This week, I welcome Sophia Noreen to our 117th episode of ‘She Doesn’t Settle’ as we discuss her entrepreneurial spirit and her experience as a fresh, minority business owner at the onset of the pandemic. Sophia took an Etsy startup and launched it in big box retailers within 12 months. She is a self described ‘creative with an entrepreneurial drive’, who left her full time career in healthcare to find better harmony between career, family and self care, and she shares her remarkable story with us all here today.
In our conversation, Sophia delves into details of her entrepreneurial journey, how she incorporated lessons she learned as a minority in high school into her business practices, and her belief that we can follow her example and use our differences to our advantage, especially in professional spaces. She also shares the tragic story of losing her father at the beginning of COVID-19 in the early stages of her business. The two of us close the episode by exploring the importance of honesty and transparency when it comes to time management and working in a team, and Sophia shares some of her plans for the future. One of Sophia’s goals is to be an example to other minority women entrepreneurs that need to reach for their own big goals, and, as you will hear today, she is certainly accomplishing that and so much more.
ANNOUNCEMENT: I hosted a workshop called Why are you unhappy at work? and a recording of it is available for you to access. With the hot topic being the “great resignation” many folks feel that if they are unhappy, they have to quit. I’m tired of this perspective, because there are other options. There are many reasons you might be unhappy at work — and the solution is rarely to just quit. (Sometimes it is, but I’d prefer you have a plan.) So, if you want to get a recording of this workshop to help you discover why you are unhappy and get some solutions, just send me an email at support@kellytravis.net, in the subject line type ‘Workshop’, and let me know that you would like the workshop.
Also, I'm happy to announce that the She Doesn't Settle—The Experience is back on, and you can go to kellytravis.net/sds to learn more.
The Finer Details of This Episode:
Quotes:
“Test the community’s aptitude for adopting new traditions, and also testing the demand of actual product or seasonal products for that culture, for that minority group. So that’s why I always suggest – you don’t need to get all fancy, you can even do handmade at the beginning.”
“If you are juggling multiple things, even if you’re a parent and trying to start a business, you have to be so clear on your schedule.”
“It’s not just help. I think sometimes the word is misleading, because yes, things help you sound like you’re still owning it. It is giving other people the opportunity to shine in a way.”
“Let’s face it, when you start any business, it’s not bringing in any money. You’re feeding the business just like a mom feeding their baby, right? Like you’re giving, you’re giving, you’re giving. And so for you to have to fund your business and product based businesses, they don’t really make much money until after you cross your million dollar mark.”
“It’s interesting, because I’m not as fearful to do things because I’ve never really belonged. And so if I stand out a little bit, it’s like, well, I’ve always kind of stood out.
“It goes back to the art of delegation and just trust in the process, trusting in the universe, or your Lord, and trusting that they’re going to help you.”
“It just shows you that as a business owner, these unexpected elements are always going to come up.”
“I think anybody who feels that they can’t do something, they should just look around them and see who will be willing to help them. We do play the victim card a lot— and there’s no need.”
Links:
She Doesn’t Settle - The Experience: www.kellytravis.net/sds
Instagram: www.instagram.com/shedoesntsettle/
Sophia's 'Boss It' Podcast