SOS with Sonja Rasula

Josie Stewart runs The Luminous Pets with her husband, and together they make pet bandanas that are more comfortable than traditional ones, fitting a wider range of cat and dog shapes and sizes. They’ve done really well this year and are on track to more than DOUBLE what they made last year! But the majority of their sales still come from in-person markets, where they are able to connect and engag...

Sonia Smith Kang is in her eighth year of business with her multicultural children’s fashion brand, Mixed Up Clothing. She started the company because she wanted her children to be able to see themselves and their multicultural background in their clothing. Her brand can be found in retailers including Macy’s and Belk and she’s gotten some great press attention! But business never stops and she is...

Elizabeth Vu runs Félin Lune Apothecary, an environmentally conscious beauty brand selling alternatives to traditional beauty products, such as shampoo and conditioner, without all the wasteful packaging. She has a very loyal customer base but her products are so long lasting that she needs to constantly attract new customers to keep up momentum!   Elizabeth is worried that something about her onl...

Krystal Flores runs Soy Latina Candles, a non-toxic luxury fragrance brand that sells candles, perfumes, body oils, and more. She’s ready to take the next step in growing her business and needs Sonja’s advice on her email marketing strategy - she doesn’t want to send too much email, making people unsubscribe!   Sonja, of course, dishes out great tips for how to use email marketing to build brand r...

Lesly Ramos runs Cositas PDX making gorgeous and intricately detailed polymer clay earrings and other small trinkets inspired by her Mexican culture. She recently went full time with the business to step it up and wants Sonja’s help with presenting her brand more professionally at this new level. She’s in the middle of transitioning from selling on Etsy to having a standalone website and Sonja giv...

Julia Walck is a collage artist who recently left her job to run her business full time. She makes colorful, retro-reminiscent products such as coasters and wrapping paper, and sells her art prints through her website and in a handful of shops. Business is on the up! But Julia is struggling with making video content for social media and wants to expand into more retailers. Sonja gives her insights...

This episode is jam-packed with e-commerce and social media advice, especially for all those who struggle with having to be “the face” of a business while running said business (um, that’s all of us right?!). Today’s guest, Victoria Ann Meyers, runs her jewelry brand from her home full time and is also a single mom with sole responsibility for her two kids. She’s completed "the checklist" of what...

Briana Berkowitz started So Many Flowers to plant and grow her very own flower farm here in the US (very rare!), and sell custom-made fresh and dried flower arrangements, floral art and more. But as sales dipped this year, she had to take a full time job… she has no idea which direction to go now, but is passionate about her business and hopes to grow it. But as Sonja says, “passion doesn’t pay th...

We're back - and just in time to help you through the busiest selling season of the year. The first episode of Season 5 of SOS with Sonja Rasula drops Monday Nov 6, with episodes every Monday for the rest of the year!  <br> Thanks to our Presenting Partner, Constant Contact, for supporting us and all small businesses this season. Visit www.constantcontact.com/unique  for our exclusive deal t...

Looking for a way to grow your follower count? Well now’s the time to get REEL because there has never been a social media tool as powerful as Reels! Tune in to learn all the tangible tips and tricks to best utilize Instagram Reels from social media expert Taylor Loren. This whole episode is dedicated to social media and Reels because since the algorithms and their pay-to-play model, it’s been nex...

How to get great press is one of the most asked about topics, and for good reason… Getting press mentions can help make your business, and that’s why it’s so important for entrepreneurs to know how and what to pitch to the media. In this episode, Sonja sits down with Karin Eldor, a senior contributor at Forbes whose writing focuses on founders, creatives, and visionaries.  Can you DM an editor? Ho...

With zero algorithms blocking your content and limiting your reach, email marketing is by far the best way to increase sales with very little effort. So Sonja went straight to the source for this episode to give you the best advice out there! Dave Charest, Director of Content Marketing at Constant Contact, will help you save time, make more money, and learn to automate tasks. Um, yes please!!! Dav...

It is time to face your money! Join Sonja and this episode’s guest Paco de Leon, a financial advisor and author of the new book Finance for the People: Getting a Grip on Your Finances, for a candid conversation about managing your money and facing your financial fears. All the amazing tips, advice, and real-talk in this episode will help you come out on top – even though the current financial syst...

