From Side Hustle to Sonder Social: How I Built a Business Around Content
Social media has transformed from a place for highlights to a space for connection, creativity, and business growth, and that shift is what led me to build Sonder Social.
When the pandemic hit, I was in college, and like everyone else, I watched social media change in real time. Before, it felt casual on the surface but was really about polished, curated content. During and after the pandemic, it became something deeper: a space for real connection. Businesses began treating their feeds like virtual storefronts, while people turned to TikTok and Instagram not just for entertainment, but as resources for ideas, inspiration, and community. And for the first time, showing up as yourself felt like enough.
That shift also changed how people discovered small businesses. Instead of ads, brands became part of the everyday inspiration, raw, personable, and real. That was when I realized I wanted to be on the other side of it: not just consuming content, but helping businesses use it to connect.
The Spark
In college, I studied marketing and public relations and landed an internship at a PR firm focused on the construction industry. I spent my days interviewing, reporting, and writing case studies, blogs, and product descriptions. I also got my first taste of managing social when I ran accounts for a start-up called StrollRunner, a hands-free running belt for strollers. That early mix of writing and content work sparked my curiosity.
Soon after, I joined a local agency in Burlington, VT, called Eternity as a Social Media Content Creator. There, I worked directly with small business owners, helping them turn their ideas into content that connected with people across New England and beyond. One of my early highlights was Brave Coffee & Tea, where I created content from start to finish. By focusing on their values of quality, affordability, and accessibility, and by sharing coffee recipes, cost-saving tips, and encouraging local visits, one coffee recipe reel alone reached 25K impressions from non-followers.
Growing Into Social Media Management
At Eternity, I grew quickly. I was promoted to Social Media Manager and eventually led the department, managing more than 10 clients at a time. From construction companies to health markets to New England bed and breakfasts, I built strategies, created content, and managed communities across industries.
I realized I loved the entire process: strategy, creation, and management. It came naturally, and I thrived on seeing the results come to life.
Outside of agency work, I kept experimenting. I shot content for 260 Sample Sale Chicago and created UGC for brands like Touchland and SoftFrame, which showed me how much I enjoyed the creative side of content as much as the strategic.
Building Beyond the 9 to 5
Throughout my career, I have always made it a point to connect with and learn from other social media managers. Whether through networking, subscribing to newsletters, or joining online communities, I wanted to keep expanding my perspective.
I started with virtual assistant work, supporting other social media managers and getting a behind-the-scenes look at how they ran their businesses. From there, I began working directly with clients of my own; managing accounts, building strategies, and experimenting with different approaches to content.
Some of the resources I leaned on most included:
Pretty Little Marketer: A go-to newsletter and community for marketing insights and social trends.
Later Blog: Packed with platform updates, best practices, and case studies.
Marketing Brew: A quick daily read to stay sharp on industry news.
Balancing agency work with my growing freelance projects gave me room to test new ideas and learn quickly. As my client list expanded, I realized I wanted more freedom and creative control, and that was when I knew it was time to take the leap.
🌟 The side projects you take on today can be the stepping stones to your future business. Every experiment adds to your skill set and helps you figure out the kind of work you want to do long-term.
Taking the Leap: Sonder Social
When I decided to go out on my own, I started building my client base in Charlotte, NC, where I am currently based, while also traveling for content creation projects. To grow my network locally, I offered free content sessions to realtors, salons, florists, and even couples by shooting engagement and wedding content.
The work paid off. In my first month of freelance, I helped Outright Vermont boost their impressions by 100K. Around the same time, a long-time client of mine, Ranz Beauty, was invited by Magic Molecule, a brand she stocks, to serve as their licensed esthetician at Ulta Beauty World 2025. That opportunity came directly from the content strategy we built together.
Moments like these have made all the trial and error worth it. Building Sonder Social has not been linear. It has been about testing, learning, figuring out what truly excites me, and leaning into it fully.
Along the way, I picked up a few practices that made all the difference:
Batch your content. Set aside focused time to plan and film in advance to stay consistent.
Build a portfolio. If you want to pursue UGC, create a simple site or landing page on Squarespace or Canva to showcase your work and include your rates.
Explore platforms like Upwork. That is where I landed my project with 260 Sample Sale, and it remains a great place to find starter opportunities.
Treat your own social media like a portfolio. Your accounts often serve as the first impression of your work.
🌟 Offering free value at the start is one of the fastest ways to build trust and create lasting connections.
Looking Ahead
Today, Sonder Social is more than just a business. It is the space where strategy and creativity meet, built around helping brands connect authentically with their audiences. From long-term client partnerships to content that sparks real engagement, every step of the journey has led here.
I have never been drawn to working in just one niche. What excites me most are the business owners themselves; the ones who are motivated, see the value in social, and are ready to trust someone to help bring their vision to life. At the end of the day, it’s the people behind the brands that make this work worth doing.
