Voss Babe Female Entrepreneur Series – Sofia D’Orazio, Owner of A Girl and Her Graphics

For many entrepreneurs and small businesses, social media can be an absolute game-changer! All it takes is one viral post and a business can suddenly take off.

At Like A Voss Social Media, we’re highlighting local businesses and entrepreneurs who are killing the online game. This week’s spotlight is on Sofia D’Orazio, Owner of A Girl and Her Graphics!

A Girl and Her Graphics is a girl with a passion for designing and creating. From digital illustrations and social media graphics, to greeting cards, party decor, and stickers… I offer it all!

Our CEO Mandi interviewed Sofia about her secret to success in business and in life. We also got some awesome insights into what they think makes social media such an effective tool in business.

A Little Bit About Being a Female Entrepreneur

1: How long have you been in business?

I started mid April of 2020.

2: What made you decide to break away from the 9-5 and start your business?

I currently am still in the 9-5 – I actually work in the insurance industry. A Girl and Her Graphics has been my side hustle for a little over a year now. I remember at the beginning of Covid, I came across some pages on Instagram doing digital illustrations and I remember thinking, “I want to learn how to do that!” So on a boring night in quarantine, I downloaded Adobe Illustrator and learned. I posted a few on my Instagram stories on my personal profile and I got so many DM’s about it! From there I thought, let me start a page and see where it goes. From there I learned how to do the illustrations on Procreate using an iPad, and began getting more creative with the services I offer.

3: What do you love most about being a female entrepreneur?

I love the fellow female entrepreneurs that I have met along the way. There is so much positivity with everyone I have met and us female entrepreneurs love to support one another. It is such an awesome community.

4: What is the hardest thing you have had to overcome as a female entrepreneur? 

The hardest thing I have had to overcome is juggling working a 9-5, working on A Girl and Her Graphics on weeknights and weekends, all while making time for myself. There are some days where I find myself working my full time job until 5, go to eat dinner, and then sit at my desk designing or fulfilling orders for A Girl and Her Graphics. I will get into bed and think “Where did the day go?” I love what I do so much that it does not even feel like work – and that makes me extremely happy. But, when I get busy I often forget that sometimes I need to make time for myself too.

5: What is one thing about working in the graphics design industry that people would be surprised to learn? 

One thing most people would be surprised to learn is that I have taught myself everything. I taught myself about Adobe Illustrator, Procreate, formatting… everything. I bet most assumptions are that I went to school for graphic design but that is very false! I believe you can do anything you put your mind to.

And Now Onto The Social Media Questions!

6: Do you have a favorite social media platform? Why?

My favourite social media platform is definitely Instagram. There are just so many different ways to promote your work all within one platform. I love being able to post more personal/day-to-day/behind the scenes on my Instagram stories, post photos of my products on my feed, and behind the scenes on my reels on how those products were made.

7: What made you decide to start using social media as a way to promote your business?  

I started using social media to promote my business because I knew it was the best way to reach an audience. Almost everyone I know is on social media and there are just so many different ways to market yourself.

8: How has social media impacted your business? Would you say that it’s an effective marketing tool?

Social media 110% is an effective marketing tool. Without a doubt, I would not be where I am today without social media. As I mentioned previously, when I first saw how much feedback I got from posting my work on my stories on my personal Instagram account, I thought “Okay I have something here”. I actually think I also posted a poll on my personal account if I should start up a separate page and if people would be interested in me taking orders. I was blown away by the support and love I got, and still continue to get.

9: What advice would you give to other businesses and entrepreneurs who want to use social media as a way to connect with customers?

The advice I would give is to be consistent and to engage with your followers. Take advantage of all the features social media has. I find the best way to understand my audience is by making polls and questions on my Instagram stories. There is nothing wrong with getting into a creative block and needing to reach out for new ideas and content. Sometimes this even results in a conversation with your followers via direct messages which takes your relationship with your audience and potential customers to a whole new level. 

A Little More About Sofia

The girl behind the graphics… My name is Sofia and I am 25 years old (actually, I just turned 25 on May 25th so it feels very weird to say that age!) I graduated from the University of Guelph Humber in 2018 achieving my Bachelor of Applied Science Psychology degree and General Arts and Science Diploma. I entered the insurance world in January 2019 and have been with the same company since. When I am not working, you can find me online shopping, spending time with my friends, working out, or cuddling up with my dog, Mia.

Connect with Sofia

Instagram

Know Any Voss Babes?

Do you know a female entrepreneur who loves social media as much as we do? Contact us today – we’d love to tell her story!

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