Meet Sophia Puliafico

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

Sophia, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

Imposter syndrome shadows Gen Z like an unshakable shadow. We grew up with social media exposing intimate parts of our lives, encouraging us to constantly compare ourselves to our peers. Now, our ability to secure jobs and sustain ourselves hinges on how polished and competent we appear on LinkedIn. I’d be lying if I said imposter syndrome wasn’t making my palms sweat as I respond to this interview, wondering if my insights will measure up to other interviewees. However, a critical aspect of overcoming imposter syndrome is being comfortable with embarrassment. Rejection and failure sting, but as a business owner, I know I won’t succeed if I don’t put myself out there and pick myself back up when things don’t go as planned. I have to ask myself: Am I more afraid of embarrassment, or of never reaching my potential because I didn’t try? My answer is always the latter, which makes embarrassment easier to swallow. After a few leaps into the unknown, you begin to build confidence, and imposter syndrome starts to lose its grip.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’m a jack of many trades! In January 2024, I took the leap into full-time content creation, creating beauty content that makes the space more approachable for everyday people. My goal is to help others feel less intimidated by makeup and to encourage them to explore their creativity with it, much like we do with cooking or painting.
In addition to content creation, I’m also a social media strategist, working with small businesses to expand their online reach. I love helping others achieve their mission, especially when it positively impacts the community. As an independent contractor, I have the freedom to work with clients whose values I believe in and enjoy amplifying.
Outside of that, I’m also a pet sitter. I used to feel a bit self-conscious about this side hustle, but I genuinely love spending time with animals and being outdoors while walking dogs. Social media has given me the freedom to be so many things and to build a schedule that brings me joy.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Three qualities that helped me most were knowing how to build community, being comfortable with trying (and sometimes failing) at new things, and being a planner. Over the past seven years, I’ve moved to five different states, and in each one, I’ve built a community that has inspired, educated, or supported me in some way. It’s essential to invest time in others and say yes to opportunities to learn from them.

I’m also a dedicated planner; if I have a goal, I usually create a 10-step plan to achieve it. Don’t underestimate the power of setting ‘SMART’ goals and making use of a free Notion template! Breaking down big goals into achievable action items makes anything less intimidating.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

Surprise, surprise—imposter syndrome! After months of focusing on one style of content creation, I’ve realized my videos aren’t resonating with my audience as much as I’d hoped. I used to take a very educational approach to makeup, but I’m noticing that people want to feel inspired, supported, and entertained right now. There’s a lot happening outside of my corner of the internet, and I sense that many people are experiencing learning fatigue. I’m reworking my strategy to create a creative, fun, and welcoming environment, but it’s intimidating, and I don’t always feel up to the task. Thankfully, I have an amazing community of fellow content creators who let me bounce ideas around and hold me accountable when I start to procrastinate.

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Image Credits

Caitlyn Hyde

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