In today’s episode Sonja’s friend Ginger Siegel, North America Small Business Lead at Mastercard, throws down major gems to help your business! Because of her role at the massive brand, Ginger is able to bring us her global perspective of small biz trends, shares how you can better protect your business, and we dive deep into the world of digitization to help save you time and money – allowing you...

Who else has put off legal-type tasks because “lawyers”? In this episode Grant Atkinson, the founder of Framework Law Group and the most un-lawyery lawyer you will ever meet, drops by the studio to share some seriously VITAL information about all those legal matters your small business needs but that you may have been avoiding.  Grant explains the difference between various business entities, why...

Here on SOS we are always rooting for all our guests, so we are very pleased to present this special bonus episode featuring Llance Kezner of Millie's Sipping Broth and Krystyl Wright of Lot XI ! Tune in as Sonja welcomes these very special season 2 guests, who have recently had some exciting company growth since being on the podcast!   Lifeline Links: Sonja's Instagram , YouTube , Twitter Millie'...

After years of working for household recognized fashion brands, Melissa Velia launched her own company selling scrunchies, belts, and ties -- all of which she handmakes. Even though her products are amazing Melissa's product photography is outdated and Sonja thinks she should be making double or triple what her annual revenues are. In order to compete in a very very crowded ecommerce space Melissa...

So many people have become entrepreneurs during COVID or because of it! One of these new entrepreneurs is Maria Varela, who's business My Layover Box , was founded in March 2020, RIGHT BEFORE we went into lock down! Not great timing for a company based on the joy of traveling. Pandemic or not, the business has barely sold anything. As a fledgling company, Maria needs immediate help to change her b...

At first glance Dear Joie looks picture perfect, but if you look deeper you'll notice that you would never know who actually runs the company; there's no "About Us" page or founder story anywhere! This may be why Dear Joie founder Amanda Delos Reyes, is not making as many sales as she should be. Amanda needs Sonja's encouragement to share her founder story to give her brand "heart" and to increase...

Don't listen to the hype, it's 2021, you don't have to be a 'starving artist'! Whitney Manney is an incredible fashion designer and artist, selling everything from handmade jackets to scarves and fanny packs. Whitney's sales grew since 2020, #ThanksCOVID, but she has SO MANY PRODUCTS and needs Sonja's help simplifying the website's user experience. Listen in as Sonja gives the best tips on how to...

Calling all parents who are also founders! Busy mom Aidah Johnson is the founder of Aidah's Creative Life , a successful interior design business. As a proud mom, Aidah often uses her one social media account for both pictures of her family and to promote her company. From a business perspective it's confusing and will hamper her growth. So, in this episode of  SOS with Sonja Rasula listen as Sonj...

Julie Wiener of Granolust has successfully created sexy granola. Really! And while Julie had no intentions of becoming an entrepreneur, the Canadian company is thriving. However, in order to scale to the next level, and sell in the US, Julie needs Sonja's help. In this episode we will hear how Julie created her well designed product packaging, and Sonja will advise Julie on how to competitively pr...

Raise your hand if you are the social media dept, catering, janitorial, accounting + more! Entrepreneurs run the whole dang business, like Flybrow founder Suzie Moldavon. Flybrow is a mobile business that brings expert eyebrow waxing and shaping to patrons, whether at home, at work, or at an event. Flybrow is wildly successful and lucrative, but Suzie needs direction on expansion and how to step a...

Is running your small business making you feel burnt out? Er.... DUH! Don't miss episode 302 of our podcast where Sonja Rasula talks to the founder of the blog Fertilust , a thriving community for those who are in, or have been through, struggles with fertility. Fertilust founder Nathalie Carpenter is at a CRUCIAL point in her journey and needs Sonja's help to figure out how to stop the burn out a...

Look no further for small biz inspiration! After Gisela Rocha's husband was diagnosed with cancer, she dove into the world of natural skincare in the name of eliminating toxic ingredients from their home... And UnTamed Naturals was born! While the business doubled its sales in 2020, she's not sure how to best sell online and grow. As usual, Sonja points out all the ways to improve and does not hol...