“Every Woman Mogul Started Somewhere”

So, you’re a woman with an idea.

“
You’re ready to build that empire you’ve been daydreaming about—but you can’t shake the feeling that your vision is too big to fit in one sentence, you’ve got barriers holding you back that you don’t know how to overcome, and you’re terrified that your launch is going to be...underwhelming.
You feel unfocused, uncomfortable with all the holes you can poke in your business plan, and you’ve got a serious case of imposter syndrome.
”

“
You’re dreaming of becoming the next woman mogul in your industry—but you don’t know how to get from “I wish I could” to “I’m doing it!”
You want to feel confident talking about your business, to be able to clearly pinpoint next steps to move your business forward, and to build a business that makes a difference.
I’m glad you’re here—because I built Ascent Strategy to work with you.
”

About Sophia

When I was 19 years old, my college bestie and I accidentally built a clothing empire out of our dorm room.

At the time, the punk rock scene around us was filled with baggy band t-shirts that looked good on men but not on women. We wanted to create form-fitting clothing that looked good while allowing women to blend in at their favorite punk rock concerts.

We must have struck a chord, because Miley Cyrus ended up wearing one of our hoodies in People Magazine and we had two offers to buy out the company by year two. We held out till year three, having fun selling our clothing at 250 retailers worldwide—including Zumiez and Hot Topic—before making our exit.

After selling that company, I’ve been on a multi-year journey to figure out how I can blend purpose with work. At 24, I co-founded a clean water nonprofit that fixes broken water projects in Cameroon and India. I led an international team to secure clean water for over 80,000 people.

In 2016 I founded Ascent Strategy, with a mission to create moneymaking brands with female entrepreneurs who refuse to settle for mediocre. I wanted to bring my decade of startup experience and help women build their dream businesses on an accelerated timeline.

I’ve been recognized as a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, am a Fred Alger Finance Award winner, a Forbes 30U30 All-Star Alumna, was a New York pitch finalist at ELLE Magazine’s Impact2 Awards, and was named one of the world’s 100 most inspiring women by Salt and Diageo. I’ve also done a TEDx talk on the global optics of being a businesswoman in power.

I currently live in NYC and am an avid hiker, climber, and traveler. In my free time you’ll find me outdoors or diving into some kind of poetry or art. As a recovering, burnt-out entrepreneur, I believe in having a healthy separation between work and life, and that successful entrepreneurs should champion these boundaries by obsessing over what they do in their free time as much as they do on their business. You’ll see me reminding you of this balance a lot if you stick with me on my Instagram or my Friday morning emails.

What I Believe

Too many people work their lives away in “safe” jobs that pay the bills. They float through the workday like zombies—half-sleeping, constantly hungry, and bored to death.

These jobs are easy and cozy, but keep you tucked away from breaking your potential ceiling.

What you really want to do is:

“
spend your days building that tech app you draw wireframes for during your lunch break,
create that media empire made for women dipping their toes in holistic wellness,
grow an audience for your eco-friendly
clothing brand that’s already getting some
attention on Instagram.
”

I believe that you can live a life where your work gives you purpose and

create a world that you want to live in—a kinder, more inclusive world that

puts people over profit.

You can choose the life that you know doesn’t suit you anymore, or choose the one that allows you to live authentically, working on the things that inspire you and fulfill your full potential.

Whatever you choose, don’t settle for the zombie life. It’s not meant for women like us.

Learn more about me by listening to some podcasts I’ve been on.

How I Work

1

I bring business acumen, storytelling, and financial fluency to the table.

There are no new business ideas anymore, and the startups that thrive understand this and learn to weave a beautifully crafted story into their pitches, with ironclad financials and business strategy to back it up. If you’re looking for someone to throw a bunch of statistics at a room full of investors and hope that it sells, I’m not your gal.

2

If I seem part business strategist, part COO, and part therapist to you, you’re probably right.

Being able to pair solid strategy with beautiful execution, all while keeping your mental marbles in check are the three keys to becoming a successful entrepreneur. When you work with me, I make sure you’re keeping these three things in alignment.

3

We’re both busy, and you didn’t hire me to make your life more difficult.

You’ll find that every step of your experience working with me is organized, streamlined, and easy. This isn’t my first rodeo, and I’m ready to guide you through any obstacles coming your way.

If you don’t have a clear process in mind, don’t know where to start, or aren’t sure how to go about finishing a project together, don’t worry—I already have a plan ready for you.

4

You’ve entrusted me with your startup, and that means a lot to me.

You’ll never see me taking that responsibility lightly. My goal is for you to walk away from our work together ecstatic with the results, so I won’t be handing over a less-than-thrilling final product. When you work with me, you can trust that you’ll walk away a better entrepreneur than you were before.

How I Give

Back

🙋🏾‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏿‍♀️🙋🏽‍♀️

I’m on a mission to accelerate the success timelines of BIPOC women entrepreneurs by giving them access to crucial marketing and sales knowledge through my online course, Sales Mastery.

Scholarships to Sales Mastery are awarded to BIPOC women who possess financial and/or social barriers to building a profitable business.

Learn more about the scholarship and apply here.

How Can

I Help?

“
If you’re ready to get moving on your business, but don’t know what the right first step is, reach out to me and I’ll help you figure it out.
If you already know exactly what you need, let’s do this!
TALK TO SOPHIA”

What My

Clients Say

about-testimonails

Overall I wish I had done Sales Mastery a few years ago. It would have saved me a lot of time and money that I invested in various PR and marketing adventures which generated very little in sales. If you are starting a business, go through Sales Mastery first. It will save you a LOT of money and prevent you from making many mistakes. After this course, you will know if you are selling the right thing to the right people. If you are not, you will be able to adjust your strategy without costly mistakes.

Thank you Sophia! An absolutely brilliant course.

Marilyne A.

Sophia was a godsend. She is extremely professional, knowledgeable, honest/supportive and KIND. She not only has an outrageous breadth of knowledge, but she also has the experience and can therefore connect with her clients on a more intimate and compassionate level. She helped to identify every gap in my business and quickly worked with me to create a solution. I walked away each week feeling empowered, refreshed, optimistic and ready to implement all I learned. Thank you, Sophia!

Devon L.

Sophia's Sales Mastery program was just the kickstart I had been searching for! Although the design side of my business comes easily to me, I knew I needed an outsider to step in and help me lay the groundwork for me to move forward from a sales and financial planning standpoint. Sophia helps you break down your business and build it back up by identifying sales channels and action plans that are best suited for your specific needs. She's given me the confidence boost that's made all the difference.

Whitner C.

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