hi, I’m SOPHIA SUNWOO

I’m a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Fred Alger Finance Award winner, and named one of the world’s 100 most inspiring women by Salt Magazine and Diageo.

I’ve been building startups since I was 19, an experience I like to think has been informed by my immigrant entrepreneur parents. I have a diverse background in business, design thinking, and social impact that has helped me challenge norms and push boundaries.

I co-created my first company (a clothing company) when I was 19 and sold it before my 23rd birthday. The brand’s clothing was seen on Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, and Gym Class Heroes during the heyday of Warped Tour in the mid 2000's. Before my co-founder and my's exit, our clothing was in 250 major retailers worldwide, including Hot Topic and Zumiez.

In 2011, I co-founded a non-profit that fixed and prevented broken water systems in Cameroon and India by building community ecosystems of water maintenance care. I led an international team to secure clean water for over 80,000 people. The organization has been recognized by Forbes, DevEx, African Business Review, and ELLE Magazine.

I love coming in on the ground floor and helping design a brand’s DNA. I specialize in infusing personality, authenticity, and connection into marketing and sales deliverables so that audiences feel bonded with a brand. I currently work with brands through my business Ascent Strategy, and as the Head of Brand Growth at Special Sauce Branding.

I hold a BBA in Business and Design Strategy from Parsons School of Design and the New School, and a Masters in International Economic Policy at Columbia University.

I’m a Korean-American who spent her childhood in the Bronx, has lived in New York for the majority of her life, and spent a few years soul-searching in Colorado.

I’m an explorer and inquisitor of how my identity and lived experience have influenced who I’ve been and who I’m becoming.

Uplifting and empowering the BIPOC community is a strong priority of mine — from choosing where and how I spend my money, the media I consume, to intentionally crafting experiences that align with my values.

This informs a lot of what I explore in my free time. My interests range from ruminating on the meaning of home, identity, and race, to connecting to the outdoors.

I’m a fangirl of Bukowski-esque poetry and an over-appreciator of music videos as an art form. My favorite social media platform is GoodReads.

In my free time, I’m usually learning something new, playing with pastels, scheming an outdoor adventure, or tending to the 50+ plants in my apartment.