a little more settled I can help them out."

The couple is eager to involve Skyfire Studio with the local business community.

"We're not dependent on local businesses here; we have clients all over the country," Shannon said. "But we'd love to work with local businesses. We really like to work with businesses we believe in."

To set up a free consultation, call Shannon at 541-550-7945, or e-mail her [email protected]

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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