We were lucky to catch up with Sophia Styles recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Sophia , thanks for joining us today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

To keep this simple: discipline, consistency, taking calculated risks. If you master these, there is just no way to fail. In line with this, you should allow yourself room to fail (it is going to suck) because it is when you fail that you are able to learn from past mistakes. What helps me put things in perspective is that regret is far worse than failure. I don’t think there is anyone who has never failed at anything. I think it is important to not look at failures as final. Instead, we should look at it as a means to where we can hone in on our craft and improve. Consistency and resilience will always yield the results you are seeking. There will always be doubters along your journey but you must have grit to pursue your dream.

Another thing is originality. There are so many trends across platforms and sometimes if you are not careful you can lose yourself in the noise. It pays off to be different and develop new ways to achieve results. It’s a tough hurdle because we, as creators, are constantly pulling inspiration from one another and there’s nothing wrong with that, just add a little pizzazz by continuing to find ways to be original. There is always room for quality. Also, never compare yourself/your journey to the next person because chances are you are never really at the same level. It is important to remember that people have different obstacles, backgrounds and privileges that may never be accessible to you.

Love what you do! I mean genuinely love it to the point that you know you’d do it even if you didn’t get compensated. This is what will keep you going even on bad days. I get a high from my travel experiences and when I hear from thousands of strangers from the internet that I inspire them to go and see the world. It is an unexplainable feeling, I wouldn’t trade it for anything! It is a constant reminder that I am in the right path.

Sophia , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am Sophia Styles of @sostyles, founder of Sostyles Escapades – @sostylesescapades. I created my brand around my passion for travel and wanderlust. After having traveled to over 40 countries, I have learned a whole bunch that I am just itching to share with the world. We are so lucky we get to call this place home. I want to be a vessel that transcends cultures and imagination. One of the goals with my travel curating company is on creating brand awareness in the hospitality industry around the world and showing the need for inclusivity and diversity. When people see someone who looks like them doing something they find fascinating or might be interested in, they are more inclined to actually do it! Representation matters – this is a discussion for another day – we still have a long way to go.

The trips I curate for my clients are carefully designed to integrate personal touch, adventurous, and luxurious experiences. What sets me apart is that no two trips are ever the same because I believe travel is not a one size fits all. I always make it a point to provide free and straight to the point consultations with potential clients in order to get to know them further. During this time, I find out their likes, dislikes and overall personality – what kind of traveler they are, etc.

I am also the co-founder of Global Escape Travels @globalescapetravels which was created to encourage travelers/aspiring travelers to see more of the world. Our primary goal with these intimate (no more than 10 people per trip) group trips is to discover the world with like minded individuals with a deep passion for curiosity. We curate trips to meet the needs of people who share the same interest and are eager to explore the world. Most people who join our group trips are solo travelers, and quite a handful leave these trips with new found long term friendships.

Our trips are uniquely designed to uncover history and learn about new cultures. We believe it is important to truly learn about each destination by incorporating a cultural immersive experience on all of our trips.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Honestly, I pay more attention to the impact I have rather than the numbers. Don’t get me wrong, because I truly appreciate any and everyone who is following my journey and the numbers definitely help with landing brand deals. The encouragement I receive from my online community is truly top tier so I do not ever take it for granted. With the ever changing algorithm across social media platforms, I have learned to not take metrics too seriously because they are not a complete reflection of the art I create. I believe in quality, evergreen and valuable content. I believe in captivating and inspiring content that will equip my audience with the (soft and hard) skills I have acquired over the years. I love checking my insights and seeing what post(s) is performing well and why so I can continue to deliver in that caliber. I love learning where my audience is from. Really puts everything into perspective for me.

My biggest advice would be to share things that make you happy, or things that you wish you had known starting out because it’s easy to forget the basics when you have been in the game for a while. Whenever I’m sharing content, I always think of 3 things I want to preface my audience with: educate, equip and entertain. You can never go wrong when aiming for these, especially when it has become an integral step in your content creation process. It is also important to create eye catching content, give people a reason to stop scrolling but almost always immediately follow that with a reason for them to stick around. Think freebies, what do you have to offer that will change this person’s life for the better and at no cost to them? How can your content facilitate their everyday life? How do you want your content to make them feel? Who is your target audience? Are you listening and responding to their needs?

Above all, being in this space you have to be humble and willing to also learn from your audience. I am always in awe from how much I learn from even people who aren’t content creators. Community is family and I always appreciate having insightful conversations with my online community. I don’t take any of it for granted. There is room for all of us to grow and reach our peak!

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Being myself! Tell it as it is. It is very easy to have a warped perception of someone who has any kind of social media presence. And this is why I love platforms like TikTok – it feels like a safe place for everyone because there are no ‘rules’ and you are constantly connecting with people you can easily relate to. I pride myself in not being or trying to be anyone else. Of course you can seek inspiration from people you admire (I’m a fan of this!) but you will always be your secret sauce. ‘No one is you and that is your power.’ I strongly believe in individuality and authenticity. Plus, oftentimes, people can tell when you are not being true to yourself, and by the time you realize it no one knows who you truly are because you have been hiding behind this image of who you think your audience perceives you to be. Where’s the fun in that?

Also don’t always show up just for the sake of showing up. Do so intentionally. Always think of ways to service your clients at no cost. I feel like this should come naturally when you genuinely love what you do. In line with this, learn to give yourself grace and room to mess up. People love rawness and a good BTS. Most importantly, have fun!!!!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.Sostyles escapades.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/sostyles
• Other: TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@sostyles1