We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sophia Zarate a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Sophia, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
It began with self-reflection and a deep curiosity about what truly fulfills me. I uncovered a genuine love for content creation and community-building. Learning from others, sharing experiences, and understanding different perspectives enriched my sense of purpose. It reinforced the idea that meaningful connections and a sense of community are integral to a purposeful life.
My purpose continues to evolve, and I see it as a dynamic, ongoing process. It’s about aligning my actions with my values, contributing positively to the world, and being true to who I am.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m a first-generation Mexican American based in New York City. I started my professional career in corporate Accounting and Finance and then quickly became disappointed by my experience. In 2021, I took on content creation via Instagram and TikTok as a hobby that would allow me to take care of my creative itch. Becoming a creator has changed my life in so many unexpected ways and has become the reason why I now run a non-profit organization called Corporate Pero Latinos (“CPL”).
I am deeply passionate about CPL’s mission to facilitate social and professional connections while encouraging our members to give back to the community. So often, we lack a feeling of belonging at work and I wanted to create a space for Latinos in the corporate world to simply connect and develop a genuine network outside of the workplace. My work ranges from people management to financial management to social media strategy and more. What I find most exciting about it is how we are able to make an impact on our community as a non-profit whether that’s through our philanthropic initiatives, in-person events, or our online platforms. My personal goal is to always do things from a place of purpose.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Resilience, adaptability, and a commitment to continuous learning have been pivotal in my journey.
My advice for those starting out in any endeavor is to embrace failure, maintain curiosity, and build a supportive network because a strong community will be there to remind you of the many reasons why you should keep going when you might feel like giving up. Success lies in a mindset of growth, learning from setbacks, and staying open to new opportunities. Don’t be afraid to deviate from your initial plan.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
One book that has significantly influenced my professional development is “Range” by David Epstein.
This book challenges the conventional wisdom of specializing in one field. Epstein argues that having a broad range of experiences and skills can lead to greater innovation and success. One valuable nugget of wisdom from the book is the idea that generalists, individuals with diverse skill sets, are often better equipped to solve complex problems and adapt to a rapidly changing world. This perspective has profoundly shaped my approach to personal and professional growth, encouraging me to explore a multitude of areas and embrace the power of interdisciplinary thinking.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.corporateperolatinos.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophiealamexicana/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiazarate/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@sophiealamexicana https://www.tiktok.com/@corporateperolatinos https://www.instagram.com/corporateperolatinos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/corporate-pero-latinos/
